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Bulls Rally Past Colts 3-2 to Complete Series Sweep
 P.K. Subban scored the series winning goal in a 3-2 Belleville Bulls victory over the Barrie Colts Tuesday night in Barrie.
For the second consecutive season, the Belleville Bulls have reached the Eastern Conference finals. Belleville wrapped up the series a 3-2 come from behind victory over the Barrie Colts Tuesday night in Barrie. The Bulls erased a 2-0 Colts lead with three unanswered power play goals to complete the series sweep. Belleville will now await the winner of the other Eastern Conference playoff series being played between the Oshawa Generals and Niagara IceDogs which is currently being led 3-1 by the Generals. The Bulls will enter the series riding a seven game playoff win streak.
The Bulls came out fast to begin the game, generating a number of great scoring chances but could not beat Colts goaltender Michael Hutchinson. Hutchinson was outstanding during the opening period to keep Belleville off the scoreboard. Mike Murphy was also excellent when called upon during the first period to keep the game scoreless after twenty minutes of play. Shots on goal in the opening frame were 19-9 Belleville.
It was the Colts who got on the scoreboard first just over a minute into the second period on the power play when former Bull Ryan Berard tipped Kyle van de Bospoort’s point shot past Murphy for his first goal of the playoffs. Barrie then increased their lead to 2-0 just over a minute later when Tyson Aitcheson one-timed a bullet point shot over the glove of Murphy for his first goal of the playoffs. Despite falling behind 2-0, the Bulls did not quit, and slowly worked themselves back into the game as the Colts found themselves in penalty trouble. Bryan Cameron cut Barrie’s lead to 2-1 with two minutes remaining in the period on a two man power play advantage when he one-timed a cross-ice pass from Adam Perry past Hutchinson. Matt Beleskey also assisted on Cameron’s third goal of the playoffs. Belleville then tied the score just 22 seconds later while still on the power play when Andrew Self fired a shot past Hutchinson from the side of the net after picking up the puck from a missed Eric Tangradi shot. Tangradi and Nigel Williams assisted on Self’s third goal of the playoffs, as the game was tied 2-2 heading into the third period of play. Shots on goal in the second period favoured the Bulls 20-7.
Belleville took the lead just 26 seconds into the third period on the power play when P.K. Subban beat Hutchinson with a point shot just inside the goalpost. Tangradi and Perry assisted on Subban’s team leading sixth goal of the playoffs. The goal also extends Subban’s point streak to a playoff leading nine games. Following the go ahead goal, the Bulls played very strong defence while Murphy continued his solid play when called upon to preserve the 3-2 victory and 4-0 series sweep. Shots on goal in the third period were 9-6 Belleville and overall favoured the Bulls 48-22.
Murphy enjoyed another excellent game in goal for the Bulls, making 20 saves to earn his eighth victory of the playoffs. Hutchinson was also terrific, stopping 45 shots in a losing effort for Barrie. Belleville finished the game three for eight on the power play while Barrie converted once in two opportunities with the man advantage. The three stars of the game were Hutchinson, Subban, and Colts forward Cory McGillis. The Bulls will now have some time off to prepare for either the Generals or IceDogs in the Eastern Conference final. Be sure to continue checking bellevillebulls.com for more playoff information as it becomes available. Fans who purchased tickets for either game five or seven in the series are also reminded that they can return those tickets to the Bulls Box Office for a full refund.
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