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Bulls Take 2-0 Series Lead with 5-1 Victory in Barrie
 Jan Mursak scored once and added an assist in the Belleville Bulls 5-1 victory over the Barrie Colts Thursday night in Barrie.
The Belleville Bulls won their fifth consecutive playoff game defeating the Barrie Colts 5-1 Thursday night in Barrie. The Bulls scored three unanswered third period goals to break open a close game and skate away with a 2-0 series lead. The series will now shift back to Belleville for game three Saturday night at the Yardmen Arena.
The two sides played a very even, defensive first period of play where scoring chances were few and far between. Both Mike Murphy and Michael Hutchinson were strong when called upon in goal during the opening twenty minutes of play. The Bulls were able to score the lone goal of the opening frame on the power play with just over seven minutes remaining in the period when Eric Tangradi intercepted a Colts clearing attempt and snapped a low shot past Hutchinson for his first goal of the playoffs. Shots on goal in the first period were 11-11.
The tight checking game continued into the opening moments of second period, as neither side was able to generate much offence. Belleville was able to extend their lead to 2-0 midway through the second period when Keaton Turkiewicz took a Cory Tanaka pass and fired a shot that just squeezed past Hutchinson. Andrew Self also assisted on Turkiewicz’s third goal of the playoffs. Barrie was able to cut the Bulls lead back to a single goal with four and a half minutes remaining in the period on the power play when Tomas Marcinko took a pretty pass from Cory McGillis and fired a low, hard shot past a screened Murphy from the slot. Belleville pressed during the remainder of the period to restore their two goal lead but were unable to beat Hutchinson, as the Bulls led 2-1 after forty minutes of play. Shots on in the second period were again 11-11.
The Bulls were able to restore their two goal lead just over one minute into the third period when Tanaka snapped a shot past Hutchinson from the slot on an odd man rush. Self and Nigel Williams assisted on Tanaka’s third goal of the playoffs. Belleville continued to press during the opening half of the third period, forcing Hutchinson to make several great saves to keep the score 3-1. Jan Mursak was able to put the Bulls ahead 4-1 while shorthanded with nine minutes remaining in the game when he blocked a Colts point shot before taking a breakaway pass from Adam Perry. Mursak then broke in on Hutchinson and fired a shot between the pads of the Barrie goaltender for his fifth goal of the playoffs. P.K. Subban rounded out the scoring on the power play with just under seven minutes remaining in the game when he one-timed a rocket shot from the point past Hutchinson. Mursak and Matt Beleskey assisted on Subban’s fifth goal of the playoffs. The goal also extended Subban’s point streak to a league leading seven games. Murphy and the Bulls defence were then able to hold off any late Barrie chances to skate away with the 5-1 victory and 2-0 series lead. Shots on goal in the third period were 15-9 Belleville and overall favoured the Bulls 37-31.
Murphy was again excellent in goal for the Bulls, stopping 30 shots to earn the victory while Hutchinson was also strong, making 32 saves in a losing effort for the Colts. Belleville finished the game two for seven on the power play while Barrie converted once in six opportunities with the man advantage. The Bulls also added a shorthanded goal. The three stars of the game were Mursak, Tanaka, and Marcinko. The two sides will now head back to Belleville for game three on Saturday night. Game time is 7:15pm at the Yardmen Arena and tickets for all home games are available at the Bulls Box Office.
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