Feb. 1/25 vs Niagara: Highlights & Recap
The Colts and Ice Dogs did battle on Saturday night in Barrie. These squads came into this one having seen each other three times so far this season, the Colts had won two of those contests. This was the third leg of Barrie’s three-in-three, they beat Ottawa on Thursday night before losing in overtime to the Generals in Oshawa the following day. The Colts’ overtime loss the previous night ended their six-game win streak, but they still hung on to their point streak which was up to seven games prior to Saturday’s contest. With the five teams atop the Eastern Conference all being within five points of each other, every win from here on out is crucial for Barrie if they want to remain the first seed come playoff time.
The opening frame was an eventful 20 minutes of play, to say the least. Niagara’s Sean Doherty scored early and often in the period, notching two goals in the game’s first four minutes. Brad Gardiner responded on behalf of the Colts, scoring his 15th goal on the season just 27 seconds after the Ice Dogs second tally. Barrie didn’t let up as Emil Hemming tied the game at two on a one-timer at the midway mark, and in the process, extended his goal streak to four games. The Ice Dogs would break the tie with under four minutes remaining and take a 3-2 lead into the first intermission.
Barrie came out swinging in the middle frame, putting six pucks on Ice Dog netminder Owen Flores before Niagara could register a shot. Around the midway mark, Kashawn Aitcheson converted a wide-open slot chance to even the game at three before Doherty scored his third goal on the night less than two minutes later, at this point, Niagara led 4-3. Just prior to the one-minute mark, The Colts tied the game once again, this time at four goals apiece. The lopsided second period saw Barrie outshoot Niagara 13-6 and outscore them 2-1.
The final period was just as action-packed as the first two, as momentum continued to sway from one side of the ice to the other. Niagara broke the tie early in the third to go up 5-4, exactly six minutes later Carter Lowe tied the game at five. The Ice Dogs regained the lead with under six minutes remaining before Anthony Romani scored to tie the game for the fifth time, this time it would stay tied and need overtime. Overtime lasted all but 40 seconds before Aitcheson ended it, scoring his 17th on the season and his fourth in his last three games.
This wild 13-goal game didn’t see a goal go unanswered outside of the first period, and Barrie never led until the overtime winner. The Colts come away with five out of a possible six points in their three-in-three, they now get some much-deserved rest before they host Kingston on Tuesday.
