Barons Take Down Nordiques

-Columbus, OH
        In what was being billed as the game of the season, the Barons faced off with the top seeded Nordiques in a semifinal clash at the OSU Ice Rink.  After the dust had settled, the Barons skated away with a 5-3 victory and a birth into the finals.  But it was not in any way an easy match, and the game certainly lived up to billing as both teams exchanged blows throughout the night.
       The Barons struck first as Defenseman Ian Simrod, the first star of the game, scored his first goal of the playoffs.  The lead was shortlived as the Nordiques responded early in the next shift to knot the score at 1-1.  Simrod broke the tie with another goal 6 minutes later to bring the score line to 2-1 in favor of the Barons, but as before, the lead didn't last long.  Less than two minutes later, the Nordiques struck, tying the game back up at 2 a piece.  This tie lasted for a while as both teams traded chances, including a sweep off the goaline by a Barons defender.  Defenseman Rick Leeman, the second star, put the Barons ahead again with a laser, and Forward Andrew Bickell scored shortafter bumping the score to 4-2 Barons.  But as had become the Nordiques mo, they cut the deficit to 4-3.  As the final shift went on the ice, the score stood at 4-3 Barons with three minutes remaining.  After fiercely defending most of the time, Defenseman Andrew Schwepfinger hit a long-range empty netter to put the nail in the coffin at 5-3.  Forward Drew Sullivan earned the third star of the game after missing the first two rounds of the playoffs.  The Barons move on to the Finals in Nationwide Arena and will take on the Arenas on March 9.