Marty Williamson knows how tough a task his young Barrie Colts faced Sunday afternoon in Sudbury.
Playing against a Wolves team that has loaded up for a title run with a shorthanded rebuilding squad is a tall order and, despite coming out on the short end of a 6-3 decision at the Sudbury Community Arena, the general manager and head coach was fairly pleased with what he saw.
“There’s a lot of positives, we just got to ring in some of the mistakes we made,” said Williamson. “For a team like us, we got to play near perfect to get wins and we weren’t that today, but we worked hard.”
With key contributors Cole Beaudoin (away at NHL/CHL Top Prospects Game), Kashawan Aitcheson (eye), Chris Grisolia (ankle) and Beau Akey (shoulder) out of the lineup and Carter Lowe, playing through illness, and Jaiden Newton, playing through injury, a young Colts lineup still pushed the Wolves.
Down 5-2 midway through the third period, Tai York’s power-play marker cut the lead and the Colts pressed to get within one, but a tripping call on Blair Scott squashed any momentum they were building.
“We were playing super hard today,” said Colt's rookie Shamar Moses, who had a goal and assist in the loss. “I was proud of the boys. We put our best foot forward and battled adversity with a few guys out, and we worked really hard to get back in that game. It was a tough call, but I was proud of the way the boys played and we just need to keep building on it.”
Kocha Delic would score with 1:48 remaining to ice the game and hand the Wolves, who were led by another big game (2G, 2A) from St. Louis Blues prospect Dalibor Dvorsky, their second win of the weekend over Barrie.
Dvorsky had two goals and an assist in Thursday’s 7-3 win in Barrie to total seven points.
“I thought the penalty was a terrible call,” said Williamson. “They took some momentum away to give us a shot and get the goalie out and start to do some things, but I think our guys played hard all (day). We didn’t give up. We made a couple of mistakes on coverage, and it cost us.
“That (Dalibor) Dvorsky kid is a hell of a player, but overall, I’m pretty happy with the guys. We keep playing games like that, we’ll win games here and there and get ourselves into the playoffs.”
While a win would have moved Barrie (16-23-1-0) into a tie with the Peterborough Petes in the race for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, Williamson was still proud of his club’s effort.
Efforts like the one he got from Moses, who after a solid start had been mired in a scoring slump. The 2007-born 19th overall pick in the 2023 OHL Priority Selection scored for the first time in 23 games.
Moses’ goal was his first since Nov. 11.
“A lot of these young guys we put a lot on them, especially our two 07’s (Moses, Newton),” said the Barrie coach. “I think they struggled a little bit, but they’ve hit a bit of a wall too with all the practising and everything that goes on.
“Hopefully we get a bit of time here with our schedule. We have busy weekends, but they get a day off (Monday). Keep being positive with them. We see glimpses of a heck of a hockey player (in Moses) like we saw earlier in the year. It’s just that I think they do tire at times.”
Moses was happy to finally break through, getting help from fellow rookies Newton and Noah Smith, who was making his Colts debut and earned his first OHL point on the play.
Rookie blueliner Jack Brauti would score 10 seconds later midway through the second to help Barrie cut the lead to 4-2.
“It’s been a while if I’m being honest. It felt great to get it off my back,” said Moses of his fourth goal. “I got a good pass from Newton in the slot and I just put it in. I gave the puck to Brown.”
The 16-year-old winger feels like he’s catching his second wind now.
“It’s a grind,” he admitted. “You kind of battle through it and you’re doing it with all the other boys, so it’s kind of like you’re in it together. Yeah, I feel like I caught my second wind, and you start to adjust the more you get used to it and the more you play and practice.
“I’m stronger, faster and have more stamina, so I feel all the boys have caught their second wind now.”
Williamson was also happy with the play of Smith, who was just signed this past week.
“Aitcheson didn’t play either and that’s a big hit on the blueline,” he said. “I thought the young (Smith) came up and did a pretty good job for us. He gave us a nice glimpse of another young player that makes a really good first pass.
“He wasn’t fazed by anything, and he’s actually a pretty rugged kid.”
York’s 11th goal of the season was his fourth in the last three games.
“He’s done a good job for us in that bumper on the power play, but he’s also playing with a lot of energy,” Williamson said of the veteran winger. “York is a guy where confidence is a lot, and that line is having a lot of fun playing together. I think it’s helped (Riley) Patterson.
(Cole Beaudoin) is a driving force and the line has been really good for us. That whole line is eligible to come back. The majority of our team is all back, so there’s a lot of good things.”
Andre Anania, Landon McCallum, and Evan Konyen also scored for Sudbury (23-14-3-2), which moved one point ahead of North Bay for top spot in the Central Division standings.
The Colts return to action next Thursday night when they host the Owen Sound Attack. Barrie hosts the Oshawa Generals on Saturday, before closing out the weekend Sunday afternoon against North Bay.
The game against the Battalion kicks off a six-game road trip. Barrie has a league-worst 3-15 record away from home.
“When you’re at the bottom looking up, there’s no easy nights,” said Williamson. “We took advantage of a game (against Niagara) for us Saturday night and Sunday we played hard, but we got Owen Sound, Oshawa and North Bay and they’re all tough games.
“I’m not looking too far ahead in the schedule. We’re just trying to get as prepared as we can for the old cliché of ‘one game at a time.’ See what we can do on Thursday and make sure we’re prepared for a good effort.”
Game time Thursday at Sadlon Arena is 7 p.m.
ICE CHIPS: Ben West made 37 saves on 43 shots in goal for Barrie, while Jakub Vondras kicked aside 16 of 19 shots for Sudbury. . . Captain Beau Jelsma picked up an assist and now has five goals and 12 points in his last seven games. . . Williamson praised both Jelsma and assistant captain Thomas Stewart for the job they are doing with their younger teammates. “I’m awfully proud of a Jelsma and Thomas Stewart and the leadership they’re showing right now in not letting these guys get too down and keeping their spirits up and being the hardest workers on the ice,” he said. “I can’t speak enough to Jelsma and Stewart and what they’re doing.” . . . Barrie was 1-for-6 on the power play, while Sudbury went 2-for-5.
banner image: Barrie Colts
