Troops win in double OT
OSHAWA, Ont. — Ty Nelson’s second goal of the game, at 4:53 of the second overtime period, lifted the North Bay Battalion to a 5-4 Ontario Hockey League victory Friday night over the Oshawa Generals, sending their best-of-seven Eastern Conference Championship Series to a sixth game.
Nelson added two assists and Anthony Romani contributed two goals while Justin Ertel had one goal and one assist for second-seeded North Bay, which trails the series three games to two after two straight wins. The Battalion hosts the next game at 2 p.m. Sunday after winning Game 4 by a 5-4 score in overtime Wednesday night at Memorial Gardens.
Goaltender Mike McIvor provided 41 saves, including 15 in overtime, before a sellout crowd of 5,981 at the Tribute Communities Centre.
Lucas Rodriguez, Luca Marrelli, Luca D’Amato, all defencemen, and Luke Torrance scored for top-seeded Oshawa. Goaltender Jacob Oster faced 47 shots, including six in the second overtime frame.
Nelson, set up by Sandis Vilmanis, cut across the net front and put the puck home from the right side to secure the Troops’ third overtime win in three opportunities in the current playoffs. Paul Christopoulos also assisted on defenceman Nelson’s fifth goal of the postseason.
Torrance gave Oshawa a 4-3 lead at 11:00 of the third period, scoring into a gaping net from the right side after the Battalion failed to clear the goalmouth.
Nelson replied 19 seconds later, going to the net off the right side to put home a pass from Ertel who weaved his way up the middle before dishing off the puck.
Oshawa, which trailed 2-1 after 40 minutes, tied it on the power play at 3:35 of the third period on Marrelli’s screened shot from the left point, and D’Amato connected at 6:02 from a sharp angle on the left wing.
Ertel knotted it 3-3 just 1:24 later, racing down the rink to retrieve the puck, sent the length of the sheet by Nelson on an icing play, and chopping the disc behind Oster. Jacob LeBlanc also assisted on Ertel’s seventh goal.
The first overtime period saw the Battalion kill a boarding call issued to Liam Arnsby at 6:23.
Rodriguez opened the scoring at 2:44 of the second period, lobbing the puck through traffic from the right point after intercepting a clearing attempt for his first OHL goal.
Romani replied at 13:15, cashing the rebound at the goalmouth of a Nelson drive from high on the right side.
Romani struck again at 18:53, wheeling across the mid zone and ripping a high shot past Oster. Owen Van Steensel and Dalyn Wakely assisted on Romani’s third goal in his third game.
The teams skated through a scoreless first period in which Oshawa held a 12-10 edge in shots. McIvor made two sterling stops in short order, sprawling to his right to snag a Stuart Rolofs drive at 12:40 and, seconds later, going to the ice in the same spot to deny Torrance on a clear chance.
While the teams traded checks through the frame, no penalty was called until Brice Cooke was whistled at 18:07 for crosschecking Marrelli, who actually was jumping over Oster’s leg.
BATTALION BULLETS: The Battalion has a won-lost record of 59-47 in 106 playoff games since relocation to North Bay in 2013, including 25-27 on the road … The Battalion is 16-25 all-time in playoff overtime … In 47 playoff games, Wakely has 18 goals and 15 assists for 33 points, ninth in franchise history … In 47 games, Van Steensel has 13 goals and 19 assists for 32 points, tied with Kyle Jackson and Matvey Petrov for 10th all-time … In 34 games, Ertel has eight goals and 16 assists for 24 points, 17th in franchise annals … In 14 playoff games, Vilmanis has nine goals and 14 assists for 23 points, tied with Mitchell Russell, Kamil Kreps and Mathew Santos for 18th place all-time … Wakely, Van Steensel, Nelson and Christopoulos each played a 47th playoff game, ninth in franchise history … The Battalion didn’t have a power play. Oshawa went 1-for-4 with the man advantage … Opening lines saw Wakely centring left winger Van Steensel and right winger Romani, Arnsby pivoting left winger Ertel and right winger Vilmanis and Ethan Procyszyn centring left winger Andrew LeBlanc and right winger Jacob Therrien. Cooke centred left winger Ihnat Pazii and right winger Lirim Amidovski … The Battalion scratched Dom DiVincentiis, Brayden Turley, Dylan Richter, Trevor McDowell, Nolan Laird and Stef Forgione … Oshawa’s scratches included Matthew Buckley and Connor Punnett, who appeared to suffer a left knee injury in Game 3 … Mike Cairns and Sean Reid were the referees.
