NEWS RELEASE
BARRIE COLTS JUNIOR HOCKEY CLUB
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The Barrie Colts made it two-for-two on the weekend as they again escaped a third-period rally by the visitors, skating to a 4-3 win over the Niagara IceDogs Saturday night.
In what was a dominating two periods by the Colts looking like they were easily skating to victory, the IceDogs clawed back with three unanswered goals to stun the Barrie faithful.
But as the Colts got their momentum back, Tyson Foerster saved the day to earn the game winner on a late penalty shot taking the victory.
Foerster’s 10th and 11th goals of the season would see him already eclipse his goal total from a year ago and increase his point streak to six games for the 2020 NHL draft eligible forward.
Arturs Silovs picked up his fifth win, making back-to-back starts and turning aside 29 shots.
Coming off a successful start to the weekend with a nail-biter win over the Owen Sound Attack Thursday night the Colts welcomed the IceDogs for the first time this season in their six-game season series.
Barrie struck first in the game. A deflected shot from the point bounced right to the bottom right circle for Ryan Suzuki to quickly fire into the back of the net. Tyler Tucker and Matej Pekar assisted on Suzuki’s third of the year.
With just under three minutes to play in the opening period, the IceDogs got called for a four-minute check-from-behind penalty, opening the door for the Colts to extend the lead. But that would carry into the intermission as the horn sounded with the Colts still up 1-0.
Silovs continued his stellar play throughout the first 20 minutes stopping all 14 shots as the Colts led on the shot clock as well 15-14.
At 6:19 of the second, the Colts added insurance to the lead. Tucker let the shot fly from the point, but again a deflection in front would go right to another Barrie player, this time Foerster would snap it by Niagara goalie Tucker Tynan for his 10th of the season. Suzuki picked up his second point of the night with an assist on the play.
Just two minutes later, it looked as if the IceDogs had gotten a lucky bounce of their own to respond back, but the play was called back offside, keeping Barrie's lead at two.
Barrie would keep the pressure going and with just a minute passed the halfway mark of the period, Mathew Hill blasted his first of the year through a maze of players to make it 3-0.
Through a dominant first two periods, the shots read 32-20 in favour of the Colts as Barrie outshot Niagara 17-6 in the middle frame.
But all would change nearing the midway point of the final frame. Silovs got caught playing interference on a Niagara forward and put the boys shorthanded. The IceDogs captain, Akil Thomas, made him pay, breaking the shutout while on the power play to get Niagara on the board and make it 3-1.
Four minutes later, the Dogs would bite back and in a span of 40 seconds even the game up at three. First Thomas would find Ivan Lodnia with a cross-ice one-timer to sneak by Silovs, then Phillip Tomasino broke through the Colts defense and slip one by, making it a 3-3 game.
With Barrie turning the momentum back to the other end, the mounting pressure led to a breakaway for Foerster with just over two minutes remaining. He got hooked on the play and the referee pointed to centre ice as a penalty shot was awarded.
Making a couple fakes and eventually deking to the backhand, Foerster slid the puck over the goal line as Tynan’s stick only got a piece of it, and the Colts would be back on top 4-3.
The IceDogs pulled Tynan in late stages to try for the equalizer, but Barrie held them off and take the win.
Barrie finished the night throwing 52 shots on Tynan to Niagara’s 32.
The Colts will now hit the road for a trio of games next weekend with stops in Hamilton, Saginaw and Flint beginning Wednesday morning with a 10:30 a.m. school-day game versus the Bulldogs.
Tickets for all upcoming Barrie Colts home games can be purchased online, by calling 1-888-655-9090, or in person at the Colts Store located inside the BMC.
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