Colts Force Game 7 with 2nd Straight OT Winner
Published on May 2, 2026 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Brantford Bulldogs News Release
BARRIE, ONTARIO - Looking to bounce back following an overtime defeat in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals, the Brantford Bulldogs returned to Sadlon Arena in Barrie on Saturday night for Game 6 and another opportunity to capture the Bobby Orr Trophy and punch their ticket to the OHL Finals.
The Bulldogs got out on the front foot from the start of the game, peppering 19 shots to Ben Hrebik in the first period and earning the game's opening goal at 6:25. Caleb Malhotra caught down a clearing attempt from the Barrie zone and made a perfect backhand pass through traffic to Cooper Dennis in front of the Colts goal where Dennis pulled the puck to his backhand and roofed it for his 5th of the playoffs giving the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead. The Bulldogs continued to mount chances, with a Jake O'Brien breakaw ay denied by the right and a Caleb Malhotra shorthanded breakaway denied by the left pad of Ben Hrebik.
Ryerson Leenders stopped all 9 he faced in the opening period, with his finest coming on the Colts first shot denying a doorstep tip on a left point drive to keep the Bulldogs ahead 1-0 at the time, a lead they would take to the second period.
The second period was a back-and-forth frame that began with the Colts evening the score, though in controversial fashion at 2:41. Kashawn Aitcheson sent a shot to the front of the Bulldogs net that was held off by Ryerson Leenders but contact with Carter Lowe knocked Leenders mask off while the puck bounced to Jaiden Newton. Despite the Bull dogs goaltender being left without his mask, Newton's shot was deemed a goal for his 2nd of the post-season tying the game 1-1. The Bulldogs took the lead back less than two minutes later. Dylan Tsherna laid the puck to the left point for Owen Protz who fired a shot toward the front of the net where it was tipped by Ryder Boulton for his 1st of the playoffs at 4:21 and a 2-1 Bulldogs lead. The Dogs doubled the advantage at 13:10, with Owen Protz finding Jake O'Brien on a long out of the defensive zone to the right -wing side that the captain carried into the offensive end and made no mistake r ifling a shot over Hrebik's shoulder to give the Bulldogs a 3-1 lead. The Colts cut back into the lead on a lucky bounce, after a Ben Wilmott shot was deflected off back glass, it landed at the side of the Bulldogs net for Carter Lowe who was able to quickly collect and fire, surprising Ryerson Leenders to pull the game to 3-2 at 18:19. Just moments later, Jake O'Brien dangled through three Colts defenders before outwaiting Ben Hrebik and rolling the puck under the Colts' netminder's pad and over the goal line. The puck was quickly scrambled back under Hrebik and waved off, shockingly, at ice level, with the officials deeming the video review non-conclusive to keep the Bulldogs lead 3-2 heading to the locker rooms through 40 minutes.
The third period saw the Colts continue to battle in the series, earning an equalizer 9:54 as a play that started with Kashawn Aitcheson crashing the net ended with Jaiden Newton picking a loose puck over Ryerson Leenders to tie the game 3-3. The Bulldogs mounted pressure late but a brilliant split save from Ben Hrebik as he went left to right to deny Jake O'Brien from the left circle kept the series alive, forcing overtime for the second straight game.
Gabriel Frasca scored just moments into the overtime session but for the second time on the night a Bulldogs goal is waived off. Though Ben Hrebik moved past the top of his paint and initiated contact with the Bulldogs forward, the goal was waived off on review. That would prove momentous for the Colts who got the winner minutes later with Mason Zebeski collecting a puck behind the Bulldogs defense, tucked it through Leenders to force a Game 7.
The Brantford Bulldogs will return to action for Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals at TD Civic Centre on Monday night, May 4th with a 7:00pm puck drop.
Ontario Hockey League Stories from May 2, 2026
- Colts Force Game 7 with 2nd Straight OT Winner - Brantford Bulldogs
- 2026 OHL Futures Camp - Saturday's Results - OHL
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