Streaking Sudbury doubles Battalion
SUDBURY, Ont. – Nathan Pancel scored two goals, including one of a rapid-fire pair in the second period that proved the difference, as the Sudbury Wolves defeated the North Bay Battalion 4-2 Saturday night, extending the Wolves’ Ontario Hockey League winning streak to nine games.
Connor Crisp and Nathan Cull each had one goal and Mathew Campagna contributed three assists for Sudbury, which improved its won-lost-extended record to 19-9-6 for 44 points atop the Central Division. The Wolves, who have won their last eight games at home, last lost 5-2 to the host Erie Otters on Nov. 23.
Goaltender Franky Palazzese made 28 saves for Sudbury in each team’s first game following the Christmas break.
Barclay Goodrow and Jamie Lewis scored for the Battalion, while goaltender Jake Smith produced 26 saves before a crowd of 3,953. The Troops are 18-16-2 for 38 points, third in the division.
Goodrow’s goal was the 115th of his career, giving him sole possession of second place on the franchise list ahead of Cody Hodgson. Wojtek Wolski holds the record with 130.
The game, which marked the Battalion debut of left winger Zach Bratina, saw the Troops welcome back defenceman Kyle Wood and left winger Connor Jarvis from the injured list.
Pancel gave Sudbury a 4-1 lead with his team-high 34th goal of the season on the power play at 1:16 of the third period before Lewis scored off the crossbar at 14:03. Marcus McIvor and Matt MacLeod provided the assists.
Battalion coach Stan Butler twice pulled Smith for an extra attacker starting at 17:31 but the Troops, who went on the power play after Jeff Corbett received a delay-of-game penalty at 18:40, failed to get closer.
Pancel broke a 1-1 tie 14:38 into the second period, faking a shot from the left-wing circle before unleashing a drive that beat Smith. Cull followed with his third goal, the eventual winner, 52 seconds later, putting a rebound over the sprawling Smith from a goalmouth scramble.
Smith made a solid save against Dominik Kubalik in alone in the third minute of the period, and the Battalion couldn’t score on the only power play of the frame after Conor Cummins went off for holding at 17:02.
The teams traded early goals, with Goodrow connecting at 1:30 of the first period for his team-leading 21st goal, assisted by Ben Thomson and Brenden Miller. Crisp replied at 2:41, getting loose to take a centring pass from the right wing from Campagna and beating the sliding Smith.
Seven minor penalties marked the second half of the period. Palazzese snared a Nick Paul blast at 13:23 as Campagna served a bench minor for too many men before Paul and Dylan Blujus were sent off to give Sudbury a two-man advantage for 18 seconds.
Crisp drew crosschecking and unsportsmanlike conduct calls at 16:54, and Craig Duininck was banished for crosschecking at 19:38, providing the Troops with a two-man advantage for 1:15.
The Battalion entertains Sudbury at 2 p.m. Tuesday as the Troops maintain their 15-year tradition, established in Brampton, of hosting a New Year’s Eve game. The Wolves visit the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds on Sunday before heading to North Bay.
BATTALION BULLETS: It was the 100th meeting between the franchises, the most games for the Battalion against any foe other than 103 against the Niagara, originally Mississauga, IceDogs. The Troops have a won-lost-tied record of 58-38-4 against Sudbury … Bratina, a first-round pick in the 2012 OHL Priority Selection by the Plymouth Whalers, was acquired Friday from the Saginaw Spirit for left winger Blake Clarke … Rookie Wood, who played 16 games with Brampton in 2012-13, made his season debut after undergoing knee surgery in September. Jarvis returned after losing 14 games to a shoulder injury … In 264 games, MacLeod has 45 goals and 63 assists for 108 points, one more than Philip Lane and 25th on the franchise list … The Battalion went 0-for-7 on the power play. Sudbury was 1-for-4 … Opening line combinations featured Mike Amadio centring left winger Thomson and right winger Goodrow, Paul centring Bratina and right winger MacLeod and Lewis centring Jarvis and right winger Alex Henriksson. Centre Jared Steege and right winger Mathew Santos also saw action as the Troops dressed 11 forwards and seven defencemen … The Battalion was without Vincent Praplan, Mike Baird, Brett McKenzie and Calvin Gomes … Praplan and the Wolves’ Dominik Kahun are with Switzerland and Germany respectively in the World Junior Championship at Malmo, Sweden. McKenzie and Sudbury’s Troy Timpano and Kyle Capobianco are with Ontario in the World Under-17 Challenge at Sydney, North Sydney and Port Hawkesbury, N.S.
