Facing a huge test against the OHL’s top team on Thursday night, the Barrie Colts passed it with flying colours.
Emil Hemming scored twice and finished with four points, and Ben Wilmott and Kashawn Aitcheson each had a goal and an assist to help the Colts knock off league-leading Flint Firebirds 5-3 at Sadlon Arena.
In a game between two of the OHL’s top teams, the Colts (26-10-2-4) put together one of their best efforts from puck drop to the buzzer in a tight battle against the Western Conference-leading Firebirds (29-10-2-2).
“It’s funny, I was talking to their coach (Paul Flache) and they kind of had this game circled on their calendar. We’ve had it circled on ours,” said Colts’ head coach Dylan Smoskowitz. “You get up for every game in this league because it’s hard to win in this league, but when you see a team at the top of the standings, and you know they added a bunch of players, kind of like we did at the deadline, it’s a good test for your group.
“I’m really proud of the guys for the work they put in this week, starting with Tuesday’s practice and Wednesday’s practice. They really prepared themselves well.”
While there’s still plenty of hockey remaining, the Colts wanted to make a statement that they’re right up there among the league’s top teams.
“When your opponent is good, you want to match up against them to see how good you are, and I felt over the full 60 minutes we were the better team,” said Hemming, who just missed recording a hat trick when his shot from just outside the blueline in the dying minutes nailed the post. “It’s a big confidence booster for our team. To show that we’re a good team.
“Everybody knows we’re a dangerous team now. Yeah, it’s a good thing to win these games.”
William Schneid and Flint’s Charlie Murata traded goals early in the first before Wilmott, with his fourth goal in four games as a Colt, and Hemming, just 10 seconds into the second, scored to put Barrie in front 3-1.
The Firebirds would come right back in the back-and-forth battle. Derian Anderson cut the lead just 17 seconds after Hemming’s marker, and then Ryan Fellinger evened the score at 11:42.
The Colts, though, would take control later in the same frame. On the power play, Cole Emerton slid a pass to Aitcheson in the face-off circle, and the New York Islanders’ prospect wired a one-timer past Mason Vaccari for his league-leading 22nd of the season among blueliners.
Hemming would add his second of the night early in the third to give the home team the breathing room it needed.
The line of Cole Beaudoin, Hemming and Wilmott was dominant all night. The trio combined for eight points (3G, 5A) and carried the play throughout the night.
“Those guys have really developed some quick chemistry, and I’m kind of surprised how quickly they’ve jelled together,” Smoskowitz said of the top line that was put together after Wilmott was acquired at the deadline from London and Beaudoin and Hemming returned from the world junior championships. “Between their on-ice skills and their off-ice personality, they really mesh well, those three.
“I have full confidence in them as a shutdown line against other teams’ best lines, but also to produce some offence for us. They really had themselves a night.”
Hemming knew it was vital that they set the pace on Thursday night.
“Our line, we have to produce to help the team win,” he said. “Honestly, our line, we want to score goals so it keeps feeding the wolf. Ben and Cole are playing really well right now, so it helps to be on that line.
“We just got to keep it going from here.”
A Colts team that has been so good closing out games in the final period did it once again against a high-powered Flint offence.
They didn’t sit back, nor did they ease up until the final horn. With Flint’s ability to strike quickly on offence, Smoskowitz reminded his club they had to keep the foot down.
“We have some really good rules and principles that we like to abide by in third periods, while maintaining our foot on the gas pedal because as soon as you start sitting back against teams like that in this league, they’re going to shove it right down your throat,” the head coach explained. “No matter how good your structure is, you’re going to be giving up lots of chances.
“So, for us to stick to our guns, stick to our identity, but also continue to push the pace, and even go get a goal to give us a little more breathing room, I was really happy with that last 20 minutes. The whole game was good overall, but the last 20 was great.”
So too was Barrie’s physicality and forecheck up front. The Colts were relentless down low in the Flint zone, and it led to numerous offensive chances. Team stats showed they had the most quality scoring chances they’ve had in a game this season.
“We’re a hard-working team, and it starts there,” said Hemming. “It doesn’t come on its own. You have to grind it out. We’ve been practicing a lot on the forecheck and working hard, and it’s paying off right now. So, it’s really good to see that.”
That heavy, physical game is one, says Smoskowitz, that Barrie takes pride in.
“It’s not pretty, but it’s a lot to mentally and physically gear yourself up for to do that 68 times a year, but our guys are seeing the results,” he said.
The Colts return to action Saturday night when they host Oshawa. They go from facing the OHL’s first-place team to the rebuilding Generals, who sit dead last in the OHL standings.
Smoskowitz knows you can’t take any opponent lightly. That’s when you get in trouble.
“For sure,” he said. “We’re so proud of the guys for their effort tonight in getting these two points, but we can really mess it up big time by going and blowing a game against Oshawa. They got some good players over there. A couple of guys left over from an Eastern Conference championship, and they know how to win.
“We cannot take our foot off the gas. We had a good showing tonight. We’re going to have a good, short practice (Friday) and get the guys dialled in.”
Game time Saturday night at Sadlon Arena is 7:30 p.m.
ICE CHIPS: Ben Hrebik made 29 saves to record his 17th win between the pipes. . . The Colts outshot the Firebirds 39-32. . . Barrie went with the same lines and defensive pairings for the fourth straight game. . . Both Hemming and Aitcheson hit the post with an empty net in the dying minutes of the game. Hemming was laughing on the ice after coming that close to a three-goal night. “Obviously, it would have been a hat trick, but it’s a good laugh now, hitting the post,” said Dallas Stars’ top prospect. “That happens. It was unfortunate, but it goes like that sometimes.” . . . The two teams will face each other again in Flint on Friday, Jan. 30.
