The North Bay Battalion are on the brink of elimination tonight as they face the Guelph Storm.
It's Game 5 of their OHL 'J. Ross Robertson Cup' Finals with the Storm up 3-1 in their best-of-seven.
Click here for BayToday sports editor Chris Dawson's preview.
Keep refreshing this page for live updates on the game.
NORTH BAY 3:4 GUELPH (FINAL)
-------------------------
Robby Fabbri wins the Wayne Gretzky 99 Award as playoff MVP.
-------------------------
The North Bay Battalion have absolutely nothing to be ashamed of on this game or this playoff run. An amazing showing in this series especially, anyone disrespecting or discrediting this team just doesn't know their hockey, plain and simple.
The Storm are off to the Memorial Cup. Keep it locked to BayToday as the game story is coming up.
------------------------
But the Troops run out of time as Miller is tied up with the ref in the corner. The Storm are OHL Champions.
------------------------
Thomson with a wide angle shot that's tipped wide. A big face off coming.
-------------------------
Rychel picks up a rebound in the slot and scores. 26.3 seconds to go and the Storm have their first lead of the game.
-------------------------
Smith had to come up big, a redirected shot is stopped.
-------------------------
Harpur ices the puck and NB with another faceoff in the GUE zone.
-------------------------
NB now putting some pressure on, we're at 1:45 left in the third.
-------------------------
Butler calls a timeout with a faceoff coming in his zone.
-------------------------
GUE now coming on strong, Smith having to make a couple stops on Suter and Pierog.
-------------------------
Coming the other way, Mitchell can't jam it but a loose puck goes right to Rychel on a wide-open net and he ties the game.
-------------------------
Wide angle shot by Thomson and Paul can't connect.
------------------------
Leslie gets a shot from the point off a Guelph face off win but Smith gloves it.
------------------------
We have reached five minutes to go!
------------------------
Jarvis comes down the wing with speed and sends a weak shot on net, comes in and almost gets a rebound that Nichols smothers.
------------------------
Fabbri takes a pass into the slot and JAKE SMITH just robs him!
Goodrow got Hardest Working Player of the Game for the Sportsnet crew but Smith has shown he could be just as deserving with big saves.
------------------------
Under nine minutes to go, the Troops trying to hang on.
------------------------
NB able to clear though.
------------------------
Dickenson with a turn around shot on the short side but he can't connect.
GUE buzzing around again, you can feel the energy coming from the momentum.
------------------------
Another key block by McIvor and Blujus, Fabbri knocked over by Paul.
------------------------
Just over 12 minutes left in the third, slight chances both ways.
------------------------
Goodrow's line seeing a lot of time to start the third, gets stopped on a rush.
Finn makes a couple moves going the other way, dances into the slot but he can't finish.
------------------------
Praplan with a nice move down the left wing but he can't corrale a bouncing puck as it goes out of play.
------------------------
Dickenson keeps the puck in, now GUE pressuring NB with puck possession.
-----------------------
Three players for NB over 25 goals in the regular season, a big change from only Goodrow passing 20 goals in the last year in Brampton.
---------------------
Praplan controls the puck on the boards, GUE iced it.
The Storm led in shots that second period 12-7, now lead 25-18.
---------------------
Four on four to start the third, Paul tried getting around a couple defenders but is knocked down.
Troops showing great fight in the GUE zone.
---------------------
"Whenever something like that happens, it gives you a little surge," Ebert tells Faulds on the Thomson no-goal.
What to do in the third period he asked?
"Keep things going like you did in the last five (minutes)," said Ebert.
----------------------
Baie-Comeau up on Val-d'Or 4-3, that's Game 5 of the QMJHL Championship series with the teams locked up at two games a piece.
Edmonton and Portland drop the puck in just under an hour. That's Game 5 of the WHL Championship and another series that's now a best-of-3 situation.
----------------------
Word from the Sportsnet crew is that former Troop and current London Knight Zach Bell is skating with the team this week, pushing for a return from a broken leg.
----------------------
The two teams exchange goals that period.
Goodrow (Unassisted) at 6:39, a shorthanded marker.
