The Barrie Colts split their opening playoff series this weekend after a narrow 4-3 overtime loss to the Niagara IceDogs at Sadlon Arena on Saturday, March 28, 2026. The result leaves the best-of-seven series tied at 1-1 as the teams prepare to move to St. Catharines for the next two matches.
Despite the loss, the game saw an intense atmosphere, with a sellout crowd of 4,225 fans filling the arena. Co-captain Cole Beaudoin opened the scoring early for the Colts, finding the back of the net just 3:05 into the first period. After the visitors regained the lead, Brad Gardiner sparked a late-game rally by scoring at 14:55 of the third period to force the contest into overtime.
Goaltender Arvin Jaswal, who took over in the crease for the game, stopped 31 of 35 shots against a persistent Niagara offence. The game ultimately ended at 13:19 of the extra period when Hayden Reid scored to secure the win for the IceDogs.
The Barrie Colts look to regain momentum in the series when play resumes for Game 3 on Tuesday, March 31, 2026. The team is expected to receive a boost for that match with the return of co-captain Kashawn Aitcheson, who will be back in the lineup after serving a two-game suspension.
Following the games in Niagara, the series is set to return to Barrie for Game 5 on April 4, 2026, as the Ontario Hockey League playoffs continue. The Colts, led by first-year head coach Dylan Smoskowitz, entered the postseason as the second seed in the Eastern Conference after a record-breaking 45-win season.
