Hustling Battalion grounds Spitfires
BRAMPTON, Ont. – Rookie goaltender Jake Smith, supported by three first-period goals, made 19 saves for his first Ontario Hockey League victory as the Brampton Battalion skated to a 4-1 decision over the Windsor Spitfires in Ontario Hockey League action Friday night.
Jamie Lewis, Barclay Goodrow, Blake Clarke and Connor Jarvis provided the goals for the Battalion, which moved its won-lost-extended record to 4-4-4 for 12 points, tied for fourth place in the Central Division with the Sudbury Wolves, who defeated the visiting Belleville Bulls 3-2.
Brady Vail scored for Windsor before a crowd of 1,980, while goaltender Jordan DeKort made 35 saves. The Spitfires are 5-4-3 for 13 points, second in the West Division.
“We worked hard tonight,” said Battalion coach Stan Butler, who shook up his forward lines. “Our guys jumped on their defencemen and forced turnovers that led to some hard-earned goals.
“We played a full 60 minutes. Our message to the guys right through to the end of the game was to keep working hard.”
Said Butler: “Windsor has a balanced team, and tonight we tried to balance our four lines and not worry about matching up against forward lines, but instead on their defence. It seemed to work out pretty well for us.”
Lewis opened the scoring 7:26 into the game. Matt MacLeod doggedly pursued a defender deep into the Windsor zone before freeing the puck in the slot. Lewis picked up the loose disc and fired it off the right post behind DeKort.
“Lewis and I play well together,” said MacLeod. “We built a lot of chemistry last year, and Clarke fit right into it with us tonight.”
Said Lewis: “I kind of got lucky in the right place at the right time.”
Goodrow, playing his 200th OHL game, scored his sixth goal of the season and what proved to be the winner at 9:14. He outmuscled a defender on the left-wing boards before snapping a shot from deep in the circle, beating DeKort low to the bottom right corner.
Clarke connected at 17:50, tucking the puck home on the short side off the right wing on assists from MacLeod and Marcus McIvor.
With the Troops leading 1-0 on Lewis’s goal, Smith sprawled to deny Kerby Rychel at the right lip of the crease and on a subsequent rebound attempt.
“That’s a game-changer,” said Lewis. “If they score on that play, it’s tied. Instead we scored just after to take a two-goal lead.”
Jarvis made it 4-0 at 5:16 of the middle period with his first OHL goal. Jarvis, playing his 63rd game over three seasons, went to the crease to convert the rebound of a shot by Nicholas Foglia.
“I’m happy for Jarvis,” said Butler. “He gives his all every shift and every practice. It’s nice to see guys like that rewarded.”
Noted Jarvis: “Foglia was going hard to the net. I just saw the rebound and put it into the empty net. It felt great.”
With Mark Raycroft serving a holding penalty issued at 7:25, Battalion penalty killers kept the Spitfires at bay, culminating in a glove save by Smith through traffic on a heavy point shot.
Windsor almost got on the board when Smith left the crease to play a dump-in along the right-wing boards. As has been seen before at that location in the Powerade Centre, the puck deflected off a stanchion toward the empty net. Smith dove back and got his stick on the puck, which was headed just wide.
“Smith played great in net for us tonight,” said Jarvis. “He was clutch in net when we needed him to be.”
Vail scored at 13:01 of the third period on a wrister from the left slot. Ben Johnson and Emerson Clark were credited with assists on the play, which actually followed a failed clearing attempt by Zach Bell.
The Battalion scratched Brandon Robinson. Windsor scratches were John Bowen and Jordan McNaughton.
The Battalion hosts the Barrie Colts at 2 p.m. Sunday.
BATTALION NOTEBOOK: The Battalion went 0-for-5 on the power play. Windsor was 0-for-2 … A power surge took out 11 lights in the spectator bowl in late afternoon, calling into question whether the game would start on time or at all. It was the second malfunction in two home games. An Eric Locke shot went through the side of the net and counted as a goal for the Saginaw Spirit last Sunday in a 5-3 Battalion win. “The league will look at the goal from the game against Saginaw to review it and, from a facility standpoint, the nets will be checked as well,” said Butler … Goodrow’s winning goal was his 14th, moving him ahead of John Hughes and Raffi Torres into sole possession of fourth place on the club’s career list … Opening line combinations included Lewis centring left winger Clarke and right winger MacLeod, Mike Amadio centring left winger Nick Paul and right winger Goodrow and Patrik Machac pivoting left winger Derek Froats and right winger Mathew Santos. Foglia centred left winger Jarvis and right winger Brendan Childerley … Smith made his first home-ice start and the second of his career. His first start came in a 5-1 loss Oct. 5 to the Erie Otters … The Troops traded defenceman McNaughton to the Spitfires on Jan. 9 for centre Brennan Feasey. McNaughton played 13 games with the Battalion in 2010-11 and 2011-12, registering one assist. He has two assists in 10 games with Windsor this season … Taking exception to a first-period hit on his defence partner, Nick Ebert pursued Paul until they fought. Ebert, who lost his sweater in the exchange, drew an instigating minor, a misconduct and a game misconduct … Windsor coach Bob Boughner earned his 200th OHL victory Thursday night in a 2-1 verdict over visiting Erie.
