Troops trim Wolves to end losing skid
BRAMPTON, Ont. – Barclay Goodrow scored two goals to spark the Brampton Battalion to a 4-2 Ontario Hockey League victory Sunday over the Sudbury Wolves, snapping the Troops’ losing streak at four games.
Brenden Miller and Nicholas Foglia also scored for the Battalion. Blake Clarke contributed two assists and goaltender Matej Machovsky made 22 saves as the Troops moved their won-lost-extended record to 6-7-5 for 17 points, fifth in the Central Division.
Ray Huether and Brody Silk scored for Sudbury, while goaltender Taylor Dupuis faced 37 shots for the Wolves, 8-9-2 for 18 points, fourth in the division.
“We played the way we’ve got to play,” said Battalion coach Stan Butler, whose charges won for the first time since a 4-1 home-ice verdict Oct. 21 over the Barrie Colts. “Everyone was working hard today. We’ve got to be pressuring the puck all the time, and I thought we did a pretty good job of that.
“We told the guys in the third period not to back off and to keep going, and we did that.”
Said Cameron Wind: “It feels great to come away with the win here, but even better to do it after four losses.”
Miller broke a 2-2 tie on the power play at 18:00 of the second period with his fourth goal of the season. Dylan Blujus sent a pass across the offensive blue line to fellow defenceman Miller, whose screened slap shot beat Dupuis over the left shoulder.
Foglia provided a degree of insurance at 5:48 of the third period. Clarke beat Jeff Corbett down the right side to carry the puck to the side of the net and fed the rubber into the crease, where Foglia arrived to poke it home.
“The guys were really happy for me and for us when the fourth goal went in,” said Foglia. “The last goal gave us some breathing room in the third period against them, which was important for us and for our confidence.”
Huether opened the scoring at 19:04 of the first period. Dominik Kubalik dropped the puck to Nicholas Baptiste in the left-wing circle, and he found Huether at the right side of the net for a tip-in.
Goodrow answered 34 seconds later, taking a pass from Nick Paul and powering between two defenders for a breakaway. Goodrow deked Dupuis and slid the puck between the goaltender’s legs.
“Barclay was a really strong player for us tonight, and that’s what we need,” noted Butler.
Said Foglia: “Getting that response goal that late in the period was huge for us. It gave us a ton of energy. It uplifted us between periods.”
Goodrow drew minor penalties in the period for hooking and boarding, but the Troops killed both.
Between the Goodrow infractions, Zach Bell capitalized on a Sudbury line change with a breakaway pass to Brendan Childerley at the offensive blue line. Childerley deked Dupuis to the backhand but couldn’t connect.
Goodrow gave the Battalion a 2-1 lead at 2:58 of the second period, beating the collapsed Dupuis with a lofted shot from above the left circle off a rush. Jamie Lewis and Wind received assists.
Silk answered at 7:36 on a broken play. After his initial attempt was blocked by Wind, Silk slipped to the middle to knock home the puck, which trickled past Machovsky and lay in the crease behind him.
“We’ve been down before this season when we give up a goal like that,” said Foglia. “We’re working on being more positive on the bench. The coaches are enforcing it, and we’re executing it. It really helps us out, and it did again today.”
The Battalion scratched Derek Froats. Sudbury scratches were Joel Vienneau, Mackenzie Braid, Jacob Harris and Connor Burgess.
The Battalion hosts the Owen Sound Attack at 7:30 p.m. Friday.
BATTALION NOTEBOOK: Attendance was 1,885 … The Battalion went 1-for-2 on the power play. Sudbury was 0-for-3 … Goodrow has 65 goals in 206 career games, tying him with assistant coach Ryan Oulahen for 10th place on the club’s all-time list … Opening line combinations included Lewis centring left winger Paul and right winger Goodrow, Patrik Machac centring left winger Brandon Robinson and right winger Matt MacLeod and Foglia pivoting left winger Clarke and right winger Childerley. Mike Amadio centred left winger Connor Jarvis and right winger Mathew Santos … Froats missed a fifth game with a wrist injury … Goaltender Vienneau was injured Saturday night in a 4-3 loss via shootout to the visiting Ottawa 67’s. Wolves assistant coach Jason Young said: “He took a slash to the back of the neck. It’s nothing serious. He was going to be our backup this afternoon anyway. We thought that, rather than him make the five-hour bus trip, it would be better for him to stay home.” Sudbury called up Michael Muzyka, a sixth-round pick in the 2012 OHL Priority Selection, from the junior A Sudbury Nickel Barons of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League to back up Dupuis … Former Battalion captain Jay McClement, who attended the Troops’ 6-3 road loss Friday night to the Kingston Frontenacs, didn’t skate at practice Saturday as speculated, choosing to visit with his parents in Kingston. Centre McClement is a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs of the locked-out National Hockey League … It was The Home Depot Day at the Powerade Centre, with fans given foldable noisemakers and invited to enter a draw for prizes that included a $500 gift card … The referees were Bob Langdon and Joe Monette.
