BARRIE, ONTARIO. Following a tough Game 1, the Hamilton Bulldogs returned to Sadlon Arena in Barrie on Saturday night looking to even the best-of-7 series with the Colts.
The Bulldogs came out with far more fire to open Game 2 with Lawson Sherk throwing a beautiful shoulder to shoulder check on Brandt Clarke leading to a fight instigated by Braeden Hache where Sherk was able to show his pugilistic prowess. After a questionable roughing call to Lucas Moore in front of the Bulldogs goal, the Colts opened the scoring on the power-play. At 10:21, Declan McDonnell chipped the puck to the right circle for Beau Akey who fed Callum Chisholm on a short 2-on-1 for his 1st of the playoffs giving the hosts the 1-0 lead. Quickly after the goal, Marek Vanacker rushed the offensive zone getting a good opportunity from the left circle that Anson Thornton held aside. On the next shift, Noah VandenBrink attacked down the slot, taking a pass from Cole Brown that he rang off the crossbar, coming within just inches of tying the game. After another questionable defensive zone penalty to the Bulldogs, this time to Cedricsson Okitundu, the Colts power-play struck again as Beau Akey centered the puck from the bottom of the right circle to Declan McDonnell for his 2nd of the playoffs giving the Colts a 2-0 lead at 12:20. Tristan Malboeuf kept the Dogs within striking distance with a brilliant late period save on Tyler Savard who received a pass in the slot only to have Malboeuf steal it away with his glove, keeping the Bulldogs down just a pair hitting the first intermission.
Starting the middle frame, the Bulldogs got back on the front foot bringing pressure and shots to the goal of Anson Thornton including a middle of the blueline rocket from Lucas Moore that the Colts netminder was forced to turn aside. The second period followed the same script as the first with the Colts striking twice in quick succession in the middle stages. First, Brandt Clarke jaunted from the middle towards the left side throwing a shot on Tristan Malboeuf that eluded the Bulldogs netminder for Clarke’s 3rd of the series, giving the Colts a 3-0 lead at 10:21. Clarke continued with the hot hand, at 11:06, sprinting down the right boards and laying the puck back to Ethan Cardwell filling at the blueline to score his 1st of the playoffs and give the Colts the commanding 4-0 lead. Before the frame was over, the Bulldogs found a lifeline. At 19:00, Noah Van Vliet carried the puck up the ice, sliding the puck through the legs of Braeden Hache, leaving the Colts defender in the dust, Van Vliet continued to the face of the Barrie goal and popped the puck through the legs of Anson Thornton to cut into the Barrie lead at 4-1 on his 1st of the playoffs and giving the Bulldogs an opportunity to claw back in the game in the third period.
The third period scoring opened controversially at 2:35 as Braeden Hache scored on a point shot that on review showed Declan McDonnell well offside but was allowed to stand giving the Colts a 5-1 lead. Ethan Cardwell would bat a double deflection into the Hamilton net at 7:40 giving the Colts a then 6-1 lead. The Bulldogs picked up some momentum late as Florian Xhekaj worked the puck left to Patrick Thomas who set Nick Lardis down the slot for a beautiful back bar goal at 8:28, his 1st of the playoffs cutting the Barrie lead to 6-2. Adrian Rebelo was next, as Noah Nelson worked the puck middle for Braeden O’Keefe who then found Adrian Rebelo at the right post tightening the score line to 6-3 on Rebelo’s 1st OHL playoff goal at 14:53 but it wouldn’t be enough with the Colts taking Game 2 by the 6-3 final.
The first round series shifts to Hamilton for Game 3 on Sunday night, April 2nd, with a 7:00pm start time followed by Game 4 on Tuesday, April 4th, also at 7:00pm.
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