Dylan Smoskowitz knew his Barrie Colts were facing a stiff challenge this weekend with a game at home against the Windsor Spitfires on Saturday night, sandwiched between a home-and-home set against the Owen Sound Attack.
While they came away from the busy weekend against the two undefeated Western Conference teams with just a single point, the Colts’ head coach believes there’s something else they can take away from what were three close losses.
“We were there with these teams,” said Smoskowitz after a 5-4 loss in Owen Sound on Sunday afternoon.
Barrie kicked off the weekend with a 2-1 shootout loss at home to Owen Sound on Thursday before falling 3-1 to Windsor on Saturday night, the second-ranked team in the CHL.
“Owen Sound has a full lineup. They had all their guys return from camp. Windsor is missing a couple of guys still, we’re missing a couple of guys, but it’s good hockey,” added Smoskowitz. “They’re good teams, and the thing we like most about our group is the fight and the compete (factor). I can’t stress it enough. That’s going to be our bread and butter this year. That’s going to be our identity. That’s going to be how we win hockey games.
“If we have it for 20 minutes, that’s not good enough. If we have it for 40 minutes, it’s still not good enough. I’m looking forward to seeing a 60-minute effort with full compete, full battle, next week when we get the Soo, Oshawa, and Niagara. Put together three 60-minute efforts and I like our chances to pick up more points.”
Rookie Landon Jackman’s first OHL goal at 15:49 capped off a wild second period on Sunday that resulted in six of the game’s nine goals being scored and the lead changing hands three times.
Nicholas Sykora, Michael Dec, Pierce Mbuyi, and Barrie native Jake Crawford, with his third of the season, also scored for Owen Sound (4-0), which is one of three remaining OHL teams (along with Windsor and Ottawa) that have yet to lose this season.
Jaiden Newton, Carter Lowe, Calvin Crombie, and Ethan Armstrong replied for the Colts (1-2-0-1). Brad Gardiner and Kashawn Aitcheson each had two assists.
Barrie could muster little offensively in a scoreless third period.
“It was a great opportunity for some points on the road,” said Smoskowitz, whose club held a 3-2 lead nearing the midway point of the second before Mbuyi and Crawford scored less than two minutes apart to put the Attack back on top 4-3. “It’s funny, you go from day-to-day, and we weren’t happy with our offensive output less than 24 hours ago (one goal against Windsor), and all of a sudden today we had some good chances and good looks, but a little loose defensively.
“We emphasize one thing, and then we struggle with something we were strong at the day before. We saw some good things (Saturday) against Windsor, saw some good things (Sunday) against Owen Sound, and we got to put it all together and be really, really good against the Soo on Thursday.”
Armstrong’s first of his OHL career evened things up with 6:16 remaining in the middle frame, but a little more than two minutes later, the Attack forced a turnover behind the net, and Max Delisle found Jackman in front.
He ripped it top corner past Arvin Jaswal for the winner.
“Credit to the guys, our bench was energetic throughout the game,” said Smoskowitz. “We cheered each other on, gave each other shin pad chaps, but the guys never wavered from the game plan, and never lost hope.
“The battle was high. The compete level was high. Just some little mistakes and a couple of hiccups here and there, against a team like Owen Sound that has some high-flying guys, they’re going to capitalize on you. It was another learning moment for our guys that we’ll use to grow, and we’ll be better next game.”
The early power-play struggles continued for the Colts, who went scoreless on five opportunities. On a day when it could have been the difference, the Colts just couldn’t connect.
“It would have been nice, but it just seems like you get into these funks, and, unfortunately, it’s happening for us at the beginning of the year,” said Smoskowitz, whose top power-play forwards Cole Beaudoin and Emil Hemming remain in NHL training camps. “Our guys are just fighting it.
“Again, it’s so early on, and we still have so many reps to give these guys in practice, and it’s not a concern of ours. It’s just something we are going to keep working towards and play around with some personnel maybe, but once we get in our reps, we are going to feel much better about it.”
Overage forward Calvin Crombie, who was picked up in a deal from the Brantford Bulldogs before the start of the season, continues to shine offensively.
The physical winger scored his second of the season and has three points in four games. He had six goals in 55 games last season with Brantford, but is getting an opportunity to play more of an offensive role this year.
“He definitely can. He’s proven it,” Smoskowitz said of his veteran’s ability to put the puck in the net. “I thought Crombie could have had three or four tonight. He’s coming to the bench, and he’s frustrated, and he’s working his butt off. He’s getting the looks out there, which we’re happy about.
“Coach once told me that as long as you get the chances, they’re eventually going to start going in for you. That was the late, great Dale Hawerchuk, so I’m going to echo his words and say the same thing. Crombie is getting the chances, and eventually they’re going to start going in for him.”
Barrie will get set for another busy weekend, hosting the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds on Thursday night and the Oshawa Generals on Saturday night, before hitting the road Sunday afternoon to take on the Niagara IceDogs.
With some eight new faces in the lineup and three blueliners just back from NHL camps, another nearly full week of practice will be very much welcomed by the Colts.
“The more reps they get, the more conversations they have one-on-one with the coaching staff, and the more video sessions they have with the coaching staff, they’re going to feel comfortable come game time,” said Smoskowitz.
Game time on Thursday is 7 p.m.
ICE CHIPS: Owen Sound outshot Barrie 45-31. . . Jaswal got his second start of the season, and while he gave up five goals, Smoskowitz felt that despite his teammates “leaving him out to dry a couple of times,” the rookie gave them a chance to win. “He made some of our mistakes not look bad on the scoresheet,” the head coach said. “You never want to see five go buy a guy, but I can hardly fault him for any of them. I’m pretty happy with Jaswal’s performance tonight.”
