The Colts won the Central Division title for the second time in as many years and the seventh in franchise history.
Runners-up in the Eastern Conference only to first place Kingston Frontenacs, Barrie will start the first round against seventh-sitting Mississauga Steelheads.
The Colts have faced the Steelheads six times this season, winning five of those games. Assistant coach Todd Miller is happy with the year the team has had, but knows there’s plenty of hockey yet to play and that their first round opponent is no slouch.
“We’re really excited about the playoffs and getting rolling here,” said Miller. “We played three or four games where we couldn’t really move in the standings as we had second place locked up, and you don’t want guys getting hurt in that time but now we know who we’re playing and we can start preparing for the Steelheads. They’re a good young team who works really hard. We know what we have to do and that we have the tools to do it if we keep to the game plan.”
As the season wound down, the Colts had the wonderful problem of having clinched their spot but also having players on the cusp of team and league records.
Overage forward Kevin Labanc was not only in a race to win the Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy as the league’s top scorer and the Jim Mahon Memorial Trophy as the league’s top scoring right winger, but his buddy and teammate Andrew Mangiapane was in a battle for the OHL’s most goals for the season.
Mangiapane fell a tad short with 51 goals on the year, one behind London’s Christian Dvorak who finished with 52. Labanc did grab the two pieces of hardware previously mentioned, but he also ended the season with 127 points, a new Colts single season record.
“It was tough trying to figure out when to shut guys down because you want them to have that special season personally,” said Miller. “But in the end we’re all here to better the club and that’s always going to be the focus. Fortunately, guys hit their individual goals and had time to rest as well.”
Barrie had a solid record of 43-25 with 89 points. In the last meeting between Barrie Mississauga this season, the Colts hammered the Steelheads 8-0, with 7 different scorers getting their names on the score sheet. Barrie boasts a potent offense, scoring 295 goals this year behind only London.
Starting goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood is in top ten of most of the goalie statistics and the defence was instrumental in Barrie having the third best goals against number in the Eastern Conference. This Colts team looks like one of the city’s best chances to head back to the OHL final since the 2012/2013 loss to London in seven games.
“This team is something special,” said point’s leader Labanc. “We play as more of a complete team than maybe any other team I’ve played on. Everybody’s been contributing and doing their part. We’re full of scorers, but our blue line and goalies are doing what they need to as well. This isn’t a one-line team, all the line’s are clicking and at the right time.”
Having this year signed an NHL entry level contract with the team who just drafted him (San Jose Sharks); Labanc could easily be focused on doing everything he can to make it to “The Show” and the glitz and glamour of the big leagues.
Like most in the Colts dressing room however, the Staten Island, NY native has unfinished business in the OHL and with his Colts.
“Every single guy on our team wants that OHL championship and eventually a Memorial Cup berth,” said Labanc. “It was nice to win the point’s race this year, but that’s only attainable because of the team being there for me and me being there for the team. Year after year, the team that wins the big honours is the team who play best as a team and who wants it more. I feel this year that could be us.”
Writer’s Prediction:
Labanc and the Colts will have to face a young, hungry Steelheads team to advance to the second round. One player to watch for from Mississauga is top scoring left winger Alexander Nylander (75 points in 57 games and brother of current Leafs player William).
The Steelheads top scoring blueliner is Stefan LeBlanc who potted 30 goals in 64 games. Colts fans will be unimpressed with those numbers as Barrie counters with defenseman Rasmus Andersson, who literally doubled that tally in the same amount of games.
The Colts have outscored Mississauga this year 34-15 in six games.
It should be noted that the one game the Steelheads did defeat Barrie this year was a 6-3 win where the Colts did not have Labanc, Mangiapane or Blackwood in the line-up. Mississauga should be geared for some success soon, just not this year.
Prediction: Colts in 4
