Consistency ‘the best thing’
NORTH BAY, Ont. — The Niagara IceDogs make their first visit of the Ontario Hockey League season to Memorial Gardens at 7 p.m. Thursday as the North Bay Battalion embarks on its first three-game week in the last three.
The Battalion has a road date with the Oshawa Generals on Friday night before playing host to the Ottawa 67’s on Sunday.
North Bay has a won-lost-extended record of 12-11-3 for 27 points, fifth in the Central Division. Niagara is 17-9-2 for 36 points, second in the division, two points ahead of the third-place Sudbury Wolves before their Wednesday night visit to the Soo Greyhounds.
In their two most recent games, both at home, the Troops lost 4-3 in overtime to the Erie Otters last Thursday night and defeated the Flint Firebirds 4-1 Sunday.
“The weekend, as a whole, was the consistency,” coach Ryan Oulahen said Wednesday in citing pertinent points. “When we’re watching tape, that’s what has been the best thing about our group right now.”
The Flint game was particularly encouraging, Oulahen noted.
“We’ve seen spurts and we’ve seen times where we’ve been able to play some good hockey within games, but that was probably the most consistent game we’ve played for 60 minutes. And even going back again, the whole weekend, pretty consistent, and I think that’s what’s starting to gel and starting to click with the younger guys. It’s not just doing it three out of four shifts; it’s doing it every shift.”
The Battalion had five forwards out of the lineup against Flint, in centre Andrew LeBlanc, right wingers Anthony Romani and Stepan Chukharev and left wingers Ihnat Pazii and Nolan Laird.
“They still need to get through a good practice, but Laird and Chukharev are guys that are pretty close,” Oulahen said. “Hoping for them this weekend, and that would be a boost for the lineup.”
Chukharev has missed seven games since suffering an injury in a 6-5 overtime win Nov. 17 against visiting Sudbury, while Laird has sat out two games in concussion protocol after being checked into the boards by Brady Martin in a 3-2 win Nov. 30 at Sault Ste. Marie. Martin, who received an interference major and game misconduct, served a three-game suspension.
Oulahen suggested the Troops will need a strong defensive effort against Niagara.
“The biggest thing is they’re able to score goals. They’re a really high-octane offensive team.”
Ryan Roobroeck paces the IceDogs with 20 goals and 18 assists for 38 points in 28 games, while fellow left winger Kevin He matches Roobroeck’s team-leading goals total and has 15 assists for 35 points in 26 games. In 28 games, right winger Andrei Loshko has 13 goals and 18 assists to co-lead that category with Roobroeck and boast 31 points. Centre Ethan Czata has scored nine goals and earned 15 assists for 24 points in 28 games.
Centre Ethan Procyszyn tops the Battalion with a team-high 19 goals and 11 assists for 30 points, and defenceman Jacob LeBlanc has four goals and a team-leading 25 assists for 29 points, both in 26 games. Left winger Shamar Moses has scored six goals and added 19 assists for 25 points in 21 games since a trade from the Barrie Colts, while left winger Owen Van Steensel has 11 goals and 10 assists for 21 points in 26 games.
The Niagara game features Gen7 Fuel Night, with the first 1,000 fans to enter the arena receiving a complimentary toque.
