The Barrie Colts opened up their 2008-09 season with a bang, winning at home Thursday night against the Mississauga St. Michael's Majors 3-1. Many players made an impressive Colts debut.
With six of the Colts' best players out of the lineup, four rookies - Ryan O'Connor, Michael Sgarbossa, Darren Archibald and Colin Behenna – made their debut. Andrew Eastman, a free-agent signing, played his first game as a Colt and rookie Dalton McGrath backed up Peter Di Salvo in net while Michael Hutchinson is in camp with the Boston Bruins.
Mitch Lebar opened the scoring for the home side, fed by Archibald and Ryan Gottschalk, at 16:56 of the first period, before Jordan Mayer got the equalizer soon after the second frame was a minute old.
Sgarbossa scored the game-winner 12 seconds into the third period, from O’Connor and Cory McGillis, and then Archibald talled at 11:22 from O’Connor and defenceman Marcus Pepe. Di Salvo turned aside 27 of 28 shots for the victory.
The Colts are now off until Friday, Sept. 26 when they travel to Sudbury, before returning home on Saturday to play the Petes.


