Adam McMaster scored the overtime winner as the North Bay Battalion defeated the Barrie Colts 3-2 in overtime Sunday at Memorial Gardens, and they did it while playing short on defence once again.
"It was good to see him score, but we expect that from him," Butler said of the overtime hero. "To be honest, we need him to do more. Hopefully, that's going to spring him. The last couple of games we put him over on the wing to try to make it easier for him defensively in his own end. We did that with Amadio when he was 16, 17 as well."
Sunday's game at Memorial Gardens amounted to the rare January must-win affair. The Battalion faced the cellar-dwelling Colts, a team they had defeated on both occasions they had faced them this season.
The Troops had dropped out of playoff position entirely heading into Sunday's matchup, after a 3-2 loss to the Sudbury Wolves Friday and two straight weekend wins by the now eighth-place Niagara IceDogs.
Niagara defeated the Colts in Barrie 10-6 Saturday in the second of those wins. The Battalion trailed the IceDogs by two points in the standings with a game in hand heading into Sunday action, and are now even with Niagara in the standings, albeit slightly ahead after tiebreakers.
Central Division leaders, the Mississauga Steelheads faced the Wolves in Sudbury Sunday afternoon, losing in a shootout to put the teams even on points, with the Steelheads ahead by virtue of a superior winning percentage
"We're in for a battle. Niagara's on fire. Sudbury came back and beat Mississauga in a shootout today. We have to find ways," said Butler.
Jesse Saban, the defenceman acquired at the deadline from Hamilton was a late scratch Friday, but was able to play Sunday, albeit not at full speed, according to Butler. The Troops are still missing Cam Dineen, Brady Lyle and Eric Allair, all injured and unable to dress, and Riley Bruce played less than one period before exiting with a shoulder injury Sunday.
Butler does not remember a season in which the injuries piled up as they have in 2016-17. "There's not much I can do about it. These are not small-scale injuries. These are injuries where we don't know how long guys are going to be out. These are not hang-nails."
Bruce took a cross-checking penalty 34 seconds into this one, but the Troops killed the minor off without incident.
The Colts had a 3-on-1 six minutes in that was played smartly by North Bay rearguard Zach Shankar, averting giving up the crucial opening goal.
One minute later, it was starter Brent Moran closing the pads on Roy Radke's breakaway attempt to keep the game tied 0-0.
It was a slow-moving first period, as the teams totalled only five shots on net through 13 minutes of play. The ever-present rivalry between the clubs did start to show, as the players often pushed and shoved after whistles, the game growing more chippy by the minute.
The Colts' Justin Murray took Barrie's first penalty of the afternoon. North Bay's first powerplay unit did not perform up to his standards as Head Coach Stan Butler verbally encouraged his players to leave the playing surface.
With 2:28 to play, Bruce and Barrie's Curtis Douglas squared off after Douglas took exception to a Bruce check-from-behind. The youngster Douglas held his own early in the fight after the two players skated away from the scrum along the boards to go toe-to-toe, with Bruce ultimately knocking the smaller player to the ice.
Bruce skated calmly to the end gate leading to the dressing room, with no sign of injury, while Douglas raised his arms in encouragement for his teammates. Already shorthanded along the blueline, Bruce was assessed two minutes for the check plus five for fighting.
The Colts led in the shots column 7-4 after one period, and the score was tied 0-0.
With 2:22 elapsed in the second period, Moran made the initial save on a drive to the net, the rebound was batted around the crease, and ultimately crossed the line, giving the Colts the first goal of the game.
Four minutes in, the Colts' undersized, yet persistent Lucas Chiodo had a clear breakaway opportunity on Moran, but the overage goaltender made the save.
With just over seven minutes to go in the second, it was the spitfire Chiodo, scoring his 16th on a pretty move in close on Moran to extend the Colts' lead to 2-0. Zachary Magwood and Joey Keane drew the assists on the goal.
Less than two minutes later, Jacob Ball collected a loose puck from the slot and fired high past the glove of Colts goalie David Ovsjannikov. Ball's fourth of the season was assisted by Zach Shankar and cut the Barrie lead to 2-1.
Moran made two acrobatic saves, one on yet another Chiodo breakaway, to keep the Troops within one.
Daniel Walker, listed as a forward, played some time at defence during the second period as Bruce never emerged after the intermission, a huge blow to an already depleted defensive unit. Bruce's arm was in a sling following the game.
Said the captain after the win: "It's (shoulder) definitely pretty sore right now, I'll have to go get it checked it out," adding that he was trying to "fire the guys up in that situation. It's just unfortunate."
"You have to give Thilander, Shoemaker, Shankar, and quite frankly, Danny Walker credit. Walker, who has never played defence before, one practice I just thought he was big and strong, and I thought maybe he was the one to do it. He's had to play a lot there for us, and you've got to give the kid a lot of credit. Not only is he a rookie, he's 17-years-old, he's doing everything he can to be a part of the team," observed Butler.
Asked if players stepping up to fill holes helps the team long-term, Butler replied, "I don't think there's any doubt, a lot of the things that have happened will really help the team for next year."
Frustrations were simmering as Brett McKenzie was assessed a checking-to-the-head penalty, but the veteran managed to bring Keane with him on a roughing call to negate any man advantage.
Shots after two periods favoured Barrie 17-16.
Steve Harland's 20th of the season, off a rebound, tied the game at 2-2, 2:13 into the third. Harland has now scored in two straight games after going goalless in eight consecutive games prior. Max Kislinger and McKenzie assisted on the goal.
The veteran Moran broke up a passing play between Chiodo and Magwood that had a sure tap-in goal written all over it.
Saban laid a hip check on Colts forward Giordano Finoro to break up a Barrie rush, endearing the defenceman to his hometown fans.
There were plenty of chances for each side with time dwindling, but neither team could find the back of the net. Both Moran and Ovsjannikov made numerous saves to keep the tie game intact.
The game headed to 3-on-3 overtime tied 2-2. Shots favoured the home side for the first time 27-25.
"We had to find a way to win the hockey game. Let's call a spade a spade, we hadn't won a hockey game at home in a month," said Butler post-game.
Harland and McKenzie, back together in overtime, saw a golden chance snuffed out by Ovsjannovich early on. Shortly after, Brett Hargrave had an open chance for the Troops.
With 1:07 to go in overtime, Adam McMaster won the puck behind the Colts net, circled out front and scored the game-winner. The Memorial Gardens faithful saluted the Troops for their effort as they left the ice.
"I don't think we played very well," said Butler, "out of the three games we played this weekend, I thought we played much better," against Mississauga and Sudbury.
"Sometimes in hockey, you've got to win games. That's where we're at. We've lost a lot of games where we had a 50-50 chance to win and didn't win them," added Butler.
The Troops host the Sudbury Wolves Thursday at 7 p.m., on Centennials Alumni Night at Memorial Gardens.
