A sold out Sadlon Arena was ready to party on Sunday night, and the Barrie Colts made sure fans had something to celebrate ringing in the New Year.
Ben West stood tall in goal early on until the rest of his teammates got the party rolling en route to capping off 2023 with a 5-2 win over the Owen Sound Attack on Sunday night.
“It’s a happy New Year,” said Barrie head coach Marty Williamson, whose club joined fans on the ice after the game for the traditional New Year’s Eve skate. “The talk on the bench, everything was really positive. They were in a great frame of mind, and I guess they’ll have some fun now.”
It's been a disappointing first half and the Colts were happy to close out the year on a winning note.
“That was a huge one for the guys,” said centre Cole Beaudoin, who notched his 15th goal of the season on a shorthanded penalty shot and added an assist to give him seven goals and nine assists for 16 points over his last 11 games.
“In front of a sold-out building on New Year’s Eve is huge for the guys and huge for our confidence.”
It was also a nice way to put an ugly 6-1 loss to Brantford on Saturday afternoon behind them.
Barrie (14-17-1-0) leaned heavily on West early as Owen Sound outshot them 17-6 in the opening period. The overager held the fort.
“He sure did. The shots were a little lopsided,” said Williamson, whose club, despite being outplayed, led after the first on Riley Patterson’s 11th of the season with 2:29 remaining. “We didn’t play bad; we just weren’t energized enough to generate enough offence. We got the one goal there but had a good second period and a good third period.
“Coming off last night’s game, I’m pretty proud of the guys. It was an ugly kind of game in Brantford and to rebound, I was pretty happy with the guys.”
Tai York added to the lead just 20 seconds into the second, before Colby Barlow got Owen Sound (16-15-2-1) on the board with a power-play marker at 16:19.
Beaudoin would restore the two-goal lead a little more than three minutes later, but his penalty shot came after missing on two breakaway chances.
He was stopped trying to goal five-hole by Attack goalie Carter George on the first attempt and then on the second seconds later he was slashed going in to draw the penalty shot.
He made not mistake this time.
“I couldn’t miss three in a row,” said Beaudoin, before laughing out loud. “That was definitely really nice.”
The Colts second year forward had it figured out this time.
“I had an idea. Obviously, I had to read the goalie, but yeah,” said Beaudoin, who moved to his backhand. “I had an idea and just saw what I saw and then tried to slip it in five-hole.”
With Owen Sound two-men short, Beau Jelsma scored on the power play past the midway point of the third to make it 4-1 before Cedrick Guindon pumped some late life into the visitors on the power play to cut the lead in half.
After a few close calls that almost got Owen Sound within a goal, Olivier Savard banked one off the boards and down the ice into an empty net to help the Colts keep pace with both Peterborough and Niagara in the race for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
The Colts trail Peterborough by five points, but hold two games in hand, while sitting six points ahead of Niagara with three games in hand.
“We needed to keep pace,” said Williamson, after seeing both Peterborough and Niagara had won earlier. “The first thing I said, all three teams won and they’re going to be looking at us. It’s a big two points.”
It was also another strong night for the line of Beaudoin, Patterson, and York. The trio combined for three goals and five points.
“I like playing with those guys,” said Beaudoin. “We’re building chemistry as the games go on. Even in practice, we’re moving pucks, talking. Off the ice we all get along really well, and I think it shows on the ice.
“Even just communicating. Seeing what we can do the next time, so the next time comes around we can make a good play.”
The line has been Barrie’s best over the last month.
“Cobo is always there for me, and York has been really solid for us,” said Williamson. “I think Patty is the guy that’s really started to step up and find his legs in this league, and I think that’s allowed this line to have all three guys going. When you get that, good things are happening if you got no anchors out there.
“That’s the way they are right now. All three guys are dangerous out there and they’re all kind of helping each other. It’s good chemistry.”
Last night’s effort was another good one on home ice for Barrie, which has now won four of its last five at Sadlon Arena. While the Colts have struggled mightily on the road with a 3-12 record, they are now 11-5-1-0 at home and the 23 points tie them with Sudbury and Mississauga for most in the conference.
“It’s a young team and at home I get (last) line changes and that makes a big difference than when we’re on the road,” said Williamson. “We got young kids that sometimes get exposed by the 19- and 20-year-olds in the league and at home we can control that a little bit, so it makes a big difference.”
ICE CHIPS: Owen Sound outshot Barrie 41-31. . . With Sam Hillebrandt away at worlds, West has now made five-straight starts. . . Just seven points separate the eight teams in the Eastern Conference. . . Patterson now has four goals in his last six games. . . Barrie returns to action Thursday when they host the Sarnia Sting at 7 p.m. . . . Orillia native and Winnipeg Jets prospect Barlow, who was out with a back injury since Nov. 8, now has a pair of goals and an assist is in his two games since returning.
Banner image via - Terry Wilson/OHL Images
