Battalion accepts ‘underdog’ role
BRAMPTON, Ont. – Stan Butler intended no pun when he acknowledged that the Brampton Battalion is the underdog in its first-round series in the Ontario Hockey League playoffs.
The Battalion, which finished sixth in the Eastern Conference, meets the third-seeded Niagara IceDogs, who host the opener of the best-of-seven conference quarterfinal at 7 p.m. Thursday. Niagara posted a won-lost-extended record of 45-17-6 for 96 points, while the Troops finished 29-32-7 for 65 points. The clubs are set to meet in the playoffs for the first time.
“We have to be realistic,” Battalion coach Butler said Tuesday. “The top four teams in our conference all had over 80 points, and we knew that finishing below them meant we’d be facing a very good team in the first round.”
Niagara was one of the OHL’s top offensive teams, credited with 273 goals. Second-year centre Ryan Strome, expected to be one of the top picks in the National Hockey League’s Entry Draft in June, led the team in scoring with 33 goals and 73 assists for 106 points. Left winger Freddie Hamilton contributed 38 goals and 45 assists for 83 points, while centre Andrew Agozzino and overage left winger Darren Archibald combined for 84 goals and 140 points.
“They have a lot of talent there,” said Butler, whose top scorer, overage right winger Scott Tanski, totaled 47 points. “They have eight players with more points than anyone we had. Their top three lines are as good as any top three lines in the OHL. They have a guy like Archibald on their third line, and they have a guy like Strome who’ll probably be a top-five pick in the NHL. Agozzino and Alex Friesen are very good players, and Hamilton had a great season.”
The Central Division rivals met six times, with Niagara winning four games, including one in overtime and one via shootout. The Battalion prevailed 4-3 in overtime at St. Catharines on Oct. 2 and won 3-0 at home Feb. 27.
“On paper, I guess it’s not much of a matchup,” said Butler. “But the game is played on the ice, and we play a style that works for the type of team we have. Our challenge will be scoring goals. We’ll have to play strong defensively and get a break here and there. We’re going to need good goaltending, because we know they’ll get it.
“We’re not going to play any different than we have all season. We’re going to play smart, keep it simple and check well. Our biggest thing will be whether we can capitalize on our chances.”
Butler said he expects the strong performance of the defence corps to continue. It was a six-man group for the latter part of the season, supported by goaltenders Cody St. Jacques and Matej Machovsky, and featured four rookies.
“I look at those guys as young but not inexperienced. They’ve played enough this season that they should be acclimatized to the OHL. But, having said that, Thursday night will be an eye-opener for them. In playoffs things get more intense, and that’ll be new territory for them.”
Niagara can count on Mark Visentin, a first-round pick of the NHL’s Phoenix Coyotes who finished second among OHL goaltenders in goals-against average and save percentage. He figures to provide a stout test for a Battalion team that scored 190 goals, third-fewest in the club’s 13-year history.
“We have challenges scoring on any goalie right now,” said Butler. “Visentin is experienced. He played in the playoffs last year as a 17-year-old.”
The IceDogs amassed 26 wins at home, tied with the Owen Sound Attack for most in the league. Niagara’s home rink, the snug Jack Gatecliff Arena, dates to 1938 and is the oldest facility in the OHL. The Troops are 6-3-3 at St. Catharines since the IceDogs moved there from Mississauga for the 2007-08 season. The Battalion and IceDogs entered the league together as expansion teams in 1998-99.
“We play there three times a season, and our style is a simple one which leads to us simplifying our game in a small rink like that,” said Butler, who recalled playing games himself in the arena. “You need to know that, as soon as you get over the red line, you’re in an offensive position. You need to know that, if you turn the puck over in the neutral zone, it’ll lead to an offensive chance. You need to do everything a lot quicker. It’s a huge advantage for them to play there. They get to practise and work there every day.”
The Battalion hosts Game 2 at 2 p.m. Sunday.
