Strohack Scores, Adds Two Assists in 5-4 Loss to Battalion

By Gabriel Rowland Renaud

 

On Thursday, February 19, the Peterborough Petes hosted the North Bay Battalion in front of their 19th sell-out of the season at the Peterborough Memorial Centre. The game was the Petes annual Indigenous Heritage Night presented by Crowe’s Gas. 

 

The game featured performances from the Smoke Trail Drum and Dance Group from Alderville First Nation, as well as representatives from Crowe’s Gas, Alderville First Nation, Curve Lake First Nation, and Hiawatha First Nation taking part in the ceremonial puck drop.

 

The Petes pressed hard to tie the game late, but the Battalion held on, winning the game by a score of 5-4.

 

GAME STORY:

 

There were four minutes and nineteen seconds left in the first when Kieron Walton tallied the game’s opening goal. Receiving the pass from teammate Garret Frazer, Walton skated forward and performed a dazzling spin move at the top of the right circle. As Walton whipped around, he readied, then fired from a sharp angle, catching southpaw net minder Jack Lisson by surprise. Petes 1-0 Battalion (1st, 15:41). In the remaining minutes of the opening period, the Petes were able to slow things down, limiting the visitors to only two shots. Of course, Easton Rye answered both chances with relative ease.

 

To kick off the action in the second frame, the Petes were charged with a delay of game penalty. The Battalion would not waste the opportunity afforded to them, and would tie the game at one on a Nick Wellenreiter one-timer from the left faceoff dot. Petes 1-1 Battalion (2nd, 5:07). Subsequently, the Petes laid on the pressure, directing a barrage of seven shots the way of the Battalion goaltender, but Lisson was equal to the task. Finally, the visitors would weather the storm, and find an opening to attack. Ryder Carey would clean up the rebound from teammate Hayden Barch’s point shot to give the Battalion a one-goal lead. Petes 1-2 Battalion (2nd, 12:35). After this both teams took two-minute minor penalties, but neither were able to find a marker on the man advantage. Thus, the second period drew to a close with the visitors in the lead by a slim margin.

 

Puck dropped in the third frame, and North Bay pivot Ryder Cali would secure a faceoff win. The Battalion were quick to set up in the o-zone, with Minnesota Wild draftee Lirim Amidovski, stationing himself at the top of the right circle. North Bay blueliner Sebastian Gervais kept things simple, and distributed the puck to Amidovski who stunned the Petes early, scoring on a textbook wrister only nineteen seconds into the third. Petes 1-3 Battalion (3rd, 0:19). However, the Petes would refuse to be demoralized, roaring back and scoring two goals to tie the game at three! First, Yanis Lutz would strike on a patient wrist shot from the inner edge of the right circle. Petes 2-3 Battalion (3rd, 7:58). Minutes later, Grayden Strohack would skate from coast to coast, and send a shot from the right-side boards which would befuddle Lisson, and slip through the five-hole.

 

However, just as things had begun to turn around for the Petes, the Battalion re-asserted control of the hockey game, entering the o-zone on the rush, hungry as could be. The initial attack failed, with the puck caroming out to the point, but North Bay were able to regroup and keep the zone. Brandt Harper obtained the puck, and fired from the right-side half wall… Initially, Rye appeared to have the save, but the puck snuck its way through the pads to trickle through, and give the Battalion the lead. Petes 3-4 Battalion (3rd, 11:58). About five minutes later, the Battalion came in again on the rush with Wellenreiter leading the charge to carry in the puck down right wing, and parking behind the Peterborough net. He held for a second, then sauced it to teammate Ethan Procyszyn for a one-timer. Procyszyn wound up, and blasted it past Rye from the right-side hash marks. Petes 3-5 Battalion (3rd, 17:39). Following this goal, head coach Rob Wilson pulled the Petes netminder for an extra attacker. But, before Rye could even make it to the bench, power winger Adam Novotný found separation, blitzing in down the right wing, and deftly stuffing the puck in over Lisson’s left pad. Petes 4-5 Battalion (3rd, 18:13). The energy in the building was high; at any moment the Petes could strike again and bring the game to overtime… Unfortunately for the good guys, the visitors were rock solid through the final two minutes, only allowing a single shot on goal which Lisson was quick to deny. Time wound down, and, despite the Petes’ effort, a late comeback would not come to fruition.

 

Grayden Strohack led the way for the Petes, scoring and adding two assists. Kieron Walton, Yanis Lutz, and Adam Novotny scored, while Garrett Frazer, Brennan Faulkner, Matthew Perreault, and Easton Rye picked up assists.

 

Game Recap:

First Period:

 

• Peterborough Goal (15:41) – Kieron Walton (35), Assists – Garrett Frazer (12), Grayden Strohack (9)

 

Second Period:

 

• North Bay Goal (5:07) PP – Nick Wellenreiter (18), Assists – Kaden Pitre (19), Kent Greer (15)
• North Bay Goal (12:35) – Ryder Carey (12), Assists – Hayden Barch (7), Evgeny Dubrovtsev (18)

 

Third Period:

 

• North Bay Goal (:19) – Lirim Amidovski (20), Assists – Sebastien Gervais (19), Ryder Cali (11)
• Peterborough Goal (7:58) – Yanis Lutz (9), Assists – Brennan Faulkner (13), Matthew Perreault (20)
• Peterborough Goal (10:33) – Grayden Strohack (1), Unassisted
• North Bay Goal (11:58) – Brandt Harper (6), Assist – Bronson Ride (15)
• North Bay Goal (17:39) – Ethan Procyszyn (23), Assists – Nick Wellenreiter (24), Kaden Pitre (19)
• Peterborough Goal (18:13) – Adam Novotný (27), Assists – Grayden Strohack (10), Easton Rye (1)

 

The Petes are back in action on Friday, February 20, when they travel to Brampton to take on the Brampton Steelheads. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. at the CAA Centre. Fans can catch the game on YourTV Peterborough, Freq 90.5, and FloHockey.