Troops salvage a point against the Wolves

Looking to make it two straight wins against the Sudbury Wolves, the North Bay Battalion rolled into the Nickel City Wednesday but could only manage a point as the Troops fell 5-4 in overtime.

“We were able to get a point and that’s good on the road,” stated head coach Ryan Oulahen. “I just didn’t think we had our best tonight. Not to take anything from Sudbury, they’re a really good hockey team, but I didn’t think we were as disciplined as we could be and not be our best tonight.

“But in saying that, you find a way to scrape and claw, and get a point on the road which ultimately is pretty good.”

The Troops got the icebreaker eight minutes in as Ihnat Pazii found Jacob Therrien (5) in the high slot with enough time to rip it glove side on Jakub Vondras. After North Bay’s powerplay went 3/8 against the Wolves Sunday, the man advantage stayed hot Wednesday as Ty Nelson (4) one timed an Anthony Romani pass home to give the Battalion a 2-0 lead.

However, Sudbury was not deterred, as just over three minutes after the Nelson goal, Dalibor Dvorsky (3) continued his hot start to his OHL career, beating Charlie Robertson from a sharp angle to make the score 2-1 North Bay heading into the first intermission.

“We were playing fast and playing as a five man unit and we have to continue to do that,” Owen Van Steensel told the OHL tonight on the hot start for the Troops.

After the intermission, the second period felt like the running of the Wolves as Sudbury came out strong, resulting in a Kocha Delic (4) goal to tie things up early at 2-2. Midway through the frame, Sudbury continued to push as Kieron Walton (6) batted in the puck from beside the net. Not done there, Ethan Larmand (3) added on for the Wolves, his second in as many games against North Bay. All three Wolves goals came while the teams were playing four on four hockey.

Late in the second, not wanting to be left out of the four on four action, Nelson shot the puck up the ice from his own zone, finding Ethan Procyszyn (3) at the Sudbury blue line, and the big centre deked his way past Vondras to bring the score to 4-3 Sudbury heading into the second intermission.

Midway through the third period, the Troops tied the game at 4-4 on a snipe over Vondras’ glove by Romani (11). The goal was assisted by Dalyn Wakely and Van Steensel as that line continued their dominant play, and was the lone goal of the third.

Sudbury didn’t need much time on the three on three in overtime, 15 seconds in fact, for Quentin Musty (4) to walk in almost uncontested and beat Robertson for the victory. However, with the game going to overtime, the Battalion picked up a three points out of a possible four against their divisional rivals.

The Battalion special teams certainly helped the team tonight, going 1/2 on the powerplay, and keeping Sudbury to 0/4 on the penalty kill. However, the Troops took five penalties, three of which ended up being coincidental penalties with the Wolves, or during a Battalion powerplay.

“The guys know, and you’re playing a team that’s going to try and get you into those types of things,” said Oulahen on the penalties. “We just have to be a little bit smarter and the emotions take over sometimes. 

“That’s ok, and we’re going to rebound from this and be better off for it.”

North Bay will be back in action Friday when they head to Kitchener for a battle against the Rangers.

“It’s going to be a tough challenge,” assessed Oulahen. “Kitchener is up next and they have been lighting the lamp a lot here in the Western Conference.

“It will be interesting to see them and get into their building, and then Niagara. It’s a chance to get away as a group and stay a night in a hotel which is good for a team builder.”