We're into the second half of the hockey season, and the push for the playoffs begin!

Colts Facing Major Task

Written by: Tyler Bodman on 19th March 2009

PHOTO BY SCOTT VANKOUGHNETT

Della Rovere will need to keep scoring goals if Barrie hopes to move on to the second-round | read this item

Something will have to give when the fifth-place Barrie Colts open the playoffs on the road against the fourth-place Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors on Friday.

Game one of the series will be their seventh meeting of the season, and neither team has so far been able to establish a run against the other; the season series currently sits at 3-3.

Finishing with a record of 30-33-3-2, the Colts had to wait until the final weekend of the regular season before finding out where the team bus would be headed. A win over Niagara on Thursday night and a Niagara loss to Mississauga on Friday night left the Colts in fifth place in the Eastern Conference.

Head coach Marty Williamson didn’t have a preference of who his team would match up against.

“I really don’t,” said Williamson after the Colts’ 3-2 loss to Brampton on Friday night. “Mississauga is less travel. Other than that we were 3-3 against Mississauga and 2-2 against Ottawa.”

The Colts have limped into the playoffs winning just four of their last 11 games whereas the Majors are on fire of late having won eight of their last 11 games. Colts’ fans can take solace in the fact that two of the three Majors’ losses have come at the hands of the Colts.

“They are a good hockey team,” said Williamson about the Majors. “They’re a tough, more rugged defensive minded team.“

The Colts managed to outscore the Majors 18-15 in the six regular season meetings. Team captain, Stefan Della Rovere and draft eligible, Alex Hutchings will need to continue their dominance over the Majors if they hope to move on. The two lead the offence for the Colts against the Majors this season with three goals and two assists each.

Look for goalie Peter Di Salvo to get the start in net for the Colts. In four games against the Majors this season he allowed just 10 goals and managed to win three of the four games.

Majors’ leading goal scorer Jared Gomes is sure to leave Di Salvo with his hands full. Gomes lead the offence against Barrie, scoring four goals and adding an assist. Defenceman, Cameron Gaunce is always a threat from the blueline. The Majors’ powerplay quarterback finished the regular season with 17 goals and 47 assists in 67 games.

In their last meeting, the Colts shut down the Majors winning 5-3 in Mississauga. It was a physical affair that saw the two teams combine for 34 penalty minutes including two fights.

There will be no love lost when these two teams meet up again this Friday at 7:30 in Mississauga in what will no doubt be a long and physical series.

From the Barrie Advance

Topics: Barrie Advance, Barrie Colts, Della Rovere, Hutchings, Marty Williamson, Mississauga St. Michael's Majors, Playoffs