Welcome to another edition of the Barrie Colts weekly recap! A new series where we look at the week that was for the Colts and preview the week of games ahead. So, buckle up and enjoy following the Colts for the 2023-24 Ontario Hockey League (OHL) season.
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Before we get into any game action, congratulations to the Colts’ captain, Connor Punnett, for playing his 200th OHL game. Also, congratulations to rookie Nolan Newton, who signed with the Colts on Nov. 6, 2023, as the team looks to deal with the injury bug.
Colts’ Injury Report
The Colts received some very bad news this week regarding an injury to one of their best players. Edmonton Oilers’ prospect Beau Akey is done for the season due to a shoulder injury. He will require surgery to repair the injury, and although he is out for the remainder of the season for the Colts, he is expected to make a full recovery ahead of the 2024-25 season, as per Jeff Marek.
Akey was a crucial part of the Colts’ back end and power play that will be missed. His smooth skating and ability to set up the breakout are some of the best features of his game. While it is a tough blow to the Colts and unfortunate for him to suffer this injury, it is good for the player to make a full recovery in time for training camp next season.
Additionally, Jacob Frasca is dealing with a hip injury and is considered week-to-week based on my conversations with the team’s representatives. Roenick Jodoin is dealing with an upper-body injury, and Oliver Savard is recovering after taking a puck to the mouth. As of now, the timetable is uncertain but doesn’t appear to be long-term for either Jodoin or Savard.
Niagara IceDogs vs. Barrie Colts – Nov 16, 2023
The Niagara IceDogs were looking to snap their six-game losing streak at home against the Colts. The game looked to be a very tight one after the first period ended tied 0-0. The shots were in favour of the Colts 10-7; however, in the second, it would be a whole other story. The IceDogs scored three goals, outshot Barrie 14-4, and took a 3-0 lead into the third.
Related: 2 Barrie Colts Who Went Onto Play for the Maple Leafs
The Colts came out in the third and tried to regroup to make a comeback, but it fell short. They did manage to score a couple of goals, one by Seattle Kraken prospect Eduard Salé and the other by Carter Lowe, to make it 3-2. Unfortunately, that’s all they could muster up, and the IceDogs added two empty net goals late in the third to seal the deal and take the game 5-2.
Guelph Storm vs. Barrie Colts – Nov 16, 2023
The Guelph Storm marched into Barrie on Saturday night to attempt to win one on the road against the Colts, but the Colts had other plans. The Storm got off to an early 2-0 lead, and it seemed that the game was going to be a blowout, but the Colts’ head coach, Marty Williamson, stuck to his game plan, and his team battled back to tie the game at two apiece. Kashawn Aitcheson and Jack Brauti scored before the end of the first to send the game into the second-period tied.
In the second, the same thing happened as in the first: the Strom scored two goals to take yet another two-goal lead, and that made the Colts’ fans nervous. However, Barrie did come back down by two once before in this game; could they do it again? Yes, they could! Potential 2024 first-round pick Cole Beaudoin got the Colts on the board 47 seconds into the third to bring them within one. The tying goal came from none other than fan favourite Beau Jelsma, and with 57 seconds left in the third, the game was tied again.
Related: Barrie Colts’ Frasca: From Family Mini-Sticks to Fan Favourite
I asked Jelsma about how it feels to be a fan favourite, and he replied, “Yeah, you know it feels awesome; it’s such a great fan base here in Barrie, and it’s an honour to be, you know, a fan favourite.” The third ended tied, and in overtime, there was a 3-0 rush by the Storm that was denied, which led to a breakaway by Riley Patterson on the Colts, which was also turned away.
Nevertheless, overtime solved nothing, so the teams headed to a shootout. The second shooter for the Colts, the aforementioned Salé, scored on a ridiculous deke (seen in the tweet above), and that was it; he was the only shooter to score in the shootout to give Barrie the win.
Games in the Week Ahead
- Thursday, Nov. 23, 2023, Owen Sound Attack vs. Barrie Colts at 7:00 pm
- Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023, London Knights vs. Barrie Colts at 7:30 pm
All in all, Williamson and his team should be happy with their performance on Nov. 16, 2023, against the IceDogs. The team didn’t quit when they were down by two goals, twice. Instead, they bought in, played their hearts out, and came up with the victory. These types of wins build character and bring a team together, especially when you are missing a good portion of your team’s top players.
As I follow along with the Colts for the 2023-24 OHL season, I hope that you all enjoy the Colts’ weekly recap. Be sure to follow me throughout the season for all things Colts, including other featured articles. Have a good week!