For the first time in the 2023/24, the North Bay Battalion have defeated the Barrie Colts. The score Sunday at Memorial Gardens was 7-1 Troops.
The game was also the fifth straight for North Bay against Central Division foes as they faced one each against Mississauga, Barrie and Niagara, and two against Sudbury.
“I have been really impressed with that team (Barrie),” said head coach Ryan Oulahen. “They’ve had a good weekend up until now, I had a chance to watch them last night and I told our guys it would take our ‘A’ effort. Knowing they played last night we wanted to jump on them.
After a trio of losses including a shootout and overtime setbacks to the Sudbury Wolves, coach Oulahen was pleased to see his team build momentum early in the game.
“I thought that first period was massive, to get the third one late in the period was huge," said Oulahen.
"That was a refreshing and stress-free game for us today, got to roll a lot of guys and a lot of lines today. It just seemed like a lot of guys were feeling it in the confidence department.”
After a solid back-and-forth period for both teams, the Battalion were the first to eventually score. Leading the league in scoring, Anthony Romani (37) was the recipient of a slick pass through a Colts players legs by Dalyn Wakely, finding Romani alone to dance around Ben West. Pouncing quickly, 33 seconds in fact, was the Troops again as Brice Cooke (8) one timed a shot from the slot to pad the lead.
Continuing the momentum late in the first, Wakely (23) jumped on a loose puck behind West to put North Bay up 3-0 heading into the second period.
In the second the Colts finally found a way to beat Mike McIvor as Cole Beaudoin (20) slid the puck under the Battalion netminder. North Bay was able to rebound however, as Romani (38) sniped a puck from the top of the right faceoff circle on a powerplay.
The Wakely/Romani/Van Steensel connection continued to remain hot as Owen Van Steensel (23) buried a slick passing play from Wakely and Romani, adding to the Troops lead. Adding to a big day from the trade deadline acquisitions, Sandis Vilmanis (14) banked a shot in off West’s pad and into the back of the net. The score after the second period was 6-1 Troops.
The only goal in the third came off a shot from Bronson Ride at the point. West made the save, but kicked the puck right to Jacob Therrien (18) who batted the puck into the empty net making the final score 7-1.
Goaltender Mike McIvor had a great game as well, making 23 saves on the Colts.
“I thought I played pretty well,” assessed McIvor. “Just trying to get my team the win, and that was my thought process. Try to find the puck, make the saves I had to and the team did the rest from there.
“We have total buy-in from the team. The games against Sudbury, we played well, but did not go the way we wanted it to go so we thought this one was a must win and the boys played really well today.”
“He was really good, just composed,” added Oulahen about his netminder.
“I thought he made the saves he had to make. You’re never going to go zero in the scoring chance department, unfortunately.
“We probably gave up five or six grade A’s and he was right there to make a good start. Confidence for him is important and we are going to need him.”
After seeing Ty Nelson suffer a scary looking injury Friday night in Sudbury, Oulahen was impressed how his defence came together.
“It was important for the D union back there to do it by committee. A lot of guys stepped up and you could see what a lot of them can do a little bit more. We’re reading all that stuff as we go to learn our new players, and was really happy with how they looked.
“A step in the right direction, but if you win 7-1 or 1-0, it doesn’t matter, it’s a win.”
The Battalion are back in action Thursday when they host the Mississauga Steelheads. That game will be the sixth straight against a Central Division team, which should lead to a playoff like feel. Follow along live on the Frontline Podcast’s After Action Report, live on Spreaker moments after the final buzzer.
