CHL TV Game of the Week presented by Kubota | 3 Reasons to Watch – Steelheads vs. Battalion
The CHL TV Game of the Week presented by Kubota brings a weekly free game to CHL TV throughout the 2021-22 regular season. The action continues Thursday as the Mississauga Steelheads visit the North Bay Battalion with puck drop set for 7 p.m. Eastern.
To get you ready, here are three reasons why this showdown of OHL clubs is must-see TV:
League leader
Standing atop the OHL with a 24-8-1-3 showing and 52 points, the Steelheads have come away with the victory in seven of their past 10 outings, a stretch that has seen the club surrender a lone loss in regulation. Bringing a well-rounded offensive attack, Mississauga is headlined by a pair of 2022 NHL Draft eligible centres in Luca Del Bel Belluz and Owen Beck, both of whom project as early selections this summer per NHL Central Scouting. The former has been particularly impressive, scoring well above a point per game in collecting 20 goals and 27 assists through 36 appearances, production that puts him 10th-best league wide. Elsewhere, the Steelheads are also solid between the pipes. On the season, the club has allowed just 87 goals – second-lowest in the OHL – as it receives solid support from the excellent tandem of 2002-born Joe Ranger and overage starter Roman Basran.
Give him a 10/10 on this grab 👏@OHLSteelheads' Roman Basran brings out the windmill for Sunday's @RealCdnSS #SaveoftheNight, backstopping his team to victory 🎥 pic.twitter.com/rV8EdOJ02R
— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) January 10, 2022
Defensive touch
Bringing one of the most highly touted rearguards in the circuit, North Bay is home to first-year defenceman Ty Nelson, the first-overall selection from the 2020 OHL Priority Selection whose freshman season with the Battalion has seen him impress with six goals and 24 assists for 30 points in 37 contests, a stretch which includes four points in his past four outings. An undersized defender, Nelson draws the attention of talent evaluators with his ability to quarter back the power play – three of his markers this season have come on the man advantage – in addition to his overall ability to join the rush and transition up the ice. Coming in seventh among North American defencemen per NHL Central Scouting ahead of the coming NHL Draft, the Toronto native is again expected to hear his name called early on Draft day.
Oh you'll want to check out the pass by Kid Nelly! 🛂
Ty Nelson (@KidNelly89) feeds Mitch Russell (@MitchRussell_) to open the scoring for the @OHLBattalion 🎥 pic.twitter.com/7SO1RKbQ7z
— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) December 30, 2021
Coe focused
Key to victory for the Steelheads will be if they can prevent Battalion overage right-wing Brandon Coe from finding the scoresheet. Standing atop the OHL with 64 points on the season, Coe has dazzled in collecting 25 goals and 39 assists across 37 appearances, including five points coming in three previous matchups against the Steelheads this season. A 2020 fourth-round selection of the San Jose Sharks, Coe leads the offensive ranks in North Bay, but doesn’t go it only as the Battalion’s talented crew is also hallmarked by other names of interest including Russian-born left-wing Matvey Petrov, the first-overall selection from the 2020 CHL Import Draft as well as a sixth-round choice of the Edmonton Oilers in last summer’s NHL Draft whose first season in North America has seen him dominate in 36 games with 22 goals and 34 assists for 56 points, placing him fifth in OHL scoring.
Going to need to add to that #OHL leading scorers graphic!@SanJoseSharks prospect Brandon Coe (@coe_44) retakes the league lead with his 6⃣4⃣th point of the season setting up Owen Van Steensel for an early @OHLBattalion lead 🎥 pic.twitter.com/2FaPahl9MB
— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) January 26, 2022