BY SCOTT HADDOW
In hockey, Sudbury boy and Barrie Colts winger Cory McGillis makes no apologies for who he is.
What you see is what you get in McGillis.
At six-foot-one and 211-pounds, McGillis is a power forward with a penchant for getting under the skins of opponents.
Case and point was in game two of the Eastern Conference semi-final series between Sudbury and Barrie.
McGillis did his best to find a nerve or two to try and rattle Sudbury Wolves captain Marc Staal, who has been a dominant force in every game during the playoffs.
McGillis and the Colts are no fools. They know full well when an opponent, like Staal, is playing on another level, they have to find some way to try and get him off his game.
McGillis jarred Staal with a few checks and yapped in face. It worked briefly, but probably not the way McGillis intended.
Staal went out after the skirmish and scored two goals and then McGillis had to scrap it out with Wolves tough guy Devin DiDiomete.
"I'm filling a role Barrie needed," said the 18-year-old forward who was acquired at the trade deadline from Windsor. "I am having a blast. There's a good group of guys in the Barrie room and it's been a good experience for me."
In 21 regular season games with Barrie, McGillis had 10 goals, 14 points and 50 penalty minutes. He also had four game-winning goals.
Overall, he finished with 21 goals, 36 points, 147 penalty minutes and eight game winning goals.
"I was hoping to have a positive impact when I came to Barrie," said the former Sudbury Northern Wolves player. "I finished the season with eight game-winning goals and I look at that as a good personal accomplishment. I liked to be placed in key situations and deliver and try and make a difference for my team."
The Colts have welcomed McGillis' tough approach.
"Cory's first couple of weeks were hard, but he eventually found a fit and a home here," said Barrie head coach Marty Williamson. "He really stepped it up towards the end of the season.
"He's a physical kid...he loves to hit and doesn't mind being hit. If anything, we felt our team was a little soft last season and with Cory's toughness he helps address that area.
"We're not a fighting team, but we have good team
toughness that can play tough for 60 minutes or more. Cory also
has good hands, better than I thought. If he gets the
opportunity, he can finish and that's a real asset."
McGillis doesn't mind the rough stuff at all and actually
takes quite a bit of pride in his robust and fearless play.
"I will do anything for my teammates," said the feisty forward. "I have always been that way. I finish checks and also try to bury some goals. If it comes to it, I will stick up for my teammates no matter what, even if it means dropping the gloves."
McGillis relishes the fact Barrie is closer to Sudbury.
"I get to play in Sudbury a lot more and that's nice," said McGillis. "My family and friends can see me more. There's a great rivalry between Sudbury and Barrie and it's neat to be a part of it."
The Wolves and Barrie played in game four of their series Wednesday night at the Sudbury Arena. If the Wolves won, the season is over for McGillis and the rest of the Colts. A win by Barrie meant a return for game five Friday night in Barrie.
