Carter Lowe wasn’t to be denied this time.
His second-period deflection ruled no-goal, the veteran forward made good midway through the third, pouncing on a puck in front of the net and firing it over the glove of Ryerson Leenders to snap a 3-3 tie and power the Barrie Colts to a huge 7-4 win over the Brantford Bulldogs on Saturday at Sadlon Arena.
In an intense battle between the top two teams in the OHL standings in front of a packed house of 4,277, Barrie (40-11-2-4) scored five times in the third, including two into an empty, to run its win streak to 10 games and move into a tie with Brantford (39-9-6-2).
Mason Zebeski scored just 56 seconds after Lowe, and the Colts went on to atone for a 7-1 drubbing less than a month ago in Brantford.
“It’s a good feeling,” said Lowe of his game breaker after having a goal called back earlier. “Playing in front of this crowd is awesome. The way everyone got up, is really nice.”
Lowe appeared to have tied the game at 2-2 midway through the second when a pass from Calvin Crombie from the corner hit his skate, bounced in the air, and the winger batted it in off the back of his stick blade.
After a lengthy review, officials ruled that he kicked the puck in despite replays showing it had gone off his stick before going in the net.
“They said I kicked it in,” Lowe explained after the game. “I didn’t really think so, but you just kind of have to wipe it off, and hope it comes again. Lucky it did.”
Colts’ head coach Dylan Smoskowitz was happy to see Lowe and his team bounce back after the disallowed goal. Aitcheson tied the game 2-2 later in the same period and ride the momentum into the third.
“It was the old Austin Matthews making sure that was a goal. You battle through adversity,” said Smoskowitz. “We liked our game for the whole 60 minutes, and you can’t control what the calls are, and a bad bounce here and there, it happens. It’s how you respond to get the momentum back.
“I thought our guys did a great job tonight of carrying through with momentum and staying with it. We never got too down, even as the reviews were going on.”
Kashawn Aitcheson scored twice and added two assists to pass Brandt Clarke and become the franchise’s all-time scoring leader among defencemen.
Emil Hemming, with a goal and four assists; Cole Beaudoin, with a goal and two assists; and Parker von Richter also scored for the Colts, who trailed 2-0 early in the first and fought their way back.
“That’s what these guys do, they find a way,” said Colts’ head coach Dylan Smoskowitz. “It happens in so many different ways, and that’s what I like about this team. It wasn’t our power play tonight, it wasn’t our special teams tonight. It was just our drive and determination.
“A three-in-three, guys are tired, guys are banged up, and there’s no quit. The energy on the bench. The leadership on the bench, from everybody. Whether it was a four-year or five-year guy, or a first-year guy that barely played tonight, the positive energy on the bench was phenomenal, and it carried us through.”
Jake O’Brien, with a pair, Gabriel Frasca, and Luca Testa scored for the Bulldogs, who have now lost two of three games to Barrie and will visit once more on March 5.
“We obviously think about what they did to us in their barn, and we know that they’re coming in here thinking it’s a big game, and they have to give their best,” said Aitcheson of Brantford. “I still think we have another gear. There were a couple of penalties that we definitely could have taken back. We let their power play cook a little bit.
“We have to tighten up the defensive zone, and little things like that.”
Barrie found another gear in the third, despite playing for a third-straight night. The Bulldogs were coming off of two days of rest, but Smoskowitz said all the hard work on the ice and in the gym helped the Colts put it away in the third.
“It wasn’t just our third period. It was our ninth period,” he said. “It’s a three-in-three, and that’s our ninth period. For us to come out with that kind of jam, and momentum, and intensity, it speaks volumes to the work these guys put in on a daily basis.
“And you go back to winning your days. This win doesn’t happen without winning Monday. Without winning Tuesday. I just couldn’t be prouder of the guys.”
With 11 games remaining on the regular season schedule, the opportunity is there for Barrie to earn home ice advantage throughout the OHL playoffs. The Bulldogs have played one less game.
The Colts maintain they aren’t looking ahead. Their focus remains on whatever task lies directly in front of them.
“It’s kind of in the back of everyone’s head, but it’s day-by-day, and we play game-by-game, and chip away,” said Lowe.
UP NEXT
The Colts is away from home for three games beginning on Friday in Sarnia.
Brantford's road trip continues Sunday afternoon in Peterborough, which clinched a playoff berth Saturday night.
ICE CHIPS
Jaiden Newton did not dress after leaving Friday’s game in London late in the third. He’s expected to return next weekend.
Lowe could be facing some league discipline after a late slew-footing match penalty in the third.
Ryder Boulton could also be facing league discipline after charging Mason Zebeski at the end of the game and fighting Luc Gauvreau.
Barrie goalie Ben Hrebik turned aside 30 shots to record his 25th win.
Barrie dominated in the faceoff circle, winning 47 of the draws, nearly doubling Brantford’s 25.
ADD. OHL
Niagara 4 Kingston 3 (OT)
Kitchener 3 Erie 1
Sudbury 6 Flint 5 (OT)
Owen Sound 5 Brampton 0
Sarnia 7 Saginaw 4
Guelph 1 Soo 0
