Resilient Battalion defeats Generals 6-1
OSHAWA, Ont. – The North Bay Battalion shook off a slow start and rallied to a 6-1 victory Friday night over the Oshawa Generals in the opening game of the Ontario Hockey League’s Eastern Conference Championship Series.
Nick Moutrey scored two goals, while Zach Poirier, Ray Huether, Nick Paul and Zach Bratina provided singles as goaltender Jake Smith made 30 saves before a crowd of 5,555 that included a vocal busload of fans from North Bay.
Michael McCarron opened the scoring for Oshawa, which finished atop the East Division and conference. Starting goaltender Ken Appleby gave up five goals on 27 shots before giving way to Jeremy Brodeur, who allowed one goal on two shots by the official count.
The second game of the best-of-seven series, a rematch of the conference final last year which the Battalion swept, is scheduled at the General Motors Centre at 6:05 p.m. Sunday.
The third-seeded Troops, down 1-0 after 20 minutes, scored three goals in the second period, sparked by rookie Poirier’s goal at 3:55. Mike Amadio got the puck behind the net and fed it in front to the onrushing Poirier alone in the slot for the conversion and his first OHL playoff goal.
Huether split the defence and went in alone on Appleby to score what proved to be the winning goal at 13:12. It was Huether’s third goal of the postseason.
The Battalion were two men short for 1:46 after Marcus McIvor and Mathew Santos went off for holding and tripping respectively in the 16th minute, with McIvor actually having been hauled down and held by Matt Mistele.
Penalty killer Paul charged to the net with the puck and had it wind up past Appleby off sliding teammate Cole Cassels at 17:18. Paul’s team-leading seventh goal of the playoffs was the first goal the Troops have scored while two men short in franchise history.
Bratina picked off a pass and beat Appleby between the legs on a solo break-in at 2:49 of the third period before Moutrey took over for the final two tallies.
Moutrey went to the net and took a feed from Brenden Miller on the left wing to end Appleby’s action at 6:33. Moutrey, who has six goals in the playoffs, then beat Brodeur from a sharp angle in the right-wing circle on a pass from Ryan Kujawinski at 16:37.
The Battalion, which got into early penalty trouble when Smith was whistled for delay of game nine seconds after the opening faceoff, served two more penalties in the first period, including another delay-of-game call against Austin Kosack, but managed to kill them.
McCarron backhanded home a rebound at 10:12.
Oshawa had a 12-8 edge in shots on goal in the frame, as the Troops failed to generate sustained offence. Their best chance came when Paul drove down the left wing to the net, forcing a glove save by Appleby at 13:34.
Game 2 can be seen live in North Bay on TVCogeco Cable 12 and heard on Country 600 CKAT.
BATTALION BULLETS: The Battalion has an all-time won-lost record of 18-11 in series openers, including 7-9 on the road … The Battalion has won 14 of 28 completed playoff series in franchise history, including five of six since moving to North Bay … While the Battalion has 13 players who went to the OHL Championship Series last year, defenceman Dakota Mermis is the only member of the Generals who has advanced that far, with the London Knights in 2013 … Paul has 19 career playoff goals, tied with Wojtek Wolski for second place on the franchise’s all-time list and one behind Cody Hodgson. Paul has three shorthanded goals, second in Battalion annals, one behind Barclay Goodrow … Amadio’s assist gave him 23 career playoff points, tied with Kamil Kreps for ninth place on the franchise list. In 37 games, Amadio has 10 goals and 13 assists … The Battalion went 0-for-2 on the power play. Oshawa was 0-for-7 … Opening lines included Paul centring left winger Bratina and Amadio on right wing, Kujawinski centring Moutrey on left wing and right winger Alex Henriksson and Huether pivoting Brett McKenzie on left wing and right winger Santos. Poirier centred left winger Mike Baird and right winger Hampus Olsson, who turned 20 on Monday … The Battalion scratched Zach Shankar, Owen Green, David Sherman and Mark Shoemaker.
The online game sheet can be found here.
The game highlights can be found here.
The post game press conference can be found here.
