Colts ‘not good enough’ in loss to Brampton

To be the best, you must beat the best.

The Barrie Colts discovered Thursday night they’re not there – at least not yet – against the No.1 ranked team in the CHL.

Top NHL prospect Porter Martone scored twice and added an assist, and Angus MacDonnell added a pair to power the Brampton Steelheads to a 4-1 win over the Colts at Sadlon Arena.

“We said coming into this they’re the No. 1 team in Canada for a reason, and they showed it to us tonight,” said Colts general manager and head coach Marty Williamson.

The Steelheads' top line of Seattle Kraken prospect Carson Rehkopf, who had three assists, Malone, and MacDonnell combined for all four goals and eight points combined, dominating much of the game.

“They’re a good team,” said Emil Hemming, who had Barrie’s lone goal, his first as a Colt. “We woke up too late for the game. In the last 10 minutes, we had a good pace. We had chances to score goals, but that’s why they’re ranked No. 1 in Canada.

“We need to do better.”

Some saw this game as an early test for the Colts in a contest between two teams expected to be among the top contenders.

Williamson, whose club was missing captain Beau Jelsma, sniper Riley Patterson (suspension), and Edmonton Oilers prospect defenceman Beau Akey, believes there’s so much more to his team.

“They’re a very good hockey team, but I really think we can play with them,” said Williamson. “I expect more from my team and I think we can go nose to nose with them, even with the guys we had out of the lineup today.”

Williamson feels all three are impact players.

“When you bring those guys in, it deepens your lineup and everybody moves down one,” he said. “I’m still very positive about this hockey team. It’s way too early to panic and worry about things.”

Brampton (3-0) broke open a scoreless game midway through the second period on goals by Martone and MacDonnell just 18 seconds apart.

A turnover by young defenceman Justin Handsor at centre ice led to a three-on-two and Martone, who took a cross-slot pass from Rehkopf was allowed to walk right in and beat Barrie goaltender Sam Hillebrandt glove side.

“We made a big mistake on the first goal,” said Williamson. “We have a line change and a horrible turnover, that line is going to make you pay. It wasn’t all rookies, but it’s like a rookie mistake for a hockey team to make that kind of mistake.

“They made us pay on that one and I thought they took a bit of momentum away from us.”

Martone would add his second of the period with just 17 seconds remaining before MacDonnell iced it on the power play early in the third.  

“I thought we had a good 10 minutes of the second period,” said Williamson. “We were turning the game around a little bit, and I didn’t mind our game at all. Then we made the big mistake, gave up the goal, and sagged a little bit.

“That’s a tough thing to do against that team.”

You especially can’t allow Martone the time and space.

“Besides the turnover, the three-on-two we played extremely poorly,” Williamson said. “You just can’t give Martone that kind of time walking in. He should have had to make another pass, another play.

While the Colts had some chances early, like those by Carter Lowe and Shamar Moses in the first period, their offense has struggled early this season.

Barrie (1-2) has scored just two goals in its last two games.

“It’s early and we’re not playing well offensively,” said Williamson. “I still liked their defensive game. Most of those shots were from the outside in the first period. We didn’t give up too much (in front). In the second period, we started to make mistakes.”

Brampton goaltender Jack Ivankovic was strong when he had to be.

“They’re solid in net and I think to be effective against them you have to be able to win low-scoring games,” Williamson said of the Steelheads goalie who stopped 22 of 23 shots.

The Colts finally broke through in the third on Hemming’s power-play goal with 8:54 remaining.

The Dallas Stars prospect took a feed at the blueline from Cole Beaudoin, his first game since returning from NHL camp with Utah, kicked the puck up to his stick, and then walked around a defender before beating Ivankovic on a backhand deke.

“It felt good,” Hemming said of his first OHL goal. “Finally. I think it should get me going from here on in. So, keep it going forward from here.”

Hemming appears to be getting more comfortable with each shift.

“I honestly don’t believe we’ll see the best hockey from those (new) guys until December or January when they get really comfortable,” said Williamson. “It’s still a learning process with him and systems, but I thought he was an impacting guy in the third period.

“That excites me for when we get everybody and where this team can go.”

Williamson isn’t ready to hit any panic button.

“Again, it’s a learning process,” he said. “We weren’t good enough tonight, but I still think we haven’t scratched the surface of where this hockey team can go.”

 The Colts will look to get on track Saturday night at home against the Sudbury Wolves, before hitting the road Sunday night to face the Oshawa Generals.

“We just need to move on from this game and have our heads up for the next one,” said Hemming. “That’s the most important thing now.”

Game time on Saturday at Sadlon Arena is 7:30 p.m.

ICE CHIPS: Williamson relayed some good news when he mentioned Jelsma (shoulder) is likely only a week or two away from returning. That’s two weeks earlier than initially believed. . .  Akey (shoulder surgery), cleared to play after missing almost a year of action, was held out one more game. He’ll return on Saturday. “He’s anxious to play and if we can get him 10 or 12 minutes, we can get some of the rust off,” said Williamson. “That’s just what we’re living with right now.” . . . Patterson will serve the second and final game of his suspension (slew foot) on Saturday. . . Barrie traded Chris Grisolia to the Kitchener Rangers on Thursday for a 15th-round pick. The pick becomes a seventh if he plays with Kitchener. Williamson is happy the former Colt is getting another chance in the OHL. “I was excited when Kitchener called me,” he said. “I think their coaching staff is going to like Gris. If he can catch a little fire with his scoring. He works hard. They got a lot of young kids and to bring in a real solid veteran (will help).”