Feb. 18/25 vs Kingston: Highlights & Recap
A heavyweight clash in the Eastern Conference occurred on Tuesday Night between the second-place Barrie Colts and fourth-place Kingston Frontenacs. Both squads headed into the duel with 70 points, just three back of the conference lead. Barrie had beaten Kingston in both of their meetings this season, most recently besting them 3-2 on February 4th, but were without several key players and their head coach for this one. The Colts entered Tuesday’s game having lost their previous two and sought to saddle back up in the final 16 games before the post-season, starting with their appearance in Kingston.
The Frontenacs had a strong start compounded by the Colts’ lack of discipline. Barrie took four penalties in the game’s first 20 minutes, whereas their opponents managed to stay out of the box. Kingston scored at 4:59, 9:38 and 18:57 elapsed in the period while holding the Colts off of the scoreboard entirely, they took a 3-0 lead into the intermission.
The Colts started slowly in the middle frame, not registering a shot in the period’s first four minutes. They quickly got on track though, scoring back-to-back goals just two minutes apart, first from Brad Gardiner and then Bode Stewart, cutting Kingston’s lead to 3-2. When things couldn’t have looked bleaker for Barrie, they potted two quick goals and suddenly stood within arms reach of evening up the game at its halfway mark. The Frontenacs didn’t give up much after spotting Barrie two quick goals, they then stifled the Colts’ comeback attempt when they scored, upping their lead to 4-2 with less than three minutes remaining in the period. Barrie’s two second-period goals were all that kept them hanging around in this game, they had been out-chanced all night and had mustered just 13 shots through 40 minutes.
Kingston began the final frame with a goal 65 seconds in, restoring the three-goal lead they had held after the first. Barrie got one back seven minutes later on an Anthony Romani goal that brought them within two. The 5-3 game then saw no goals in the middle minutes of the third period, it wasn’t until Kashawn Aitcheson scored late to miraculously bring Barrie back from the dead with just a minute remaining. The Colts’ efforts were too little too late and Kingston sealed the game with an empty netter, making it a 6-4 victory for them.
Barrie has now dropped three straight following their 10-game point streak. The Frontenacs clinched their spot in the 2025 OHL Playoffs with their win, something the Colts have yet to accomplish, but will in time. The absences of key players such as Beau Jelsma, Tristan Bertucci, Emil Hemming, Riley Patterson, Beau Akey, as well as Head Coach Marty Williamson, proved too much for Barrie to overcome, and Tuesday’s game ended up in the loss column. The fourth and final meeting for this regular season between the Colts and Frontenacs comes on March 1st, in Barrie.
