Barrie breaks out in second period as Colts defeat Otters 3-2
Canadian Press
Dec 15, 2006, 11:34 PM EST
ERIE, Pa. (CP) - After being shut out for the opening 28 minutes, the Barrie Colts scored two quick second-period goals to spark a 3-2 win against the Erie Otters in Ontario Hockey League action Friday.
The Colts, which improved to a league-best 25-7-0-1 with the win, played without forwards Bryan Little and Hunter Tremblay, their top two scorers. Earlier in the day, Little earned a spot on Team Canada for the upcoming 2007 IIHF World Junior Championship. The Colts also missed centre Tomas Marcinko.
The Colts capitalized on Otters winger Patrick Lee's holding penalty, with left wing Kris Sparre scoring his 18th goal of the season on the power play. Left wing Michael Lombardi then snapped the 1-1 tie less than three minutes later with his fifth goal of the season, a wrist shot over goaltender Ryan Ludzik's left shoulder.
Ludzik stopped 24 of 27 shots, while the Colts' Andrew Perugini had 37 saves.
Barrie then took control in the third, as right wing Vladimir Nikiforov's end-to-end rush resulted in a 3-1 lead 1:28 into the period. Nikiforov slipped through the Otters' defence before slipping a shot over Ludzik for his 11th goal of the season.
Right wing Josh Vatri handed the Otters (8-23-0-2) an early lead with his eighth goal of the season 4:43 into the opening period. The Otters began the night having allowed an OHL-worst 167 goals this season. However, the Otters made that 1-0 lead stand against the league's second-best offence until the 11:37 mark of the second period.
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