Hrebik ‘phenomenal’ in Barrie Colts' 3-1 win over Peterborough

There was no denying Ben Hrebik a win this time.

After suffering an overtime and shootout loss in his last two starts despite outstanding performances in both, the Barrie Colts goaltender was nearly unbeatable Saturday night, making 43 saves in a 3-1 win over the Peterborough Petes at Sadlon Arena.

Coming out on the short end of a 4-3 shootout loss in the Soo a week ago, and then a 2-1 overtime loss to Saginaw at home on Thursday, Hrebik put on a dominant show that brought a red-hot Peterborough team and its five-game win streak to a screeching halt.

“He was just phenomenal,” said Colts’ head coach Dylan Smoskowitz of Hrebik, who was named the game’s first star. “For the last couple of weeks, he’s been just giving us phenomenal efforts. I felt bad about the Soo game because he stood on his head. We lost that one in a shootout.

“Against Saginaw, he stands on his head and makes some good saves, and we lose that one in overtime. For him to keep giving these efforts and not get rewarded for it with two points, the kind of kid Ben is, that’s all he cares about. He just wants his team to win. So, for our guys to be short a couple of bodies, dig in deep and get the two points with this effort, I’m so happy for him.”

Despite making over 40 saves in five of his starts this season, Saturday’s win was just his sixth in 15 games.

Thanks in large part to the play of Hrebik, Barrie (10-7-1-4) has won seven of its last 10 games and has earned at least a point in each of its last nine.

“He stood on his head,” said Colts’ captain Cole Beaudoin, who potted the winner midway through the second period and put the game away with an empty netter with 32 seconds remaining. “He kept us in that game. Kept that one-goal lead. We get the empty-netter and finish the game out, but he definitely saved us in that one.”

With veteran stalwart blueliners Kashawn Aitcheson and Gabriel Eliasson finishing up two-game suspensions, the Colts leaned heavily on their goalie.

On Rock N’ Roll Night at the rink, Hrebik was Barrie’s rock on this night.

“He made huge stops,” said Smoskowitz. “I thought we played pretty solidly, but, at the same time, we gave up some big chances. Without Ben Hrebik back there, it’s probably a different game. We’re probably still playing out there, going to a shootout. Or we’re back in the room without two points in the bank.

“Again, just a rock-solid effort from him. He works hard in practice. He’s dedicated and doesn’t take any days off. The kid deserves it.”

The win moved Barrie a point ahead of the Niagara IceDogs atop the Central Division standings. After blowing a late lead to the Greyhounds in the Soo and then falling to Saginaw in a game where they likely deserved a better fate, the Colts feel good to finally get rewarded.

“For sure. It’s good to close out one,” said Beaudoin. “To have a one-goal lead going into the third and to shut them down and not give them much – Hrebik made some big saves there – but to keep that lead in the third is really big.

“We definitely needed to get those other two games in overtime, but it is what it is, and it’s in the past now.”

Peterborough (11-8-1-1) opened the scoring 43 seconds into the second period when Adam Levac walked into the faceoff circle and, using the defenceman as a screen, ripped one past Hrebik.

Alex Assadourian, with Barrie on the power play, evened things up less than three minutes later when he collected a puck that was knocked off the stick of teammate Joe Salandra as he drove over the blueline and fired it from the slot past Easton Rye.

After Ben Hrebik stoned Colin Fitzgerald on a shot from the slot, the Colts raced back the other way. Calvin Crombie, deep in the Petes’ zone, dropped it back to a trailing Beaudoin, and the Utah top prospect wired it over the right pad of Rye at 8:55 for a goal that Hrebik and the Colts made stand.

“Our third periods, there’s no ands, ifs, or buts about it, is what we call it,” said Smoskowitz. “If we have a puck on our stick, there’s no ands, ifs, or buts, we get it deep. We go through bodies. We have short shifts. We make hard plays, no soft plays. We keep pucks on our forehand, not our backhand. It’s basic stuff, but it’s winning hockey.

“And this group gets that. I’m very proud of our play in the third period. How we hold leads, how we shut it down on the road. How we shut it down at home. These guys are buying in, and I couldn’t be happier.”

Without Aitcheson and Eliasson, a much younger Barrie defensive group held their own against a skilled Petes offence.

Barrie gave up just three goals combined in the two games without two of their best blueliners. Smoskowitz said if someone had offered him three out of four points without Aitcheson and Eliasson before the weekend started, he’d definitely have taken it.

“For us as a (coaching) staff, and even Marty (Williamson) as management, for us to see what these guys can do, it’s big for our organization,” Smoskowitz said of his blueliners. “We couldn’t be happier with what they gave us. (Cole) Emerton probably got over 30 minutes tonight, playing power play, penalty kill, five-on-five, and he was rock solid.

“Justin Handsor stepping up, and Evan Passmore was a tower of strength for us, on and off the ice. Teague Vader stepped up, and then you have (Ethan) Armstrong and (Noah) Barton, who gave us some really valuable minutes. You didn’t see many mistakes. I’m very proud of those guys.”

Barrie will look to extend its point streak to 10 games on Wednesday night when it travels north to take on the Sudbury Wolves.

“Definitely, we want to keep it rolling,” Beaudoin said of the point streak. “We got kind of a quick turnaround in Sudbury on Wednesday, so we got to get prepared for that. You never know what can happen in Sudbury. They’re a good, high-offensive team, so we’ll get prepped for that, and then off to Erie for a little road trip there.”

ICE CHIPS

Easton Rye was almost as good as Hrebik in goal, stopping 40 of 42 shots for the Petes.

Emil Hemming and Crombie each had a pair of assists.

Barrie was one-for-eight with the power play, while the Petes were scoreless on three chances.

Colts’ forward Nicholas Desiderio sat out for the first time this season on Saturday. Smoskowitz said stepping back, much like they did with Bode Stewart, will help the 17-year-old rookie. “Take a step back, watch the game, and see how much more impactful you can be,” said the Barrie head coach of Desiderio. “The game’s not actually that fast when you step back. Des will get back in there next week.”

ADD. OHL

Ottawa 6 Niagara 2

Brantford 5 Brampton 4

Flint 6 Owen Sound 2

Sudbury 2 Saginaw 1

Guelph 3 Kitchener 2