Undefeated 67’s pose test
NORTH BAY, Ont. — The well rested North Bay Battalion gets a rematch with the visiting Ottawa 67’s, the Ontario Hockey League’s only unbeaten team, at 7 p.m. Thursday.
“We should be fresh — we haven’t played in a week,” coach Ryan Oulahen said Wednesday. “That’s probably the one thing that we’ve got to make sure we address, to activate our compete here in practice and make sure we’re game-ready.
“Now, saying that, I’ve been able to look at Ottawa’s lineup, and they’re healthy as well. They weren’t at full stead their last game. I’m guessing they will be tomorrow, so it should be two really good hockey teams going at it here tomorrow night.”
Ottawa sports a won-lost-extended record of 6-0-0, including a 4-1 victory Oct. 8 over North Bay, which was playing its third game in three nights and the last of five straight road games to open the season. The Battalion, which downed the Peterborough Petes 3-1 last Thursday night in its home opener, is 4-2-0.
In two outings last weekend, the 67’s defeated the host Oshawa Generals 4-1 Friday night and won 6-3 at home Sunday over the Guelph Storm. Ottawa is first in the East Division, while the Battalion is tied for second place in the Central Division with the Barrie Colts, who visit Memorial Gardens at 2 p.m. Sunday.
Defenceman Tnias Mathurin, who has yet to play this season while recovering from injury and attending the training camp of the National Hockey League’s Detroit Red Wings, may see action.
“It’s a day-to-day thing with him,” Oulahen noted before practice. “He’s been in contact with us here this week. It’s just really making sure he gets through another one. A really good one here today will test him and see if he’s ready to go tomorrow.”
Ethan Procyszyn, a right winger and centre who was the Battalion’s first-round pick in the OHL Priority Selection in April, was named Tuesday as a member of Team Canada Red for the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge to be held Nov. 3-12 at Langley and Delta, B.C.
“I think it’ll be a fantastic opportunity for him,” Oulahen of the onetime member of the North Central Predators U16s who led the Troops in preseason points production.
“He’s playing with a lot of confidence. Maybe he’s come down a little bit in the lineup, but he’s still playing such a huge role for us.”
Left winger Jack Beck paces the Ottawa offence with one goal and a team-leading 10 assists for 11 points in six games. Left winger Luca Pinelli has five goals and five assists for 10 points, and right winger Brady Stonehouse boasts a team-high six goals and one assist for seven points, both in six games.
Centre Kyle Jackson, who turned 20 on Monday, has scored a team-leading five goals and added four assists for nine points for the Battalion. Left winger Matvey Petrov and defenceman Ty Nelson have three goals and five assists for eight points apiece, while left winger Justin Ertel has one goal and three assists for four points. All have played six games.
The Ottawa game features ‘Light It Up’ with Community Living North Bay. The arena will be illuminated in purple and blue, signifying National Disability Awareness Month.
Prizes include gift cards from four restaurants, three boxes of hockey cards courtesy of Ultimate Sports Cards, four Employment First lanterns and 10 gift cards from McDonald’s on McKeown Avenue and in Sturgeon Falls.
A booth for Community Living North Bay’s Employment Services is to take entries for a draw for a gift basket containing, among other items, a medium framed Connor McDavid wall piece.
Sunday marks the Battalion’s Indigenous Youth Day. An information booth will be set up, and there will be prizes. The theme for the day is ‘Everyone Has a Spark — Share Yours.’
