Battalion feasts on Attack
NORTH BAY, Ont. — Justin Ertel scored a bizarre shorthanded goal that proved the winner as the North Bay Battalion defeated the Owen Sound Attack 3-1 Monday in Ontario Hockey League action.
Carter Kostuch and Owen Van Steensel, into an empty net, had the other North Bay goals before a Memorial Gardens crowd of 2,709 for the renewal of the traditional Thanksgiving Day game.
Goaltender Dom DiVincentiis stopped 26 shots in a stellar performance as the Battalion, which dressed 11 forwards and seven defencemen, moved its won-lost-extended record to 3-1-2.
Ben Cormier scored for Owen Sound, while goaltender Carter George faced 24 shots for the Attack, 3-2-0.
“For us, maybe our most complete 60 minutes we’ve played so far, so good things are happening,” said Battalion coach Ryan Oulahen.
Rookie Kostuch gloved down an attempted cross-zone clearing pass by Cedrick Guindon just inside the blue line and darted to the left circle to put home his first OHL goal for a 1-0 lead at 1:26 of the second period. Kostuch was North Bay’s first-round pick in the OHL Priority Selection in April.
“He generates offence,” noted Oulahen. “He’s got speed; he can skate. He’s got a nose for the net, so it’s really nice to see him get one.”
Lirim Amidovski drew a blindsiding major and game misconduct for a check on Guindon at 5:29, but it was Ertel who capitalized during Owen Sound’s power play. The puck was sent down the ice, and George moved out beyond the hash marks to clear it. Ertel got his stick on the attempt, and the puck deflected toward the net and across the goal line at 6:53.
Guindon, clearly groggy and requiring help to get to his feet, returned to the game.
Cormier, in the right circle, swept home a cross-zone pass from Jake Crawford at 13:23. Braedyn Rogers had the other assist.
DiVincentiis protected the 2-1 lead through most of the final period, foiling Guindon off the right wing in the fifth minute and having Ethan Burroughs shoot wide on a breakaway in the ninth.
With George gone for a sixth skater, Van Steensel connected into the empty net at 18:08. He then hit the right post in the final minute with the net empty again.
Owen Sound enjoyed a 9-7 edge in shots in the first frame, when each team killed one penalty. DiVincentiis denied Colby Barlow at the left lip of the crease off a four-on-two rush in the 15th minute.
The Battalion plays host to the Ottawa 67’s at 7 p.m. Thursday on YMCA Night.
BATTALION BULLETS: The Battalion has an all-time won-lost-tied record of 16-8-0 on Thanksgiving Day, including a won-lost-extended mark of 7-2-0 at North Bay … The traditional game was played for the second time in four years, after covid canned the 2020-21 schedule and a curling event that put the Troops on the road early last season. In the most recent engagement, the Battalion edged the Sudbury Wolves 3-2 on Oct. 11, 2021 … The Toronto St. Michael’s Majors and their incarnations in Mississauga as the St. Michael’s Majors and Steelheads have been the opposition 13 times. The Niagara IceDogs and Sudbury account for three games each, while the Peterborough Petes have played in two. The Barrie Colts and Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds have one appearance apiece … Opening lines had Dalyn Wakely centring left winger Van Steensel and right winger Anthony Romani, Ethan Procyszyn pivoting left winger Ertel and right winger Jacob Therrien and Ihnat Pazii centring left winger Kostuch and right winger Amidovski. Centre Dylan Richter and left winger Stef Forgione had various linemates … Defence pairs saw Alex Cajkovic with Ty Nelson, Tnias Mathurin with Paul Christopoulos and Brayden Turley with Wyatt Kennedy, while Zach Wilson made his OHL debut … The Battalion was without Mike McIvor, Brice Cooke, Liam Arnsby, Tyson Rismond, Nolan Laird and Pasquale Zito … The Battalion went 0-for-3 on the power play. Owen Sound was 0-for-2.
