A flurry of offence early in Game 4 Thursday night has the Barrie Colts just a win away from dealing a knockout blow to the Niagara IceDogs in their first-round playoff series.
Cole Beaudoin and Emil Hemming each recorded four-point nights (2G, 2A), while Ben Wilmott (2G, 1A) and Kashawn Aitcheson (3A) pitched in three-point efforts helping the Colts open the game with five goals in a little over 11 minutes en route to a 9-6 win over the IceDogs at Meridian Centre in St. Catharines.
The offensive outburst has given Barrie a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference quarterfinal matchup, with a chance to end it back home Saturday night at Sadlon Arena.
“For sure,” Wilmott said of wanting to finish the job in Game 5. “We want to end the series any chance we get, and we’re going to really bring it the next game coming up.”
Head coach Dylan Smoskowitz says Barrie will have to be even better on Saturday if they want to advance to face Ottawa in the second round. The 67's completed a 4-0 series sweep of Kingston with a 2-1 win on Thursday.
“It’s nice going home with a chance to finish the series, but anytime you get a team on the ropes, you’re going to get their best effort,” said Smoskowitz of what should be a desperate Niagara team. “We know their best effort has yet to come.
“We have to up our game. We have to have that first period, times three. We have to have that 20-minute effort for 60 minutes.”
Nicholas Desiderio, Mason Zebeski, and Brad Gardiner also scored for the Colts, who chased Niagara starting goalie Vladislav Yermolenko just 2:39 into the first period with three goals on six shots. Charlie Robertson gave up six goals on 27 shots the rest of the way.
Barrie built a commanding 8-1 lead midway through the second period, before a two-man advantage kicked off a run of six-straight Niagara power plays and four goals to make it closer than it really was.
“It was a good start for us,” said Wilmott of Barrie’s early dominance that held the IceDogs without a shot on goal until just under six minutes in and forced the home team to take an early timeout. “We had a really good first period, and for the next game we’ve got to learn to carry that momentum into the second and third and play a full 60 minutes.”
The Colts had a similar dominant start on the road in Game 3 on Tuesday, outshooting Niagara 20-3. Unlike the 2-1 lead they held after the first period that night, the visitors feasted on the scoring opportunities this time around.
“It was very similar to our start here in the last game, but we got rewarded,” said Smoskowitz. “That’s our team. You watch that first period, the first half of that game, and that’s the Barrie Colts. Then we got into penalty trouble, and we got to clean that up, but the first half of that game, that’s our team. That’s our identity.
“I’m happy that the guys found their game.”
Former Colt Riley Patterson had two goals, while Ivan Galiyanov, Blake Barnes, Reyth Smith, and Hayden Reid also scored for the IceDogs, who got it to within 8-5 a little more than five minutes into the third period.
Niagara was 4-for-8 with the man advantage, but a power-play goal by Wilmott just 1:10 after Smith had cut the lead made it 9-5, and it was pretty much lights out.
“That was really big,” Wilmott said of the goal that essentially put a pin in any comeback attempt. “A great pass by (Joseph Salandra). We did a really good job of listening to the systems there, and I was just fortunate to find the back of the net.”
Barrie’s power play was once again good, finishing 2-for-2 and coming up big when it had to.
“The power-play goal was huge,” said Smoskowitz of the Wilmott goal. “That power play unit with Salandra, Gardiner and now Ben Wilmott down there, and Parker von Richter on the point, these guys really clicked. They attack quickly. They’re fast with their decisions.
“They’re fast with their movements, and we have a ton of confidence in both units right now. As a coach, it’s fun to have a one-A and a one-B power-play unit.”
The top line of Beaudoin, Hemming, and Zebeski led the attack for Barrie. The trio combined for five goals and four assists for nine points and were a force throughout the contest.
“They were really good tonight,” said Smoskowitz. “They were hunting pucks. They were making smart plays with the puck, but, again, you get to a game like that, and you’re able to roll four lines.”
Smoskowitz praised the win as a team effort. He liked the line of Schneid, Desiderio, and Carter Lowe that produced the second goal.
He also liked the energy provided by the fourth line of Eamon Edgar, Jonah McCormick, and Luc Gauvreau. The latter had a big fight with Ben Reisnecker, while McCormick threw a couple of big hits.
“You need all 20 guys rolling when you get to the playoffs, and it was good to see all 20 guys going tonight,” said Smoskowitz.
UP NEXT
Smoskowitz hopes to see a more disciplined effort on Saturday.
“We’re a team that toes the line,” said the Colts’ bench boss. “When we go overboard, it’s not good for anybody. Our guys have to be more mature. Our guys have to be more disciplined, without getting away from our game.
“Our game is to be in your face. Our game is to play fast. Our game is to play physical, but we have to know the difference when you’re playing physical, and you’re playing dumb.”
ICE CHIPS
Ben Hrebik made 21 saves to pick up his third win of the series in goal for Barrie.
Calvin Crombie will return to the lineup Saturday for the Colts after serving a one-game suspension for a hit in Game 3. Jaiden Newton (illness) also did not dress for Barrie.
Ethan Czata will return for Niagara after serving a two-game suspension for a slew foot in Game 2.
Schneid, Salandra, and Cole Emerton each had two assists for the Colts.
Barrie outshot Niagara 33-27.
The Colts will pick 17th in the 2026 OHL Priority Selection after the league announced the results of its draft lottery on Wednesday. Oshawa won the first choice.
ADD. OHL
EASTERN CONFERENCE QUARTERFINALS
Brantford 2 Sudbury 1 (Bulldogs win series 4-0)
Ottawa 3 Kingston 2 (67's win series 4-0)
North Bay 3 Peterborough 1 (Battalion lead series 3-1)
WESTERN CONFERENCE QUARTERFINALS
Kitchener 5 Saginaw 1 (Rangers win series 4-0)
Windsor 11 Guelph 3 (Spitfires win series 4-0)
