BY SCOTT HUNTER HADDOW
Barrie Colts winger, B.J. Crombeen ripped two goals and Colts goaltender Paulo Colaiacovo thwarted 26 shots to lead their team past the Sudbury Wolves 3-0 Friday (Sept. 26) at the Sudbury Arena.
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Both teams raced through the first period and finished deadlocked at 0-0.
Despite the lack of scoring, several Wolves turned in solid shifts throughout the frame.
Martin Doyle and Alexander Eaton both blocked heavy-duty shots with their feet in the first period. Both finished their shifts with agony painted all-over their faces.
Doyle left the game, but eventually returned to action. With about one minute remaining Eaton tried to get his team fired up by dropping the gloves with Colts' defenceman Andrew Dennis. The linesmen wouldn't let them scrap.
They would get the chance to dance later.
The Wolves started the second period on the power play, but failed to capitalize.
Just past the mid-way mark of the second period, Colts' centre, Cory Stillman opened the scoring by whipping a low shot past Wolves' goaltender Joel Whitmarsh, who was making his first regular season start.
The Wolves continued to fire shots at Colaiacovo, but failed to bury one past the floppy goaltender.
The Wolves had another early power play to jump back in the game, but again nobody cashed in.
At 11:30 of the third period, Crombeen stepped in over the blue line and wired a bullet shot past Whitmarsh, beating him top corner off the crossbar to make it 2-0.
Eaton and Dennis renewed their acquaintance with about three-and-a-half minutes to go in the third period.
The mitts hit the ice and both players through wicked hay makers.
Eaton eventually got the upper hand on Dennis, pulling his jersey over his head and feeding him punches. The linesmen stepped in and broke it up.
The fight didn't spark the Wolves into a late-game come back.
Instead, Crombeen picked up a loose puck and completely undressed
Whitmarsh with a crafty deke and deposited the puck in the open net at 17:19 of the third for the 3-0 lead.
The score would stand and Wolves head coach and general manager was left with his first loss of the season.
"We couldn't muster anything in the offensive zone and that's not characteristic of what we've been doing lately. We've been finding a way and paying the price to make things happen and we didn't pay the price enough," said Foligno. "That's something we want to make sure we correct."
Barrie played an entire defensive game.
"I thought that Barrie came in and played a very disciplined game," said Foligno.
"They didn't give us much in the neutral zone. They were tight in the defensive zone. It was one of those games where the team that scored first would probably be the team that won. It was a hard fought game."
Wolves' goalie, Whitmarsh felt he let his down with two uncharacteristic goals.
"I felt pretty good throughout the whole game. The first two goals, I felt I let the team down. I usually have those on any other day," said Whitmarsh.
"I have to learn from my mistakes and look forward to my next game."
Wolves forward Martin Doyle knows the team has to put forth a more inspired effort next time.
"We weren't going as hard as we should have been," said Doyle.
"We got to relaxed out there and lost the ice. We're going to have to come out and play more aggressive next time."
Barrie netminder Colaiacovo was proud of his team's effort.
"It was a typical road game," said Colaiacovo. "Our guys showed up to play and I was able to keep the guys in the game and we were able to win, and that's the main thing."
The Wolves next game is Friday, Oct. 3 in London against the Knights to start a three-games-in-three-days road trip.
They will then travel to Plymouth on Oct.4 and then to Saginaw Oct. 6.
The Wolves next home game is Friday, Oct. 10 against the Colts. Game time is 7:30 pm.
