Fronts Edge Colts in Shootout
The Colts welcomed the East Division leading Kingston Frontenacs to the Barrie Molson Centre for a pivotal Saturday night contest. Tonight’s game featured the top two teams in the Eastern Conference as Kingston entered with 59 points, 6 points clear of the Colts to head the pack. The Colts last played yesterday night in Sudbury where they were “off to the races” early as they scored four goals in the first period en route to a 7-1 victory. Dylan Sadowy would lead the charge as he knotted his first multi-goal game as a Colt, netting a hat trick while Kevin Labanc and Andrew Mangiapane each recorded 3 points in the win.
The Frontenacs come in leading the East Division by nine points over the Peterborough Petes. Similar to the Colts, the Frontenacs also acquired a big name forward in preparation for a lengthy playoff run as they picked up Michael Dal Colle from the Oshawa Generals at the trade deadline. Dal Colle, who was the 5th overall pick of the New York Islanders in 2014, recorded 8 goals and 17 assists in 25 games for Oshawa before being traded. Since suiting for Kingston, Dal Colle has been terrific, posting 8 goals and 8 assists in 8 games.
Saturday night’s game marked the third meeting between the two teams with Barrie claiming victory in the first two. They last played back on October 3rd where the Colts edged Kingston 4-2. Roy Radke recorded a hat trick while Julius Nattinen and Cordell James each registered two assists.
The game began with both teams creating quality scoring chances to take the early lead. However, both David Ovsjannikov and Kingston’s starting goaltender Lucas Peressini were up to the challenge to keep the game scoreless.
At the 11-minute mark of the frame, Andrew Mangiapane would give the Colts a 1-0 lead. After Cody Caron was sent off for hooking, the league’s 6th best power play would go to work. As the puck was worked around the Kingston zone, the puck would go back to Michael Webster where his point shot would bounce off a Frontenac player to Mangiapane where he buried a backhand. The goal was Mangiapane’s 26th of the season as Julius Nattinen recorded the other assist on the tally. With his goal, Mangiapane extended his point streak to 11 games.
Unfortunately, the Colts’ lead would not last long as Kingston would tie it up at 1-1 just over three minutes after Mangiapane. After a flurry of chances on Ovsjannikov, Spencer Watson would fire a shot at a sharp angle that would sneak between the post and Ovsjannikov’s left pad for his 22nd goal of the year and his team leading 49th point. Michael Dal Colle and Jacob Paquette would draw assists on the equalizer.
Following Watson’s goal, the Frontenacs would keep the puck in Barrie’s end for a large portion of the period with a constant forecheck. That persistent would pay off as Kingston would take the 2-1 lead with two and a half minutes left in the first. After Spencer Watson forced a turnover at the Colts’ blue line, he would drive the net, sliding a backhand pass across the slot to Michael Dal Colle who fired it by an outstretched Ovsjannikov. The goal was Dal Colle’s 17th of the year and 9th in nine games as a Frontenac.
Despite giving up two goals, Ovsjannikov had a great period, stopping 17 of 19 Kingston shots to hold the Frontenacs to a one-goal lead heading into the second. Shots in the period were 19-8 in favour of Kingston.
The beginning of the second saw Barrie play with more energy in their game as they began to throw the body with hopes of generating momentum. The game plan seemed to work as the Colts kept the puck pinned in Kingston’s end of the first three minutes of the period. However, they were unable to solve Lucas Peressini as the reigning goaltender of the year turned everything aside. Peressini’s play would pay off for the Frontenacs as they would extend their lead to 3-1. Lucky lady was on the side of the Frontenacs as Chad Duchesne’s shot from the point would pinball off the skate of Kevin Labanc then the skate of Andrew Mangiapane before going by a befuddled Ovsjannikov. The goal was Duchesne’s 5th of the year as Juho Lammikko and Lawson Crouse drew assists on the goal.
The Colts’ wouldn’t be deterred though as they would get one back before the period came to an end as they would once again strike on the man advantage. Kevin Labanc would find Michael Webster at the point where his shot would be deflected in front by Dylan Sadowy to make it 3-2 Frontenacs. The goal was Sadowy’s 26th of the year, his 4th in two games and his 6th goal since joining the Colts. Barrie entered the third down one, as shots in the second were 14-8 Kingston, 33-16 Frontenacs total.
