Returnees bolster Battalion
NORTH BAY, Ont. — The Ontario Hockey League’s North Bay Battalion has received an injection of veteran talent with the return of the four team members who attended main camps of National Hockey League clubs.
Centre Ethan Procyszyn, wingers Lirim Amidovski and Shamar Moses and defenceman Bronson Ride were back on the ice for practice Wednesday as the Troops prepared to play host to the Ottawa 67’s at 7 p.m. Friday.
The Battalion named its leadership group at a team meeting before practice, with returning captain Procyszyn joined by holdover alternate Ride and new alternates Amidovski and left winger Nolan Laird.
Coach Ryan Oulahen’s charges have won their first two games of the season, defeating the visiting Oshawa Generals 4-2 last Thursday night and the host Sudbury Wolves 4-3 in overtime the next night.
Oulahen, fully aware that other teams also have had players unavailable in the early going, said that Ottawa, which posted a 6-2 road win Friday night over the Kingston Frontenacs in its only game to this point, will pose a challenge.
“They’re a team that, if you’re not ready for them, they’re going to force you to make mistakes,” noted Oulahen. “That’s the best way to sum them up. They’re going to be coming in here feeling good about themselves with a really good opening game, and I’d expect they’re going to play their best here on Friday.”
Ottawa will have in the lineup centre Thomas Vandenberg, who scored three goals, added an assist and boasted a team-high seven shots on goal at Kingston to win recognition as the OHL’s top rookie performer on the opening weekend.
The Battalion prevailed at Sudbury as left winger Ryder Cali scored his second goal of the game 1:12 into overtime. The Troops, who never led during regulation time, got single scores from right winger Ryder Carey and left winger Arseny Pronin and 14 saves from goaltender Charlie Larocque.
“I thought we had a really good first period in their rink, even though the score dictated that we had to keep climbing back and climbing back and stick with it,” said Oulahen. “When you rewatch it, we played a really sound hockey game there for 60 minutes.”
Adam Dennis, director of hockey operations, highlighted the play of two youngsters, in Cali and Carey.
“It’s not too often you can say that a guy’s coming in at 17 years old and being physically dominant, but I think that’s one of the things that Ryder’s going to have a lot of success with,” Dennis noted of Cali, who played five OHL games last season when called up from the junior A Milton Menace.
“He’s a big, strong kid. He’s got a very good hockey brain, and for him to find himself in some of the areas that he has, as a left shot, I think he’s going to get quite a few opportunities and cause a few headaches for other teams’ defensive corps.”
Carey also collected his second goal of the season, drawing accolades from Dennis.
“He can play a really hard game that, I think, is the reason he’s been in so many championship situations in his minor hockey career. I really thought last year some of his best hockey came in the playoffs, so it’s not a big surprise he’s been able to find some success early on.”
The Battalion completes weekend play by entertaining Kingston at 2 p.m. Sunday.
The Ottawa game features Capitol Centre Night, with prizes of tickets to shows by Howie Mandel, James Baker Band and others.
