Noel Sinks the Colts in Return from Christmas Break
It was a barn burner Saturday night in Colts Country. With Barrie back in action from the Christmas break, unfortunately it would be another Noel spoiling the party in front of a near sell out crowd as Serron Noel ended the game just 8 seconds into overtime giving the Oshawa Generals a 6-5 victory.
Riley Piercey lead the way for the Colts with a five point game earning his first OHL hat-trick and Aidan Brown picked up a goal and two assists in the loss.
The Colts returned from the Christmas break to start a stretch of three games in four nights and were met with their first matchup of the season against Oshawa. Once again rolling with just three forward lines, the Colts would get a couple troops back as Nicholas Porco would make his return and 2019 OHL draft pick Oliver Smith saw his first action as a Barrie Colt.
Just 31 seconds into the opening period the Colts would get called on a high stick and the Gen’s would make quick work to open up the scoring. Brett Neumann fired it home to make it 1-0 on the powerplay at 1:27 of the first.
The early goal wouldn’t deter a hungry Colts squad looking to get back in the win column. The boys would answer back with a pair of their own.
A stretch pass by Ian Lemieux would find Brown streaking down the right wing, Brown finished off the play with a beautiful wrap around to tie things at one, earning his 7th goal of the season.
With five minutes remaining in the first the Colts would take their first lead. This time it would be Brown tipping a pass up to Piercey. With a defender all over his back, Piercey slid home his 7th of the year to make it 2-1.
Into the second, the back and forth action and lead changes were just heating up in this tight contest.
The Colts would start the second period shorthanded, but it would be short lived. Right off the opening draw Allan McShane would quickly turn up ice and tie things up beating Arturs Silovs under the pad to make it 2-2.
Five minutes later Oshawa would strike again to retake the lead. Noel would find Neumann alone in the slot, firing in his second of the game.
Oshawa would hold the lead down for a much of the middle frame before another three goal onslaught would round things out.
At 14:11, Piercey would force a turnover deep in the Gens zone and rip his second of the game over the glove of the Andrew MacLean evening the game at three apiece. Piercey’s second of the night was also his 8th of the season.
Two minutes later Neumann would collect his fourth point of the game by sending a shot towards the Barrie net, a tip in front by Brett Harrison gave the visitors the lead again before the Colts captain knotted the score at four apiece.
29 seconds later, working a give and go with Brown, Willms fired it five hole for the captain’s 14th of the year.
Into the third period, the Colts looked to grab the lead for good. Brandt Clarke picked the puck off the side boards to feed Piercey alone in the slot. The Colts 2018 1st round pick quickly turned to snap a back hand threw the pads of MacLean for his third goal of the night and 9th of the year.
Barrie would carry the lead throughout the final frame, but with just 2:25 remaining Oshawa would once again get the equalizer. Lleyton Moore would send a shot from the point that just squeaked under the arm of Colts netminder Jet Greaves.
The Gens swarmed the Colts end in the dying seconds of the game throwing every chance towards the goal, but the Colts would escape and send the game to overtime.
In overtime, Oshawa took off right from the puck drop. Neumann collecting his third assist in the game fed Noel who iced the game at 6-5.
The Colts will have to quickly regroup and get ready to go again tomorrow afternoon as they’ll head west for an afternoon match up with the Owen Sound Attack. puck drop is slated for 2:00pm at the Bayshore.
