The Niagara IceDogs suffered a tough 6-1 loss to the Eastern Conference’s first place Barrie Colts Saturday night.

Barrie opened the scoring on the power play as Nick Crawford blasted one from the point, and Luke Pither banged the puck in past IceDogs net-minder John Chartrand to give the Colts a 1-0 lead.

Matt Baldassarra answered the bell for the Dogs at the 18 minute mark of the first by going toe-to-toe with heavyweight Zac Rinaldo, who was called on a checking from behind offence earlier in the period. Other than Baldassarra's last tilt against Rinaldo this season, the last time Rinaldo go into the fisticuffs with a Niagara player was in December of 2008 as a Mississauga St. Mike’s Major, where he dropped a decision to former IceDog enforcer Jamie Howard.

The fight between Rinaldo and Baldassarra would end the first period on a physical note, and the Barrie Colts would take a 1-0 lead into the dressing room.

Luke Pither did it again on the power play at the 10:23 mark of the second, as he snapped one past Chartrand to pick up his 33rd goal of the season to give the Colts a 2-0 lead.

Pither, Pither, Pither – 3 pucks in the net for Luke Pither, as he notched another wrist shot soon after his last goal to pick up a natural hat-trick, providing Barrie with a 3-0 lead.

Mitchell Theoret took out his anger following the goal by getting into it with Mitch Bennett right off the draw in efforts to give the Dogs some life.

The fight would be the last bit of action in the second period, and the Colts held onto their 3-0 lead after 40 minutes.

The IceDogs were the first to strike in the third period, as ex-Colt Ryan Strome fed a beautiful stretch pass to Andrew Agozzino, who made no mistake on the breakaway and backhanded the puck through the five hole of Barrie goaltender Peter Di Salvo.

That would be as far as the Dogs could get, as it was all Barrie from there. Kyle Clifford scored two goals late in the period, with Alex Hutchings chipping in one more to give the Colts a commanding 6-1 lead to end the night with a win.

The IceDogs will return home to play host to the Ottawa 67's tomorrow with a special start time of 12:00 p.m. due to the Olympic Men's Hockey Gold Medal game. Tickets for the game against Ottawa can be purchased at the IceDogs box office tomorrow prior to the game.

- Jeff Blay, Media Relations
  Go Canada!