The Barrie Colts turned to a familiar blueprint Friday night in Erie to keep their point streak going.
Once again, the Colts leaned heavily on their goaltending, getting a standout 38-save performance from Arvin Jaswal to beat the Otters 3-2 after a shootout at Erie Insurance Arena and extend their team point streak to 11 games.
Kashawn Aitcheson and Emil Hemming both scored in the shootout, while Jaswal stopped both Erie shooters to help Barrie (12-7-4-1) earn its third-straight win and move four points ahead of the North Bay Battalion atop the Central Division standings.
“We found a way,’’ said Colts’ head coach Dylan Smoskowitz on crafting yet another win in which goaltending was the key.
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Up 2-0 entering the third on goals by Cole Beaudoin and Carter Lowe, Barrie’s defensive mistakes early proved costly in the period as Ritter Coombs and Dylan Edwards, on the power play, scored less than four minutes apart to tie things up.
Yet, similar to Wednesday night’s 5-2 win in Sudbury, where the Colts got a standout performance in the net from Ben Hrebik, Jaswal stood tall long enough for them to pull out their ninth win in the 11-game run.
“You probably think I’m crazy and that I don’t know anything about anything, but I actually liked the first five minutes of the third period (more) than the first two periods,” said Smoskowitz. “We were getting pucks deep, we were on the body. We’re simplifying, and then a mental mistake by a defenceman. They get a good shot, a couple of bad bounces, and the next thing you know, you’re short-handed and they get a power-play goal.
“I didn’t think that we were so connected throughout the game. I didn’t think our attention to detail was there throughout the game, and we gave up 40 shots. Arvin Jaswal pulls off a Ben Hrebik and is our best player. We needed it desperately. Our goalies have been the story of this team for the last couple of weeks.”
Jaswal, playing in his first game after missing three weeks of action from being “under the weather,” was fantastic throughout the contest, but especially late in the second period.
First, he turned aside a breakaway attempt by Alex Misiak, and then, a little more than a minute later, stoned Dylan Edwards on another to keep the score at 2-0.
Both Erie (7-15-1-1) breakaways were the result of big defensive miscues by the Colts. Smoskowitz believes some of his players might owe Jaswal a “nice steak dinner.”
“Jazzy worked hard to get back and healthy,” said Smoskowitz. “He gets his chance tonight, and without him, we’re sitting here with a loss on our hands. Without Hrebik on Wednesday, we’re sitting here with (another) loss on our hands.
“The players in front of them have to be much, much better. The game plan has to be more crystal clear, and the standard a little bit higher. Our goalies, I can’t say enough about them. I’m so, so happy for Arvin tonight.”
Being able to get points when you’re not at your best is “huge,” says Smoskowitz. When things are going well, it’s important, he adds, to keep the good times rolling.
“You want to keep it going for as long as possible, but it does say something for a group when you don’t have your best effort, or guys don’t step up, and you leave with a shootout win,” said the first-year head coach. “(In the shootout), you get two big saves, two big goals, and you get that extra point, which is huge.
“I’m pretty proud of the guys for sticking with it and riding out another win.”
While goaltending has been a major factor, the Colts’ overall ability to keep the puck out of the net has been the biggest factor in their hot run.
Over their 11-game point streak, Barrie has given up just 25 goals, and only once did they give up more than three in regulation and overtime.
“Championship teams are built on defence,” said Smoskowitz. “It’s something that we stress to these guys all the time. Our offensive chances are going to come from good defence. Our success is going to come from good defence. What are we thinking about going into games? We’re thinking about defence, and we’ll let the offence take care of itself.
“These guys are buying into it. I thought it could have been a little bit cleaner tonight, a little bit cleaner on Wednesday. We give up all these shots that are bound to go in eventually. Good goaltending always helps, but defence is definitely something we stress to these guys.”
Beaudoin, who opened the scoring 16 seconds into the second period, now has 11 goals and 34 points in 19 games this season.
The co-captain is tied for fourth in league scoring with Tristan Delisle despite playing five fewer games than the Attack forward. The fourth-year centre has been the model of consistency, being held off the scoresheet only twice this year.
“He’s not someone you ever want to bet against,” said Smoskowitz. “For his whole life, he heard he can’t skate. Well, guess what? He’s one of the fastest guys in the league. Then you heard he’s a hard worker but doesn’t have the offensive touch. Well, look at him go. He’s (fourth) in the entire OHL in points, and he doesn’t look like he’s slowing anytime soon.
“You put a challenge in front of that kid; he tackles it head-on. We’re just so lucky to have him as one of our captains this year. We’re so lucky to have him as a four-year player. He embodies everything that we want the Barrie Colts to be.”
The Colts complete their weekend road swing on Saturday night when they head to St. Catharines to take on the Niagara IceDogs. The last time the two Central rivals played, Barrie rallied from a 5-1 third-period deficit to win 6-5 in a shootout.
The IceDogs, who have lost six straight games, will be chomping at the bit to end their skid and make up for their late collapse back in early October.
“It’s a massive four-point game,” said Smoskowitz. “We had a really heated game with them, with a big comeback. They got to watch us tonight from the comfort of their own homes. They get a home game tomorrow. We get to jump on the bus, and we’re right back across the border again.
“There’s a lot of stuff not going our way, but one thing I know about this group is they don’t make any excuses. We’re a resilient bunch, and I know they’ll be really pumped up and ready to go for a good test tomorrow night."
ICE CHIPS
Erie outshot Barrie 40-33, including 34-22 after the first period.
Barrie was 0-for-three on the power play, while Erie went one-for-three.
Lowe’s goal was his first in 10 games.
Hrebik is expected to get the start between the pipes Saturday against Niagara.
ADD. OHL
Flint 2 Brampton 1 (SO)
Brantford 7 Sarnia 2
Ottawa 5 Kitchener 3
Peterborough 5 Kingston 3 (OT)
Oshawa 4 North Bay 0
Sudbury 6 London 3
Windsor 4 Saginaw 1
Owen Sound 10 Guelph 7
