Ok...off to the post game news conference. This photo taken last game. Kujawinski and Butler sit and answer questions tossed by the media. It's put up on the big screen so fans that want to hang around can see the event.
Thanks for tuning in. we'll be back Sunday afternoon at 2 to live blog game 6.
Game summary.
Oshawa 0 2 1 - 3
North Bay 1 1 0 - 2
1st Period-1, North Bay, Santos 6 (McKenzie, Huether), 15:14. Penalties-Santos Nb (roughing), 3:49; McCarron Osh (check from behind), 10:27.
2nd Period-2, Oshawa, Mistele 6 (Desrocher, Mermis), 8:05 (PP). 3, North Bay, McIvor 2 (Bratina, Amadio), 13:53 (PP). 4, Oshawa, Dal Colle 7 (Cassels, Vande Sompel), 16:36 (PP). Penalties-McCarron Osh (unsportsmanlike cnd.), 3:46; Bratina Nb (unsportsmanlike cnd.), 3:46; Bruce Nb (interference), 6:50; McIvor Nb (holding), 11:48; Mistele Osh (tripping), 11:54; Amadio Nb (hooking), 15:42; Brown Osh (check from behind), 17:41.
3rd Period-5, Oshawa, Desrocher 3 (Petschenig, Dal Colle), 8:23. Penalties-Smith Osh (unsportsmanlike cnd.), 8:32; Miller Nb (unsportsmanlike cnd.), 8:32.
Shots on Goal-Oshawa 3-6-7-16. North Bay 11-6-9-26.
Power Play Opportunities-Oshawa 2 / 4; North Bay 1 / 3.
Goalies-Oshawa, Appleby 10-3-1-0 (26 shots-24 saves). North Bay, Smith 10-2-1-0 (16 shots-13 saves).
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Three stars...1. Stephen Desrocher 2 Zach Bratina 3 Michael Dal Colle.
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Game over. Gens mob Appleby and with good reason. They were outshot 26-16. Final score 3-2 Oshawa so they regain home ice advantage. Game 5 in Oshawa Friday. Game six Sunday at the Gardens at 2 p.m.
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Miller and Paul both get slappers....Gens ice it with 10 seconds left.
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Puck bouncing towards net....Wood gets there in time.
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1:08 left Time out North Bay. Assistant coaches drawing up a play.
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Smith out, net empty!
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Here's the room where the post game news conferences will be held. I took the photo last game. McCarron and coach Smith. will be in there again soon unless the Troops can put the biscuit in the basket.
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Huether puts one right into the crest of Appleby...4 mins left to go
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Latour a good chance but Smith makes the save, Troops then take it up ice and get a decent chance.
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Just over six minutes left...time to play desperate hockey
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50-50 tonight is $6,763.50 and att is 4,221...a sellout.
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Around this time the media get handed these sheets to fill out for the three star selections. Mine often don't match as I like to see good defensive play rewarded as well. Would like to see one star from each team instead.
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TV timeout
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Assists on Gens goal by Petschenig and Dal Colle at 8:23.
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Miller and H Smith tapped for unsportsmanlike conduct. Some 4 on 4 coming.
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Desrocher scores on a floater from the point! Smith didn't see it. 3-2 Oshawa.Troops will have to open things up now.
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Wood misses from point blank range,,,,then looks skyward and shakes his head!
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Lots of whistles this period is really slowing things down. Shots 20-11
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Nice stick check by Bruce...Troops break out but loose the puck. Gens ice it again.
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Santos in with one...pad save, This guy has really stepped it up for the playoffs...another strong game. Five minutes gone and both teams playing tentative hockey. I think this is the quietest sell out I've ever seen.
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Third period underway. Huether wins the opening draw.
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If you're a super fan, how would you like a pair of these for your den? Wish the media seats were as comfortable as these.
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Here's a summary of the first two periods.
Oshawa 0 2 0 - 2
North Bay 1 1 0 - 2
1st Period-1, North Bay, Santos 6 (McKenzie, Huether), 15:14. Penalties-Santos Nb (roughing), 3:49; McCarron Osh (check from behind), 10:27.
2nd Period-2, Oshawa, Mistele 6 (Desrocher, Mermis), 8:05 (PP). 3, North Bay, McIvor 2 (Bratina, Amadio), 13:53 (PP). 4, Oshawa, Dal Colle 7 (Cassels, Vande Sompel), 16:36 (PP). Penalties-McCarron Osh (unsportsmanlike cnd.), 3:46; Bratina Nb (unsportsmanlike cnd.), 3:46; Bruce Nb (interference), 6:50; McIvor Nb (holding), 11:48; Mistele Osh (tripping), 11:54; Amadio Nb (hooking), 15:42; Brown Osh (check from behind), 17:41.
