KINGSTON JUST EDGES BARRIE 6-5
The Barrie Colts were happy to be playing their first Eastern Conference opponent in five games Saturday night at the Barrie Molson Centre.
After dropping five straight contests the Colts were hosting a Kingston team that they have had success against this season.
Barrie is 2-0 against the fifth ranked team in the East and was looking to assure themselves a regular season-series victory against the Frontenacs.
Kingston scored the only goal of the first period and then took a two-goal advantage in the second. Ryan Spooner set up both Kingston goals including Nathan Moon’s power play effort 4:42 in to the middle period.
Barrie would awake later in the second and bounced back to tie the game on back to back Dylan Smoskowitz goals. Petr Beranek and Tanner Pearson assisted on the first, and Pearson picked up another point on the second goal coming 3:41 later.
Kingston would come in to penalty trouble late in the frame allowing Matt Ashman to hammer home his third from Steven Beyers and Colin Behenna while on a 5 on 3.
Just 31 seconds later the Frontenacs would come back short-handed and tie the game at three. Erik Gudbranson scored his ninth, while Spooner picked up his third assist of the night.
The third period proved to be a wild one with a couple of players completing their hat-tricks and another five power play goals.
Nathan Moon scored his second and third 2:44 apart to establish a 5-3 Kingston lead. Then it was Dylan Smoskowitz finishing a perfect pass from Colin Behenna for his third of the night and second hat-trick of the year.
After Charles Sarault once again gave Kingston a two-goal lead, Smoskowitz scored his fourth of the game. The Richmond Hill native now has 20 on the season after Pearson and Behenna combined to set him up for Barrie’s fifth goal of the game. Pearson and Behenna each finished the game with three assists.
The Colts had their chances with Clint Windsor pulled from the goal in the final minute but Franky Palazzese held on to give Kingston the 6-5 win. Palazzese made 41 saves. Windsor stopped 32 of 38 Kingston attempts.
Kingston went 4/9 on the power play, Barrie was 3/10.
