Forward Combos:
Cowick, Martindale, Nigro
Smith, Lindsay, Toffoli (starters)
Prince, Merrett, Nesbitt
Janes, , Carnevale
D-pairs
Zanetti, Cuma (starters)
Demers, Gibbons
Hartwick, Ceci
Hanes
Goal: Mrazek
Scratches: Graovac
The Colts have loaded up for the playoffs with World Junior players Alex Pietrangelo and Stefan Della Rovere, trading for former Kingston goalie Mavric Parks, and with plenty of fire power in Luke Pither, Alex Hutchings and Bryan Cameron.
The 67's started with a couple of quick chances but on their second shot on goal, Alex Hutchings beat Mrazek right from his doorstep before the game was 2 minutes old.
The Colts played their PK very aggressively all game and many times was still the more dangerous team even without the 5th player. They served notice on their first PK of the game when Burmistrov beat Cuma and fed the puck to a driving Alex Hutchings who tipped it past a sprawling Mrazek for the short-handed goal to put the Colts up by 2.
Ottawa certainly had its chances with a couple of breakaways and goal crease shots but they were unable to beat Parks.
With two-thirds of the period done, the Colts rounded out their scoring with a PPG. The 67's were keeping them to the outside but with a minute left in the PP, and on their first shot of the PP, Crawford's shot from the point was tipped in by Bryan Cameron to put the Colts up by three on 7 shots.
It didn't look good. Especially with Ottawa taking a delay of game penalty not long after this goal. But this was a very good kill, not only limiting the Colts to 1 shot, but also getting a couple of very good short-handed opportunities by Ryan Martindale and later by Toffoli and Lindsay.
Julien Demers finally got the 67's on the board with a shot from just across the red line that essentially went through Mavric Parks. Ryan Martindale with the assist.
But the Colts got that right back when Stefan Della Rovere picked up the Burmistrov rebound and tucked it in the net. Back to a 3-goal lead.
Chris Perugini was in the goal at the start of the second period but it still seemed like Barrie was going to continue scoring at will when Matt Kennedy scored just 2 1/2 minutes in.
Neither team generated many scoring chances early in the second after that. Travis Gibbons cut the lead to three with his quick one-timer from the slot on a feed from Ryan Martindale. Anthony Nigro with the second assist. This was during a 5-on-3 advantage; Ottawa was unable to score on the back half of that PP pair.
Dalton Smith cut the lead to two with under three minutes left when he snapped a pass from Travis Gibbons past the blocker-side of Parks. Anthony Nigro with the other assist.
Cody Lindsay continued his scoring ways and gave this team hope by pulling the 67's within 1 goal halfway through the third period when he snapped a fast one fast Parks after taking a behind-the-back-pass from Dalton Smith.
But just like they did for every other goal from Ottawa, Barrie responded aggressively and Bryan Cameron restored the two-goal lead on a play that should have been called on a high-sticking penalty by Cameron on Cuma.
And that's all she wrote. 6 - 4 for the Colts.
The 67's have to shake this one off and prepare for the back-to-back games against the Kingston Frontenac on Sunday and Monday. Kingston won and are in the rear-view mirror of the 67's.
Here's the game sheet.
Random Thoughts:
- If Ottawa wants to go deep in the playoffs, they are going to have to improve on their specialty teams. Staying middle of the pack league-wise is not going to cut it. 1 for 7 (and that was a 2-man advantage) is not good enough.
- The Colts are the second most penalized team in the league and they don't appear to be worried about it. They play a very physical game and clearly believe in their 5th best PK in the league to bail them out if they get in trouble. They pushed the 67's around quite a bit; the 67's gave them a lot of room. Perhaps the 67's were hesitant given that the Colts' PP is pretty lethal.
- Give some of the 67's a lot of credit for not giving up. Barrie was pretty much toying with them in the third period - slowing the game right down and running out the clock.
- Dalton Smith with the Gordie Howe hat trick: a goal, an assist and a fight. Did you know that Gordie Howe never had a Gordie Howe hat trick (apparently that's true)?
More Pictures:
1 comment:
Gordie Howe had ONE Gordie Howe hat-trick, if my sources are correct!
(if he had none, how, er, howe?, could it be called what it is?)
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