Shots on Goal-Oshawa 3-6-0-9. North Bay 11-6-0-17.
Power Play Opportunities-Oshawa 2 / 4; North Bay 1 / 3.
Goalies-Oshawa, Appleby 9-3-1-0 (17 shots-15 saves). North Bay, Smith 10-1-1-0 (9 shots-7 saves).
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Lights have dimmed, ready for period three.
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The Battalion has a record of 70 wins and 77 losses in 147 playoff games (37-35 in 72 home dates, 33-42 in 75 road games) and qualified for playoffs for the 13th consecutive year and 15th time in its 17-season history.
The Battalion is 14-14 in 28 playoff series, let's hope this one breaks them above .500
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The team supplies the media with water and coffee during the game. I'll usually go through a couple of bottles after starting the game off with a cup of joe..
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Gens kill PP...period 2 over. Snoozer for the first 15 minutes but picked up in the final 5. SOG 17-9 for Troops.
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Last Oshawa goal assisted by Cole Cassels at 16:36.
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Some action by the boards to Appleby's right. Penalty to Gens Brown. for checking from behind at 17:41. Troops PP.
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Gens score on the PP! Looks like DalColle. All tied up again at 2.
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Troops take another penalty, Amadio for hooking @ 15:42. Replay on big screen shows it didn't happy. Crowd chanting "we want a ref"
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5 mins left...2-1 Troops...sog 16-8 for Troops.
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Shot between Appleby's legs...got a piece of it but it dribbled in. Power play goal assisted by Bratina and Amadio at 15:53. That woke the crowd up!
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McIvor out of the box...in alone...he shoots, he scores!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Right off the faceoff the Gens Mistele gets a tripping penalty so we're even strength. 11:54
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Another Troop penalty...McIvor for holding. 11:48
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The Generals booster club organized a bus trip so the Oshawa faithful could make the game. Here is Victoria Fita all dressed up for the occasion. Booster club president is Karon Sheperdson, so a shout out to all the fans who made the trip and welcome to North Bay.
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TV timeout...goal has given Gens some life, but a listless period so far.
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They've given the Gens goal to Mermis from Desrocher. Must have been tipped.
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Moutrey a good chance in front of the net. You can hear a pin drop now.
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Desrocher a slapper from the blue line and it's all tied up. 1-1! Power play goal.
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The tight checking has kind of taken the crowd out of it.
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Interference penalty to Riley Bruce. Gens on PP.@ 6:50
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2 on 1 Poirier and Santos, but puck mishandled.
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Here's the first period summary.
Oshawa Generals 0 at North Bay Battalion 1
Wednesday, April 29, 2015 - North Bay Memorial Gardens
Oshawa 0 0 0 - 0
North Bay 1 0 0 - 1
1st Period-1, North Bay, Santos 6 (McKenzie, Huether), 15:14. Penalties-Santos Nb (roughing), 3:49; McCarron Osh (check from behind), 10:27.
Shots on Goal-Oshawa 3-0-0-3. North Bay 11-0-0-11.
Power Play Opportunities-Oshawa 0 / 1; North Bay 0 / 1.
Goalies-Oshawa, Appleby 9-3-1-0 (11 shots-10 saves). North Bay, Smith 10-1-1-0 (3 shots-3 saves).
Referees-Brent Coulombe (2), Mike Cairns (34).
Linesmen-Mike Hamilton (86), Justin Knaggs (92).
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Penalties as McCarron and Bratina were jousting before a faceoff. four on four. :46 unsportsmanlike conduct.
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The Troops have 13 returnees from the 2014 Eastern Conference championship team … goaltender Jake Smith, forwards Mike Amadio, Nick Paul, Alex Henriksson, Brett McKenzie, Mathew Santos, Zach Bratina and Mike Baird, and defencemen Brenden Miller, Kyle Wood, Miles Liberati, Marcus McIvor and Riley Bruce
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Last two games went to overtime, this might also be the way it is going. Coach Smith must have had a chat with his players...they're skating better now, although no standout chanes.
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Gens win the faceoff.
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Teams are out ready to start period 2.
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Battalion games always have stuff going on in the lobby area during games. Here, nine year old Malia Mizzi from Silver Birches school participates in the Trillium Gift of Life table which is encouraging people to donate organs.
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Dal Colle was drafted first round by the NY Islanders...probably best Gens player so far. Period one over. Standing ovation for the Troops effort. Score 1-0 and SOG 11-3. Could have been another 2 or 3 goals if not for Appleby.
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Liberati on his knees saves a likely goal with a stick check.
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Gens playing like their heads are filled with glue...shots 11-3 Troops.
