Mason Zebeski scored the overtime winner as the Barrie Colts defeated the Brantford Bulldogs 4-3 in Game 6 of the OHL Eastern Conference Final Saturday evening at Sadlon Arena.
With the victory, the Colts have forced a Game 7, coming back to tie the series after trailing 3-1.
The Colts also had to overcome a 3-1 deficit in Saturday’s game.
Bulldogs pull ahead
Caleb Malholtra, a top prospect for the 2026 NHL Entry Draft, threaded a pass to the front of the Colts net, and Cooper Dennis finished it on the backhand to open the scoring for Brantford. The Bulldogs took the 1-0 lead into the first intermission.
The Colts answered early in the second.
Kashawn Aitcheson’s shot from the blueline was denied, but Jaiden Newton was on the doorstep to finish the rebound created by Barrie’s star defenceman, sliding it by Ryerson Leenders, Bulldogs goaltender, after multiple swipes. Newton’s second of the spring tied the game at 1-1.
But less than two minutes later, Owen Protz, Bulldogs defenceman and Montreal Canadiens prospect, had his point shot deflected by Ryder Boulton to put Brantford back in front 2-1.
Later in the second, a stretch pass by Protz found Jake O’Brien, and the Seattle Kraken prospect wristed it by Ben Hrebik, Colts goaltender, for his sixth of the postseason to make it 3-1.
Colts come back
The Colts would answer before the end of the frame.
With under two minutes left, Ben Wilmott’s shot was blocked, but Carter Lowe jumped on the loose puck and wristed it by Leenders. Lowe’s sixth of the spring made it 3-2.
In the third period, with just over ten minutes potentially left in Barrie’s season, there was another scramble in front of Brantford’s net after Aitcheson took a pass from Calvin Crombie and split the Bulldogs defence.
Just like he did in the first period, Jaiden Newton buried another rebound goal for his second of the night, tying the game at 3-3 and momentarily saving the Colts season.
With nothing getting solved in the final ten minutes of regulation, the back-and-forth game was destined for overtime.
Zebeski plays hero
Midway through the extra frame, another Aitcheson point shot made its way to the front of the Bulldogs net after the Colts had won a battle along the right-wing boards.
Mason Zebeski cut it off on his forehand, slid the puck to his backhand, and lifted it over Leenders for the overtime winner and his third of the spring, bringing the 4,000-plus fans at Sadlon Arena to their feet.
Despite giving up the three Bulldogs goals, Hrebik was named the game’s first star for stopping 54 out of 57 Brantford shots.
Game 7
Both teams are now a game away from winning the Bobby Orr Trophy and advancing to the OHL finals.
Game 7 is set for just after 7 p.m. at TD Civic Centre in Brantford Monday evening.
The winner will face the Kitchener Rangers, who defeated the Windsor Spitfires in five games in the Western Conference Final.
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