Colts add two empty net goals to take 7-4 victory over the Spitfires
By Melissa Bromley
The Colts were back at the Barrie Molson Centre and welcomed the Windsor Spitfires to town. In the second meeting between the two teams this season, the Colts pulled away in the third period when they added two empty net goals in the last minute and a half of the game.
In the first meeting between the two teams this season, the Colts were edged out 4-3 in Windsor. Tonight, the Colts outshot the Spitfires 35-28 and were 2 for 5 on the man advantage. Tonight’s win brings the season series between the two teams to a tie.
The Colts opened up the scoring for the night just three minutes into the game. Garrett Hooey got the puck to Justin Scott who crossed the blue line and left the puck for Rasmus Andersson. Andersson went low blocker side for his third goal of the season.
With less than five minutes to play in the period, the Spitfires were able to tie the game up on the power play. After Daniel Gibl made the initial save with Spitfire players in front of him, the puck came out to Trevor Murphy in the slot. Murphy put it home through traffic to tie the game at 1.
The Colts outshot the Spitfires 10-6 going into the second, but were unable to convert on both first period power play opportunities.
Matthew Kreis started the scoring in the second period with his first goal of the season at the 3:18 mark. Cordell James broke down the left side and cut to the net, then dropped it for Kreis who put it home. Roy Radke also assisted on Kreis’ first of the season.
With the Colts a man down, Joseph Blandisi stunned the Spitfires offence when he scored a shorthanded goal at 6:57 to extend the Colts lead to 2. Blandisi’s 8th goal of the season was one for the highlight reel. Blandisi blew down the right side and beat the Spitfire defenceman with a great fake, then cut to the slot and slid it home past Alex Fotinos. Brendan Lemieux also assisted on the short-handed goal.
Less than a minute and a half later, the Spitfires answered back when Graeme Brown scored an unassisted goal for his first on the year. Brown broke down the left side and fired a side that went top shelf short side on Gibl.
On the power play at the 11:31 mark of the second, Andrew Mangiapane scored his 5th goal of the season. Andersson dropped the puck for Kevin Labanc who broke down the left side. Labanc passed it out front to Mangiapane who was cutting through the slot, and Mangiapane went low to beat Fotinos.
The Colts held on to that two-goal lead until 4:50 of the third period when Ryan Foss netted his third goal of the season as he walked the puck behind the net and wrapped it in. Foss’ goal was unassisted.
For the second time in the game, the Colts regained a two-goal lead on their second power play goal of the game at 9:10 of the third. Lemieux got the puck to Labanc down near the goal line then moved into the slot. Labanc touched it back to Lemieux, and Lemieux put it home for his sixth goal of the year.
The Spitfires again cut the Colts lead to one less than four minutes later when Cristiano DiGiacinto corralled the puck in the right corner and put home a tough angle shot. Josh Ho-Sang and Trevor Murphy assisted on the Spitfires fourth goal.
Despite pulling Fotinos in the last minute and a half of the game, the Spitfires were unable to generate any offence. The Colts put home two empty net goals from Garrett Hooey and Blandisi to seal the win. It was Hooey’s third goal on the season, and Radke earned his second assist of the night on Blandisi’s second goal of the game.
The Colts head to Owen Sound on Wednesday, October 22nd to face the Attack in their next game.
