The Barrie Colts are heading home with no room for error in their Eastern Conference Semifinal Series against the North Bay Battalion.
The Colts find themselves on the brink of playoff elimination after a 7-3 loss to the Troops, Saturday night, in front of 4,203 fans at North Bay Memorial Gardens.
The Troops, who were down 2-1 in the best-of-seven series, now lead 3-2 and can advance to the Eastern Conference finals with a third-straight win Monday night back at the Sadlon Arena in Barrie.
It's do-or-die time for the Colts.
"That's it," said head coach Marty Williamson. "We got to go home and play some serious hockey if we want to come back here (for Game 7 on Tuesday).
"That's the challenge ahead of us."
The shorthanded Colts offence got a good boost Saturday night with the return of second-line centre Beau Jelsma. The 30-plus goal scorer missed Game 4 after taking a hit in Game 3.
The Colts, though, are still without centre Evan Vierling who has now missed four straight games after a hit in Game 2 last Sunday afternoon. His status remains up in the air for Monday's Game 6.
The Colts would get off to a good start in this one when the rebound off a Cooper Matthews' shot bounced off Tai York's skate and past North Bay goalie Dom DiVincentiis for the early lead at 8:41.
After a lengthy review for a kick, the goal was allowed to stand.
Like it would happen all night, the Battalion always had an answer.
Less than four minutes later, with North Bay on the power play, Ty Nelson would set up one of his three goals on the night when he slid it down to Matvey Petrov and the Edmonton Oilers' prospect hammered a one-time from the faceoff dot past Anson Thornton.
A Jacob Frasca shot from the slot, with Barrie on the power play, put the Colts back on top just 37 seconds into the second period, but the home team would take control of the game with goals by Luc Brzustowski, Pasquale Zito and Avery Winslow just 1:26 apart early in the same frame.
Brandt Clarke would give Barrie hope just 4:55 into the third when he beat DiVincentiis with a high-rising backhander to the top of the net to cut the lead to one, but goals by Zito, his second of the night, Dalyn Wakely and Kyle McDonald just under two minutes apart past midway through the third sealed the North Bay win.
"We didn't play 60 minutes and that's what happens against this team," said Williamson. "The mistakes and then we score a couple of goals to get ourselves back into it at 4-3 and that things are going to be OK, and then we give up the fifth one."
The Colts return home where they have just lost once in the playoffs, that a 4-3 double overtime loss in Game 4 on Thursday.
"We got to be consistent," said Williamson. "That's been the difference in the games we've won and the games that we haven't won. We lost another guy tonight, the bodies are down, but whoever dresses it's got to be that do-or-die desperation.
"But with desperation, you got to make smart plays."
Many expected the series between the two top Central Division rivals to go to the maximum and the Colts will try to make good on that on Monday.
"Our guys will be ready," said Williamson. "We'll play a good game on Monday and give ourselves an opportunity and that's all you can ask for.
"If we can manage it, then we're heading back (to North Bay) for a Game 7."
Puck drops Monday at 7:30 p.m.
ICE CHIPS: North Bay outshot Barrie 30-23. . . The Troops were 2-for-7 on the power play, while the Colts were 1-for-3. . . Clarke had his seventh goal of the playoffs and extended his playoff scoring streak to 10 games (7-15-22). If you go back to the regular season, the Barrie captain now has points in 26 straight games (20-37-57). He was last held off the scoresheet in a 4-2 loss in North Bay back on Feb. 12, 2023
Banner image via Terry Wilson/OHL Images
