Romani's Hat Trick Helps Colts Go up 2-0
March 31, 2025 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Barrie Colts News Release
The round one series between the Barrie Colts and Niagara Ice Dogs returned to Sadlon Arena for game two on Monday after a brief hiatus over the weekend. Game one saw the Colts triumph in a 4-2 victory over the visiting Ice Dogs and take the upper hand in the series. With their win in the series' opening game, Barrie has now beaten Niagara in six of their seven meetings in 24-'25. In those seven appearances against the IceDogs, they've amassed a total of 43 goals, for an average of a little over six goals a night. Keeping the Colts off the board would be even harder in game two as they'd have to rely on their third-string goaltender for the first period. Sam Hillebrandt guarded the cage for Barrie after stopping 25 of the 27 shots in game one.
Niagara got on the board early, sneaking one by Hillebrandt on their first shot just 24 seconds into the game. The Colts were afforded some power play opportunity and even a crack at five on three, they failed to convert but managed to get back on track and began to control play. Barrie found twine seven minutes in on a Grayson Tiller tally, his first career OHL playoff goal. The Colts took ownership of the puck in the latter half of the period, as a result, Anthony Romani scored a pair of similar-looking goals just three minutes apart. With the two scores, Romani had four goals in as many periods this playoffs, having tallied twice in game one. Barrie led 3-1 after 20 minutes and paced Niagara in shots 17-8.
The previously uneven ice evened out to begin the middle frame, at least until Colts captain Beau Jelsma scored to extend his team's lead to three goals. Jelsma's first this playoffs came just before the 11-minute mark and gave Barrie a 4-1 edge. The Colts rubbed salt in the wound when Emil Hemming notched his first career OHL playoff goal 12 seconds before period's end, boosting his team's lead to 5-1. It was ugly through 40 minutes, Barrie extended their shot lead in the second to a staggering 37 to 16 and led 5-1.
The tides turned drastically in the third, Niagara was shot out of a cannon, scoring 1:50 into the period before following it up with another goal two minutes later, making it a much more manageable two-goal deficit. After clawing their way back to 5-3, the Ice Dogs kept their foot on the gas, getting another tally at the 12-minute mark to make it 5-4 and then another five minutes later to tie the game at five. Niagara's miraculous comeback saw them score four unanswered in response to Barrie's five unanswered previously. Needless to say, the Colts were gripping their sticks a little tighter in the back half of the final frame after giving up a four-goal lead. With a flare for the dramatic, Romani scored to take a 6-5 lead with just 1:10 remaining, completing his hat trick and sending ball caps over the glass and onto the ice. Jelsma wrapped it up with an empty netter just before time expired, sealing it as a 7-5 Colts win.
Barrie continues to make things interesting when they don't necessarily need to be, regardless, they find a way to win yet again, this time under unique circumstances. Barrie now takes a commanding 2-0 lead in the series as it makes its first trip to Niagara. It's a quick turnaround for both squads as they head to the Meridian Centre for game three, 24 hours following the completion of this tilt.
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Ontario Hockey League Stories from March 31, 2025
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