Barrie Colts Fall to Oshawa Generals
April 25, 2025 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Barrie Colts News Release
Only four teams remain in the quest for the OHL's ultimate prize, the J. Ross Robertson Cup. The Barrie Colts and Oshawa Generals took their next step towards claiming the trophy on Friday in Barrie, the setting for game one of the Eastern Conference Finals. The Colts and Generals are familiar foes, having met four times in the regular season. Barrie came out on top in three; they last played on January 31st in Oshawa, where the Generals won 3-2 in overtime. Additionally, these two met in the first round of last year's playoffs, where Oshawa bested Barrie in six games. Barrie has yet to lose at home in these playoffs and holds a perfect 7-0 record in Sadlon Arena, they vied to protect their home barn again in this tilt. Sam Hillebrandt got the nod for Barrie, marking his fourth straight playoff start.
Oshawa were the aggressors early on; they controlled play and largely kept it out of their end. The game's first 10 shots broke the way of the Generals 7-3, and if it weren't for the steady play of Hillebrandt, the Colts would be down multiple goals coming out of the opening frame, instead, they carried a scoreless tie into the first intermission.
The Generals continued to apply pressure, and the Colts' goaltending continued to be the only reason they had a fighting chance. Oshawa eventually solved Hillebrandt, though, scoring the game's first goal with 4:38 remaining in the second period. The visitors then cashed in again three minutes later, this time on the power play to take a 2-0 lead. Oshawa had 14 shots in each of the first two frames for a total of 28 through 40 minutes of play, dwarfing Barrie's 17 in that same span.
The final frame brought about a slight change in momentum, as the Colts scratched and clawed to stay alive. Barrie got their first powerplay of the game six minutes into the frame, and though they didn't score, they generated some of their best opportunities of the night. The Colts did get on the board two minutes following the penalty; it was Anthony Romani who broke the ice for Barrie, scoring his team-leading 10th goal of these playoffs. The Colts' late goal was all for not, though, as Oshawa sealed the game as a 3-1 victory with an empty netter with a little over a minute remaining.
After suffering their first loss on home ice, Barrie trails in a series for the first time this postseason. The Generals finished with a commanding lead in shots, 39 to the Colts 28. Despite Hillebrandt's valiant effort in which he turned away 36 of 38 shots, his Colts failed to get him the run support needed to come up with the win. The series stays in Barrie for game two on Sunday, April 27th before heading to Oshawa for Games Three and Four.
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