Colts outpace IceDogs, Barrie 6 Niagara 4
Article courtesy of www.thebarrieexaminer.com
The Barrie Colts have no problem putting pucks into the net.
But when it came to crunch time, they showed they could keep it out of their goal, too.
The Colts scored early and held on late to defeat the Niagara IceDogs 6-4 on Saturday.
“It was just a good team effort tonight,” said Colts winger Brendan Lemieux. “I think we were pretty sharp.
“We kind of let them get back into the game, but we closed it out and I think that’s what’s most important right now.”
The Colts and IceDogs are both offensively gifted teams, and traded great opportunities throughout the first period.
Niagara had most of the early pressure, firing seven shots on Barrie starter Mackenzie Blackwood, but the draft-eligible netminder was outstanding, making a couple of point-blank saves on Jordan Maletta.
“I thought Blackwood was unreal,” said Colts forward Roy Radke. “Overall, I think he played great.”
At the other end, veteran IceDogs goalie Brandon Hope was doing his job as well, getting a leg out to deny Brandon Prophet of a quality scoring chance when coming down the middle of the ice.
Radke got the Colts on the board first, when he carried the puck in on the left side, used his size and strength to cut around the lone defenceman, and then swept across the crease, getting Hope to commit before beating him on the far side.
“I got the puck in our end and started driving wide,” Radke said. “It got poked away from me, but I got it back right in front (of the net) and just shot it, and it went in.”
Blackwood was called upon yet again moments later, making an initial stop on Anthony DiFruscia before stretching across to rob Mikkel Aagaard with the glove on what looked like a sure goal.
But Aagaard was pulled down on the play, giving Niagara the man advantage, and it would capitalize.
Brendan Perlini sent a pass back to Vince Dunn, and the defenceman wristed a shot through traffic and past Blackwood to tie the game at 1-1.
A shift later, Barrie came storming back.
