Déjà Vu for Colts, drop Game 3 in OT

The Colts season is on the line with Game 4 set for Monday 7 p.m. at the Sadlon Arena.

It was a sight for tired eyes on Sunday night as Game 3 of the OHL Final went to double overtime at Sadlon Arena.

That’s thanks to heroics from Barrie Colts defenceman and co-captain Kashawn Aitcheson, who scored in the last minute of the game.

It’s been a familiar scene for Colts fans as Aitcheson also scored the equalizer in Game 2 in Kitchener to send his team to overtime. The Colts dropped both games to the Kitchener Rangers and are now on the brink of elimination.

After the game, Aitcheson said the team is giving it all they’ve got and close to making it a series.

“All 23 guys in the room are battling so hard right now,” said Aitcheson. “They’re sacrificing everything for the win, and like I said, we feel like we’re right there.”

On Sunday night, Dylan Edwards’ second of the game was the overtime winner, one of his four points in the game.

“Anytime you can score an OT winner in Game 3 of the championship finals to send your team up three, it’s an unbelievable feeling just to see everyone and the hard work that gets put in the people behind the scenes,” said Edwards. “And we’re doing it for them.”

It was an uneventful first two periods before the flood gates opened in the third, with the teams combing for three goals in a span of one minute and 22 seconds.

Emil Hemming tied the game halfway through the third on a nice pass by Aitcheson and 46 seconds later Carson Cambell hopped on a rebound shot and beat Ben Hrebik. William Schneid made a nice move in the slot 36 seconds later and buried his own to tie the game at two.

Despite the loss, Colts head coach Dylan Smoskowitz was happy with the team’s effort.

“I thought it was our best effort tonight. I liked all 83 minutes (or) whatever it was, but I thought our guys did not let up. I thought we had very limited lulls,” said Smoskowitz. “It’s a very even game, so to speak, that it’s playoff hockey’s double overtime. They get a really good bounce and would’ve loved that bounce go our way.”

The Rangers have pushed the Colts to the brink of elimination, knowing they have to win or their season is over.

“This group’s not going to give up, we got so much heart, so much care for one another, and now we’re going to fight,” said Aitcheson. “Fight ‘til the last game.”

Puck drop for Game 4 is at 7 p.m. at the Paul Sadlon Arena and if you’re looking for tickets, you might be out of luck as the game is sold out.

No team in OHL Final history has come back from a 3-0 deficit.

The Barrie Colts are looking to be on the other side of history as the last time a team came back into a series down 3-1 in the OHL Final was the 2012-2013 London Knights against the Barrie Colts winning the series in seven games.