Series HQ: Oshawa vs. Barrie
Game 1: Colts snap Generals’ 12-game winning streak
Barrie 4 at Oshawa 2 – Barrie leads series 1-0
- The Colts climbed out to a 3-0 lead by the first minute of the third, holding-off an Oshawa comeback attempt to win Game 1
- Zach Wigle had a goal and two assists while other goals came from Shamar Moses, Cole Beaudoin and Beau Jelsma
- Beckett Sennecke and Dylan Roobroeck scored third period goals for the Generals
- Sam Hillebrandt stopped 31-of-33 in the Barrie creases opposite Jacob Oster, who made 22 saves
- Barrie won despite being outshot 33-26
Game Centre & Highlights | Oshawa Post-Game
The young guns are here 😤#GiddyUp pic.twitter.com/u8FRbs71JB
— Barrie Colts (@OHLBarrieColts) March 30, 2024
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(1) Oshawa Generals (40-19-7-2) vs. (8) Barrie Colts (28-36-4-0)
Connor Punnett has been able to do a little bit of everything this season.
The Oshawa Generals overage defenceman has worn the ‘C’, signed an entry-level NHL contract with Dallas, and now he gets to face the team he spent parts of four seasons with in the first round of the playoffs.
Punnett (11-44–55) can be considered an X-factor for Oshawa in this, or really any series the Generals embark on. He’s physical, he’s got a hammer of a shot, and opponents always know when he’s on the ice.
Punnett’s former team, the Barrie Colts, head into Oshawa on Friday to face a Generals team playing their best hockey of the season. The Generals’ 12-game winning streak is the club’s longest since the 1986-87 season as they successfully secured top spot in the Eastern Conference on the final weekend of the season.
It's a new dawn.
MORE | https://t.co/vb3er5F1g8 #GensNation | #RedHot🔥 | #OSHvsBAR pic.twitter.com/kJR3Mwc1NA
— Oshawa Generals (@Oshawa_Generals) March 29, 2024
It’s easy to see why things have gone right for Oshawa. They’ve got great goaltending thanks to Jacob Oster, who led the OHL with 35 wins during the regular season. Punnett joins a cast that includes 19-year-old Luca D’Amato (13-33–46), draft eligible Luca Marrelli (6-51–57) and shutdown shot-blocking machine Ben Danford (1-32–33) eating up minutes on the back end. Offensively, Oshawa is clicking with Colorado Avalanche first round pick Calum Ritchie (28-52–80) standing out as one of the OHL’s premier playmakers following a first half that was slowed by injury.
There’s a lot of ways Oshawa can beat you. Ritchie’s presence up front has been bolstered by a breakout season from 6-foot-7 New York Rangers prospect Dylan Roobroeck (26-46–72) down the middle, while captain Stuart Rolofs (32-26–58) lit the lamp 32 times, being joined by clutch overage performer Connor Lockhart (27-32–59) who knows what it takes to win after hoisting the Robertson Cup in Peterborough last spring. Minnesota Wild prospect Rasmus Kumpulainen (28-28–56) and 30-goal scorer Matthew Buckley (30-21–51) are also big pieces of Oshawa’s forward corps.
The Barrie Colts have their work cut out for them in this series, looking to 19-year-old captain Beau Jelsma (37-44–81), usually the fastest player on the ice, to set the pace. The Colts had solid returns from first-year winger Riley Patterson (29-33–62), who really stepped-up his production in the second half. Fellow draft eligible Cole Beaudoin (28-34–62) is an all-around player who gets utilized in all situations by veteran head coach Marty Williamson.
Barrie will have to start strong in Game 1. The Colts struggled on the road this season, going just 8-24-2-0 away from Sadlon Arena, a record that included a stretch of 12 straight road losses from Nov. 16th through Jan. 31st.
When you’re an eight-seed, goaltending is also going to be crucial. Barrie has a 1A and 1B of sorts in overager Ben West and draft-eligible Sam Hillebrandt. The two split duties during the regular season, appearing in 37 and 36 games respectively.
Overage blueliner Thomas Stewart (8-17–25) will face his former club in the series. Stewart has stepped in and played a big role on the Barrie blueline, joining younger names in Kashawn Aitcheson (8-31–39) and Jack Brauti (9-12–21) in elevated roles following an injury to Edmonton Oilers prospect Beau Akey (4-5–9), who was limited to just 14 games before undergoing season-ending surgery.
The Colts have struggled on both the power play (19th) and the penalty kill (20th) this season. If they’re unable to come up with a solution to their challenges on special teams, Barrie vs. Oshawa could be a quick series.
See if Barrie can overcome the odds and give the Generals a good fight in the first round, with every game streaming on OHL Live.
Ready to be dawgs 😤 #GiddyUp | 🎥 @bsunimedia pic.twitter.com/60FOXtM401
— Barrie Colts (@OHLBarrieColts) March 29, 2024
Series Schedule:
Game 1: Fri., March 29 – Barrie at Oshawa, 7:35pm
Game 2: Sun., March 31 – Barrie at Oshawa, 1:05pm
Game 3: Tues., April 2 – Oshawa at Barrie, 7:00pm
Game 4: Thurs., April 4 – Oshawa at Barrie, 7:00pm
Game 5: Fri., April 5 – Barrie at Oshawa, 7:35pm*
Game 6: Sun. April 7 – Oshawa at Barrie, 6:00pm*
Game 7: Tues., April 9 – Barrie at Oshawa, 7:05pm*
Season Series:
Series tied 2-2
Oct. 14 – OSH 1 at BAR 7
Jan. 27 – OSH 2 at BAR 3 (SO)
Feb. 25 – BAR 2 at OSH 5
Mar. 10 – BAR 1 at OSH 5
Playoff History:
This marks the third time that Oshawa and Barrie have met in the OHL Playoffs
– 2013 BAR def. OSH 4-0 – 2nd Round / 1999 OSH def. BAR 4-3 – 2nd Round
