Round 1 Game 3: Generals take the series lead after perfect road game triumph
Oshawa, Ont. – The Barrie Colts hosted the Oshawa Generals for a round one game three Tuesday night matchup at the Sadlon arena where the Gens took home the victory and now lead the series 2-1.
The 5-1 success came from stellar performances by all aspects of the Gens both offensively and defensively. Goaltender Jacob Oster stopped 15 of 16 that he faced. On the other end, Ben West stopped a whopping 42 shots, but it wasn’t enough as the Generals came in red hot for the win.
Roughly eight minutes into the first frame, the first power play for the Generals allowed Matthew Buckley to gain his third of the playoff campaign after sending the puck right over West’s glove. Starting with a perfect breakout by the Oshawa Generals, it was Connor Lockhart who carried the puck into the offensive end and began the passing play around the zone. A quick tap from Luca D’Amato and a rifle from Buckley is what sent the score up by one in favour of Oshawa.
With seven and a half remaining in the first, Blair Scott grabbed his first of the playoffs after a clear shot from the point which was sent right over Oster’s shoulder.
A quick couple of minutes later, Rasmus Kumpulainen, signed by the Minnesota Wild, earned his first of the series with a shot from the blue line. Again, with a play began by Lockhart grabbing a loose puck, he sent it around to David Bedkowski who found Kumpulainen, and the puck met the mesh with an immediate fire.
Colts Cole Beaudoin grabbed a goal with 1:27 remaining, but almost right away it was overturned as an offside, making for a relieved Generals bench and a fire set in Barrie.
With the final minute of the first frame, a four-minute high stick was called on Barrie’s Grayson Tiller against Calum Ritchie. Carrying over into the second frame, it was Ritchie who secured his first of the playoffs just 33 seconds in after a pass in the house by Beckett Sennecke and a smooth finish by the Colorado Avalanche prospect.
Another double-minor against Barrie paired with a single minor set up the Generals for a 5v3 power play for an entire two minutes. Luca Marrelli with a pass across to former Barrie captain and recent Dallas Stars commitment, Connor Punnett, who clapped a cannon to hammer the score to 4-1.
The third period was a slower one in scoring but consisted of seven penalties in the twenty minutes. Dylan Roobroeck wrapped up the game with an empty net goal and sent the team home with a perfect road game closed.
The Generals will be back in Colts Country on Thursday for game four, yet regardless the series will be pushed to game five. Grab your game five tickets here for some playoff action at the TCC!