Finn (Fabbri, Rychel) at 19:00 brings it close to start the third.
----------------------
Mitchell and Ebert with a couple chances late, but they can't beat Smith as the horn goes.
Mitchell got a pass to the deep slot and is stopped and Ebert's chance on the other side of the net goes wide as Blujus got the puck away from another rebound.
----------------------
Minors coming to Miller and McGinn. Both will go to the dressing room with 27 seconds left.
-----------------------
Guelph on fire right now, putting even more pressure on. Finn walks in with some room and the Maple Leafs draft pick puts it over Smith to get within one with just about one minute left in Period 2.
Kosmachuk gets a chance off the left wing right after but he doesn't connect.
-----------------------
More defense shown by NB, Smith having to make a couple key saves.
------------------------
GUE able to get it in the NB end but more defense shown on the back end.
------------------------
Goodrow gets a shot away but goes off a stick and out of play.
------------------------
Santos looks like a leg injury, went to the dressing room.
------------------------
Baltisberger looking for a tip in front but it goes wide. Penalty now over.
Play continues but Santos is down. Bertuzzi levels him after the NB player sent the puck in the GUE zone.
-------------------------
The call stands, Butler asking the referees about it and a short conference finishes. The Troops still lead 3-1 with over six minutes left.
-------------------------
The call on the ice is no-goal, still being reviewed.
-------------------------
Thomson pinches on the GUE defenders and a pokecheck by Nichols goes off the players coming to the net and goes in. It's being reviewed.
Goodrow with a diving play to move the puck ahead to start the play.
--------------------------
Praplan pulls back on a partial break, puck goes to Lewis off the Swiss import's second effort and he puts it off the post.
Bertuzzi takes a big hit from Miller, but some connection to the head as the NB defender goes to the box.
--------------------------
Smith smothers a good chance as GUE pressing a bit. Thomson tips the puck out of play.
--------------------------
The Troops' top line moving the puck around quite well, the Sportsnet guys sounding very impressed by Goodrow and why not? This guy's got a great NHL future ahead of him.
I'm sure the San Jose Sharks know that full well by signing him. If not in 2014-15, very soon after he'll be a valued asset full-time.
---------------------------
Troops showing some good defense, sticks in lanes. Looking like the team that was ranked in the top 5 in defense most of the year.
Remember, the Troops finished the year giving up less goals than the Storm.
----------------------------
Quick offensive zone face off win by GUE, they come close with a point blank chance.
----------------------------
Goodrow with a turnover! He walks in on his patented shorthanded breakaway and a nice move to put it by Nichols!
-----------------------------
Halfway through, GUE got a couple other chances but NB getting the puck out of the zone and gets an offensive zone faceoff.
-----------------------------
GUE able to move the puck around the perimeter of the zone but Smith makes a nice save off Finn.
-----------------------------
Amadio looks for Jarvis on a rush but the puck misses him. Stays in the zone though and NB keeping GUE pinned in the zone on this shift.
Pierog gets a shot away but it's stopped. Bruce going to the box for NB, only the second penalty of the game.
-----------------------------
McGinn comes in on a partial breakaway but misses as Wood cuts him off and crashes into the net.
-----------------------------
Shots were 13-11 Guelph in the first period.
NB only Eastern Conference team to beat GUE at the Sleeman Centre this year.
-----------------------------
Wood getting the stick in a passing lane.
Miller sends a puck in deep but GUE able to get it out. Miller took a stick to the face on that rush but no call.
Smith forced to make a save on a sharp angle.
-----------------------------
The second period has began, a couple shots off the rush by both teams to start things.
------------------------------
"I think we just want to go to the Mem Cup," McKenzie tells Sportsnet's Rob Falls.
The Sportsnet boys listing off his performance at last year's OHL Cup with the Oakville Rangers.
-------------------------------
Feel free to leave your comments below!
-------------------------------
Paul (Miller, Bratina) at 16:18 on the PP started it off.
McGinn (Leslie, Kosmachuk) at 17:08 tied the game.
McKenzie (McIvor) at 19:00 rounds out the first period scoring.