The Colts entered the third down two men as Michael Webster and Justin Scott were sent off with minors near the end of the second period. The penalty kill did an excellent job holding off a Kingston powerplay thanks in large to big saves by Ovsjannikov as well as some key defensive plays by Cordell James and Dylan Sadowy. That momentum swing proved to be huge for the Colts as moments after killing off the penalties, Kevin Labanc would be rewarded a penalty shot after Lawson Crouse tripped him on a breakaway. Labanc would come in on Peressini and would make no mistake as he wire on bar down, over the glove for his 29th goal of the season to tie the game at 3-3.
It wouldn’t take the Frontenacs long to regain their lead as 1:15 after Labanc tied the game, Juho Lammikko would feed Lawson Crouse in the slot where he fired one by Ovsjannikov to give Kingston a 4-3 lead. The goal was Crouse’s 12th of the season as Roland McKeown would draw the secondary assist.
The Colts would not back down as they would find themselves expiring deja vu as at the 8-minute mark, they would again tie the game. Following a Colts’ 4-2 rush, DiTomaso would pick up the loose and launch it towards the Kingston’s net where it would deflect on the stick of a Frontenac defender and over Peressini for DiTomaso’s 2nd goal of the year and first as a Colt. Michael Webster and Julius Nattinen would assist on DiTomaso’s tally.
Only 1:22 after the Colts tied up the game, they would take their second lead of the game. Rasmus Andersson would pick up a loose puck at centre where he would make a move around a Kingston defender before making a beautiful behind the back pass to a trailing Keigan Goetz who would put one by a fooled out Peressini for his 6th of the season and his first as a member of the Colts to give the Colts a 5-4 as Anthony Stefano drew the secondary assist.
The Colts’ new found lead would be short lived however as 53 second after Goetz, the Frontenacs would tie it up at 5-5. Following a Dylan Sadowy roughing penalty, the Frontenacs would work the puck around on their man advantage where finally Michael Dal Colle would set up Spencer Watson for a one timer that he wired by Ovsjannikov. The goal was Watson’s second of the game and 23rd on the year. Following some missed powerplay opportunities for both teams to win it in regulation, the game would need overtime. Shots in the period were 15-8 Kingston, 48-24 Kingston total.
The theme of overtime would be “finding iron” as the puck seemed to be magnetized to the post. First it would be Anthony Stefano who would fire one off of the crossbar. Seconds later Stefano’s misfortune, Kevin Labanc would ring one off the post to keep overtime going. The Colts weren’t the only ones getting snubbed by the post. As the Frontenacs came in on a 2 on 1, Spencer Watson would find Michael Dal Colle who had a yawning cage to hit but he too would hit the pipe. No one would be able to find the back of the net as the game would ultimately need a shootout. Shots in the overtime frame were 4-2 Kingston, 52-26 Kingston for the game.
Kevin Labanc would be Barrie’s first shooter. After scoring a penalty shot earlier in the third, Labanc wasn’t so lucky the second time around as Lucas Peressini would get the pad out to stop the puck. Kingston’s first shooter would be Spencer Watson and he would make the most of his opportunity, firing one over the glove of Ovsjannikov to give Kingston the lead. The Colts’ second shooter would be Andrew Mangiapane and he would deke to his backhand before sliding to his forehand pass a sprawled out Peressini to tie the shootout at 1-1. The next Kingston shooter would Michael Dal Colle. Dal Colle would come in and wire a half slapshot under the blocker of Ovsjannikov and off the post to put the Frontenacs back up 2-1. The Colts’ hope in extending the shootout rested in the hands of Rasmus Andersson. Andersson would come in on Peressini but put his shot wide of the net, giving Kingston the 6-5 shootout win.
The loss ends Barrie’s three game winning streak and moves them 8 points back of Kingston for top spot in the Eastern Conference. The Colts will be back into action tomorrow afternoon as they visit the Mississauga Steelheads. The game will begin at 3PM and can be seen on Rogers Sportsnet. Barrie’s next home game will take place next Saturday night on January 30th as the Colts welcome the Niagara Ice Dogs to town. Get your tickets now by visiting BMC Box Office or visiting www.ticketbreak.com
