Troops to invade Brampton
NORTH BAY, Ont. — The North Bay Battalion is going to Brampton.
To be clear, it’s for one evening, as the Battalion returns to its original home for the first time to face the Brampton Steelheads at 7 p.m. Friday before receiving its Ontario Hockey League rivals at Memorial Gardens at 2 p.m. Sunday.
“No. 1, it’s going to be interesting getting back to Brampton,” Battalion coach Ryan Oulahen said Wednesday.
“I haven’t been back there in a long, long time, so as a player and as a former coach there, it’s going to be interesting getting back to that building, something I’m looking forward to. But then in the case of the team, a team that’s high-octane, a team that’s built to try to win a championship, probably showing that they’re kind of all in this year here, so a lot of talent.”
North Bay has a won-lost-extended record of 7-6-1 for 15 points, third in the Central Division, while Brampton, with three games in hand, is fifth and last at 6-4-1 for 13 points.
But the Steelheads have much higher aspirations. They made two big trades in August, landing Carson Rehkopf from the Kitchener Rangers for 10 OHL Priority Selection picks, including three second-rounders and three thirds, and sending goaltender Ryerson Leenders to the Brantford Bulldogs to recoup eight picks, including three seconds and as many thirds.
The likes of Rehkopf, ninth in league scoring last season with 52 goals and 43 assists for 95 points in 60 games, fellow right winger Porter Martone, left winger Adam Zidlicky and centre Angus MacDonell give Brampton plenty of firepower.
The former Mississauga Steelheads are in their first season playing out of the CAA Centre, which was the Powerade Centre when the Troops relocated to North Bay in 2013 after 15 years in Peel Region. The Steelheads entertain the Sarnia Sting at 4 p.m. Saturday.
“Looking at the schedule, we play them back-to-back, but they do have a game on Saturday, so hopefully we can use that Saturday to rest and recover for the Sunday game,” noted Oulahen. “But like you always know me, I’m just looking forward to preparing our team for a road game on Friday first and then going from there.”
Oulahen, 39, played three seasons for Brampton, culminating in 2004-05 when he captained the Battalion. Then a resident of Newmarket, Ont., the centre skated in 182 games, scoring 65 goals and earning 71 assists for 136 points.
“That’s where I played my junior hockey. I was fortunate enough to play not too far away from home, so the Sunday afternoon games for my family was eight to 15 or 20 spectators. I think of my grandparents, who probably never missed a game. My aunts and uncles and cousins came to a lot of games, obviously my parents, so I think of that right away. I think of the billet family I lived with, and then from there the coaching moments as well, getting my feet wet.
“We had some good teams my last couple of years in Brampton, teams that kind of played the right way, and a lot of good players. That’s where Barclay Goodrow started to grow, and Sam Carrick and some of those captains that we had.
“I have no idea what it would feel like to be a visitor, so that’s going to be interesting.”
The game at Brampton can be seen live in North Bay on YourTV Channels 12 and 700.
In other news, Battalion defenceman Kent Greer has been named the division’s academic player of the month for October. The rookie rearguard, a second-round selection in April, has achieved high standing in Grade 11 at Chippewa Secondary School, taking mathematics, healthy active living, international business and cooperative education.
“Kent is the type of student whose teachers all took the time during the first, very hectic week of school to seek me out and let me know how much they enjoy having him in their class,” said Stephanie Silverthorn, academic advisor for the Battalion. “He is a diligent, motivated student whose positive attitude and strong work ethic enable him to be a natural leader in the class.”
