Franchise-first goalie goal helps give Barrie Colts 3-2 series lead

Goalie Anson Thornton and the Barrie Colts celebrate his first ever OHL goal and first goalie goal in franchise history on Thurs., April 6 (Courtesy: Barrie Colts/Twitter).

The Barrie Colts will head into their penultimate playoff series game against Hamilton on Monday with a 3-2 lead, thanks partly to a franchise-first.

The Barrie Colts and nearly 3500 loud fans welcomed the Hamilton Bulldogs to Sadlon Arena Thursday night, with the series tied at two.

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Hamilton got on the board early in the first to open the scoring, but the Colts stormed back with four unanswered goals. Captain Brandt Clarke's goal and two assists were a massive boost to the team on his return to the lineup. Overage forward Evan Vierling scored the game-winning goal in the first period.

Goalie Anson Thornton capped off the scoring for the Colts with an empty net goal in the third period. That goal was Thornton's first OHL goal and the first goalie goal in franchise history.

 

Thornton's goal is the first by a netminder since Peterborough's Dylan Wells last scored on April 13, 2017, against the Kingston Frontenacs and the fifth time it's happened in the OHL Playoffs.

The Colts will travel to Hamilton on Monday, searching for one more win to advance to the next round.

SERIES - (3) Barrie Colts vs. (6) Hamilton Bulldogs

• Game 1 - Barrie 10 - Hamilton 2
• Game 2 - Barrie 6 - Hamilton 3
• Game 3 - Barrie 3 - Hamilton 6
• Game 4 - Barrie 3 - Hamilton 5
• Game 5 - Barrie 4 - Hamilton 1
• Game 6 - Mon. April 10 at Hamilton, 7:00pm
• Game 7 - Tues. April 11 at Barrie, 7:30pm*

*if necessary