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Great goal by Santos on a perfect pass From Brett McKenzie....Huether gets the second assist at 15:14. 1-0 Troops.
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Santos in all alone...he scores!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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2 on 1 for Gens but Smith makes a nice save.
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Paul slides one through the blue paint.
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Huether to Santos in front of the net....scramble but Appleby the save. Shots 9-2 for Troops with 7 to go.
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Troops having trouble getting set up on PP. No real pressure yet with :30 remaining.
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McCarron slams Wood into the boards from behind and draws a checking from behind penalty @ 10:27. Troops on first PP.
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Game so far not as physical as yesterday, but some hits...
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H Smith nails Miller from behind...no call
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Gens look disorganized...iced at least four times this period and had no real scoring chances.
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Henriksson almost puts Mistele ino the Troops bench. Gens ice again...Troops kill PP.
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Shot from the blueline, Smith sees it and makes an easy glove save. One min left in PP.
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First Gens shot is McCarron but Smith makes an easy glove save. First penalty, it's to Santos, 2 for roughing. Gens on PP.
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Gens have been forced to ice it twice already to relieve the pressure.
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All Troops so far.The sign urges fans to get loud, and they do.
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Appleby mades the first save on a close in shot from Nick Paul. Ray Huether breaks in...shoots....just off the glove of Appleby.
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Done, and Troops win the opening faceoff.
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Troops have skated out to thunderous applause from this capacity crowd. We're waiting for the national anthem.
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And here's how they've done against Oshawa so far.
CONFERENCE FINAL VS. OSHAWA
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PP |
|
PK |
AVE. |
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|
GP |
W |
L |
|
OTW |
GF |
GA |
SF |
PP |
PCTG |
PK |
PCTG |
ATT. |
|
North Bay |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
1 |
8 |
3 |
95 |
0/7 |
0.0 |
10/11 |
90.9 |
4,208 |
|
Oshawa |
3 |
1 |
2 |
|
1 |
3 |
8 |
105 |
1/11 |
9.1 |
7/7 |
100.0 |
5,607 |
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The tank is getting inflated and the lights are dim. Here comes Sarge waving he 7th man flag.
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Game five is Friday in Oshawa.
How tough to beat have the Troops been? Here's a look at the playoffs so far.
2015 PLAYOFFS
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PP |
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PK |
AVE. |
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|
GP |
W |
L |
OTW |
GF |
GA |
SF |
PP |
PCTG |
PK |
PCTG |
ATT. |
|
North Bay |
12 |
10 |
2 |
2 |
45 |
22 |
423 |
13/56 |
23.2 |
42/47 |
89.4 |
3,813 |
|
Opponents |
12 |
2 |
10 |
1 |
22 |
45 |
352 |
5/47 |
10.6 |
43/56 |
76.8 |
4,208 |
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Enjoying a cold one at the tailgate party before the game is "Sarge" Maille.
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Buzzer sounds and warmup is over...cue the Zambonis.
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For the Generals
North Bay native Ken Appleby starts, and he's been solid the last couple of games after a 6-1 blowout in game one.
Forwards:
Matt Mistele - Cole Cassels (son of NHLer Andrew)- Hunter Smith
Mitch Vande Sompel - Mike McCarron - Tobias Lindberg
Michael Dal Colle - Anthony Cirelli - Brad Latour
Brent Pedersen - Aiden Wallace - Kenny Huether
On D:
Dakota Mermis - Josh Brown
Will Petschenig - Chris Carlisle
Stephen Desrocher - Sonny Hertzberg
Coach is the volanic D.J Smith
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This is the sole OHL game tonight and here are the line combos.
For the Troops, Jake Smith in goal with Jake Kment backing up.
Forward lines:
Zach Bratina - Nick Paul - Mike Amadio
Nick Moutrey - Ryan Kujawinski - Alex Henriksson
Brett McKenzie - Ray Huether - Matt Santos
Mike Baird - Zach Poirier - Hampus Olsson
Defence
Miles Liberati - Marcus McIvor
Brenden Miller - Kyle Wood
Austin Kosack - Riley Bruce
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Both teams have stepped on the ice for the warmup. I've brought my earplugs for tonight's game. Lesson learned from last night.
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The sign says it all. As Sarge happily agrees, a sellout well before game time. The excitement is building for game four of the Eastern Conference Championship Series. Troops lead 2-1 in the best of seven tilt. Photos by Jeff Turl.
Welcome, I'm Jeff Turl and on the BayToday team tonight is Liam Berti covering the game, Chris Dawson doing video highlights and Tom Martineau shooting stills.
About 35 minutes to puck drop and the arena is starting to fill up.
