Colts Push Past Niagara With Game Five Win

Kashawn Aitcheson scored his first goal of the playoffs in last night's game. Aitcheson is considered a top prospect for the upcoming draft [Image by Terry Wilson/OHL Images].

Last night, the Barrie Colts punched their ticket to the second round of the OHL playoffs by defeating the Niagara IceDogs 6-3 on home ice.

Barrie took control of the game earlier, outperforming Niagara for the first two periods. The Colts outshot the IceDogs 38-22 in the opening 40 minutes of the game while scoring five unanswered goals.

By the end of the game, the Colts boasted six unique goal scorers and 10 of their 18 skaters picked up points in the contest.

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The Colts showcased their depth of scoring throughout the series. Edmonton Oilers prospect Dalyn Wakely leads the team with 12 points in five games while six different players are averaging a point-per-game or better.

Trade deadline acquisitions Anthony Romani and Owen Van Steensel were phenomenal in the five-game series. Romani, a Vancouver Cannucks prospect, scored eight goals in five games while Clarkson University commit Van Steensel picked up eight points.

Niagara pushed back in the third period, scoring three unanswered goals in 14 minutes. Ryan Roobroeck scored a pair of goals while rookie forward Braidy Wassilyn scored the IceDogs' third and final goal of the game.

The Windsor Spitfires clinched their spot in the second round of the OHL playoffs by taking down the Soo Greyhounds 8-4 last night. Spitfires' captain Liam Greentree played a huge role in the win, scoring a hattrick.

thehockeynews.comSpitfires Headed To The Second Round After Greentree's Hattrick In Game FiveThe Windsor Spitfires clinched their spot in the second round of the OHL playoffs by taking down the Soo Greyhounds 8-4 last night. Spitfires' captain Liam Greentree played a huge role in the win, scoring a hattrick.

Roobroeck had six points in the series, equally split between goals and assists. At 6-foot-4, Roobroeck will be one of the top prospects for the 2026 NHL Draft based on his dynamic skill, scoring and size. He profiles as a skilled power forward at the NHL level.

This will go down as a season of mixed results for the Niagara IceDogs. While they steamrolled the league in the first half of the season, they fell apart in the second half, just barely making the playoffs. Additionally, several off-ice incidents marred the season, which started so promisingly.

The IceDogs have a young roster loaded with talent, including Roobroeck, Wassilyn and Winnipeg Jets prospect Kevin He. This boads well for their ability to come back stronger next season.

Last night, the Firebirds won game three of their first-round playoff series against the Kitchener Rangers. The win halves Kitcheners' lead, making the series 2-1 in the Rangers' favour.

thehockeynews.comFirebirds Strike Back With Shutout Victory On Home IceLast night, the Firebirds won game three of their first-round playoff series against the Kitchener Rangers. The win halves Kitcheners' lead, making the series 2-1 in the Rangers' favour.

With Brantford winning their opening series, Barrie will play Kingston in the second round of the OHL playoffs in what should be a gritty, hard-fought series between two teams that focus on playing a 200-foot game.

The series could be a case of an unstoppable force meeting an immovable object. The Frontenacs allowed by far the fewest goals out of the teams that have advanced to the second round, allowing just eight goals in four games. Meanwhile, the Colts averaged more than five goals per game, scoring 27 goals in five games.

Owen Sound Attack defenseman Alec Leonard announced his commitment to play NCAA Division I hockey next season for Bentley University.

thehockeynews.comOwen Sound Defender Commits To Bentley UniversityOwen Sound Attack defenseman Alec Leonard announced his commitment to play NCAA Division I hockey next season for Bentley University.

The Colts thrived on the power play in round one, scoring on 41.2 percent of their opportunities. However, their penalty kill was dreadful, only stopping the opposing power play on 56.2 percent of the time.

Kingston found much more success on the penalty in round one, stopping their opponents on 75 percent of their opportunities. However, their power play struggled, scoring just 12.5 percent of the time.

By the numbers, this series will depend on whether the Colts' offense will be able to crack the Frontenacs' defense. Whoever ends up winning, this series looks to be a fantastic contest between two of the deepest teams in the Eastern Conference.