Rychel got the only penalty of the period, an illegal check to the head at 14:49.
-------------------------------
The period is over as the Troops come away with a lead.
--------------------------------
Almost a deadly turnover behind the NB net by Liberati but the puck does come out.
McKenzie SCORES!! The 1st round pick from last year tips a point shot from McIvor and the Troops have the lead again. The replay showing great hand-eye coordination.
That's a huge play in the last minute of the period.
--------------------------------
Santos and Finn jawwing at each other after a play that Nichols smothers.
---------------------------------
He comes back after some resistance, pulls a shot and beats Smith this time. It's tied once again.
---------------------------------
McGinn keeps the puck onside and he wires one off the iron.
----------------------------------
Paul SCORES!! The Troops set up and right in the same place he scored the tying goal in Game 2, beautiful shot!
-----------------------------------
NB having to watch the turnovers again, Goodrow turns it over to Dickinson but McIvor makes a good play to stop him.
-----------------------------------
His penalty for an illegal check to the head, going after Jarvis in the corner on the last play. Guelph able to clear the puck out.
------------------------------------
Rychel now heading to the box, the Troops going to a power play.
------------------------------------
A two-on-one for the Storm, Kosmachuk elects to shoot but he can't find the back of the net. Another chance for Guelph but a backhand goes wide.
-------------------------------------
Game No. 90 for North Bay this year, hoping for quite a bit more. Nichols forced to make a save off a redirected shot.
The other way, Riley Bruce tying up his man going to the net on a rush.
An icing call against NB.
-------------------------------------
Rychel with a high shot that Smith saves, the Troops go the other way. Goodrow takes a big hit.
-------------------------------------
Fabbri is getting worked over so far this game, slow to get up after winning a defensive zone face off.
--------------------------------------
NB pressing, a shot by Blujus into a crowd looked a bit dangerous and looked to be Praplan with another shot that's steered away. Guelph sends it down the other way and Smith forced to make another save.
---------------------------------------
We're halfway through the period and an icing call against Guelph brings out the shovels. Still no score.
----------------------------------------
A good play by Jarvis to slow a pass across the GUE zone but Lewis is stopped.
---------------------------------------
Another chance in front of Smith, a couple saves the last on Pierog.
---------------------------------------
Guelph comes across the blue line, looked close to offside but a shot goes high and wide.
---------------------------------------
A lot of whistles to begin this game, just under seven minutes gone in the period.
---------------------------------------
Goodrow took a shot to the foot, toughed out the shift, heart of a captain right there.
He has 23 points in 21 games this postseason.
---------------------------------------
More back and forth action as Smith gets a save and a faceoff.
--------------------------------------
Thomson comes down on a breakaway but loses the bouncing puck.
-------------------------------------
Mitchell with a good job cutting behind the goal, sends to the slot for Fabbri but Smith makes a save.
----------------------------------------
McGinn with a good chance in front but he shoots wide.
---------------------------------------
NB able to clear the puck around, but Kosmachuck with a good chance streaking down but shot wide.
---------------------------------------
Guelph keeps NB pinned in the zone temporarily, Blujus and McIvor starting on the back end. NB needs to watch for turnovers, the Storm very good at burning them in that regard.
---------------------------------------
Smith comes in with a 2.47 GAA and .906 save percentage. Nichols holds a GAA of 2.61 and .921 save percentage.
---------------------------------------
This game can be seen on Sportsnet, Jeff Marek giving a shout out to the fans watching at Memorial Gardens.
---------------------------------------
Jake Smith will get the start in net for North Bay, CKAT reporting there are a few line changes as well.
Alex Henriksson isn't in the lineup, with Jamie Lewis centring Connor Jarvis and Matt MacLeod.
Jared Steege will play with Brett McKenzie and Vincent Praplan. Otherwise, Mike Amadio centres Zach Bratina and Mathew Santos and the top line stays the same with Ben Thomson-Nick Paul-Barclay Goodrow.
Don't expect too much change out of Guelph, who came out of Game 4 with a 10-1 win Wednesday night.
Justin Nichols gets the nod for Guelph.
