Friday nights in Mississauga are alright with the Barrie Colts.
For the second time in the last two weeks, the Colts rolled into the home of one of the Eastern Conference’s top teams and shocked the host Steelheads.
Bode Stewart had a goal and assist, and Sam Hillebrandt made 31 saves, including 18 alone in an outstanding third period effort, to help the Colts beat their Central Division rivals 3-1 at the Paramount Fine Foods Centre.
It was a second-straight win for the Colts (8-8) and comes exactly 14 days after Barrie handed the Steelheads (10-6) their first loss on home ice this season with a 6-1 decision back on Oct. 27th.
“We really brought the energy,” said Stewart, who scored important early third-period insurance markers in both wins. “I feel like the energy has been really high and all the boys are buying in. I think we’re playing really well together, so we’re getting results with that.”
Other than a power-play that could only muster one goal on eight chances, there was plenty to like about Barrie’s game on this night.
“I thought our guys were warriors five-on-five,” said Colts head coach Marty Williamson. “It’s disappointing that our power play is sputtering. We’re just not thinking straight where the options are. Whether it was kind of the emotion of the game, all of a sudden we can’t execute when we got (power-play time), especially the five-on-three. We go a full two minutes on the power play and really we didn’t have a lot of good looks.
“But five-on-five we played a hell of a game. We killed penalties well. I thought overall, top to bottom, it was a pretty good effort.”
Especially by Hillebrandt. Just five days after giving up four goals on 19 shots and being pulled midway through the second period in an 8-3 trouncing in Ottawa, the rookie was stellar.
With his team up 2-1 heading to the third, Hillebrandt stood tall as the Steelheads poured it on, outshooting the Colts 18-8.
“I thought he looked great in there,” Williamson said of his young netminder. “I felt it was something would have to ricochet in because he was seeing things well and squaring up to it. I think he gave us a real confidence in there.”
Hillebrandt has given up just a goal in five of his nine starts.
“Hilly has been great,” said Stewart. “It showed tonight that he’s a great goalie and he makes great plays in big games, so I got to give props to him. That win was on him.”
It was also a good night for the penalty kill, which has struggled dearly this season and sits 19th overall in the OHL with a dismal 73.8 per cent kill rate.
Not only did they kill both Mississauga power plays in a close game, but they also helped give the Colts some much-needed breathing room early in the final frame with a shorthanded marker by Stewart.
“They were huge, to get the shortie like that and kill like we did,” said Williamson. “You get that gut feeling when you miss so many opportunities and you think all of a sudden, they’re going to get a power play and score, and it’s so deflating.
“When you get as many (power plays) as we had and then you kill really well and get the shorthanded goal, what a lift for our hockey team. That was a great job and a good finish by Stewart.”
Akey would score the lone goal of the first period, before Angus McDonnell tied it up early in the second period.
The Barrie power play would come through with the winning goal as Roenick Jodoin buried a rebound in front past Ryerson Leenders just before the midway part of the second.
Stewart would once again deliver another huge insurance marker when he blocked a point shot by Mississauga’s Jakub Fibigr at his own blueline and then raced all the way down the ice and beat Leenders.
“I got a block there and I used my speed to get wide,” said Stewart who also got in a fight with William Eggleton to complete the “Gordie Howe” hat trick. “That was kind of it from there. I just flipped it high.
“It was a good penalty kill and that’s what we were focused on, and I was lucky enough to get a break and score.”
The injuries continue to pile up for the Colts. Already without Jacob Frasca (hip), both Zach Wigle and Akey are expected to miss Saturday night’s home game against the North Bay Battalion.
Rookies Jaiden Newton and Evan Passmore will slot into the lineup as Barrie looks to sweep its three-in-three weekend.
“We got a young hockey team and we’re getting younger with our lineup. That’s the exciting part,” said Williamson. “We’re going to hop on a bus with a little bit of jump in our stride and know that we can have a great weekend.”
Game time tonight at Sadlon Arena is 7:30 p.m.
ICE CHIPS: The game was a chippy affair, with three fights taking place. . . Colts import winger Eduard Sale has switched jersey numbers from 26 to 12. Sale originally wanted No. 12 when he joined the team, but the number belonged to Ben Pickell. “He definitely wanted the number, so no problem,” said Williamson. . . Barrie was outshot by Mississauga 32-29. . . Stewart now has four points in his last six games (2G, 2A) . . . The Steelheads selection of the three stars, almost always their own three players, has become ridiculous.
Banner image via Josh Kim/Barrie Colts - Barrie Colts winger Bode Stewart moves in on Mississauga Steelheads defenceman Stevie Leskovar in OHL action, Friday night, at the Paramount Fine Foods Centre.
