The North Bay Battalion’s perfect start on home ice to begin the 2021-22 season came to an end Sunday, losing 6-4 to the visiting Barrie Colts.
A rough four minute stretch in the middle of the second period saw the Colts strike three times to take a lead they would not relinquish. Cooper Matthews, Hunter Haight and Oliver Smith each scored their first career OHL goals for Barrie (2-2-1-0), with Smith scoring two total to earn first star honours.
Dalyn Wakely’s first OHL goal was among the tallies for North Bay (3-2-0-0), which also got goals from Brandon Coe, Liam Arnsby and Mitchell Russell. Russell made the most of a shorthanded breakaway in the first period to continue his hot start to the campaign after scoring four points (2+2) Friday in his season debut against Mississauga.
“I thought our emotions got the best of us” said head coach Ryan Oulahen after the game, referencing the five powerplays the Battalion surrendered to Barrie of which two resulted in goals against. Josh Currie and Arnsby, two valuable Battalion penalty killers, were also unavailable for large stretches of the game after taking 2-5-10’s (instigator, fighting, misconduct) in the first and second, respectively. Both were assessed their penalties for retaliating to questionable hits on their teammates that were uncalled by the referees.
“I think we can learn to be a little bit smarter and manage the game a little better. That’s with better structure, staying out of the penalty box. It just gets us out of the flow and then we’re kind of chasing the game at that point.”
Matthew Sbrocca stopped 17 of 21 shots for Barrie, while Joe Vrbetic was chased following the aforementioned second period flurry after saving 20 of 26. Dom DiVincentiis was perfect in relief though was tested little, stopping four of four the rest of the way.
Coming into the game, the Battalion had been undefeated at Memorial Gardens with victories over Peterborough, Sudbury and Mississauga. The Troops appeared on their way to a fourth win early on, solving Sbrocca three times on seven shots in the first before the Colts responded to lead 6-3 after two.
North Bay has played only one road game so far, a 4-1 loss at Sault Ste. Marie on Oct. 8. The Battalion returns to Sault Ste. Marie next weekend for a pair of games Friday and Saturday.
Barrie had one of the more veteran-laden squads the Battalion has played against thus far, with 13 of 26 players returning from their 2019-20 roster. The most recent meeting between the Troops and Colts, arguably their greatest rival since coming to North Bay, was a 4-0 Battalion win at Barrie on Feb. 15, 2020.
The Battalion’s next game is Thursday when the Hamilton Bulldogs are the visitors. Barrie and North Bay next meet in two weeks on Oct. 30 for the second of ten meetings this season, which includes three home-and-home weekend sets.
