The North Bay Battalion looking to enjoy playoff hockey this season after missing out in the second season last year.
With the 2018 Ford World Women’s Curling Championships taking over the ice at their home rink, the Troops are preparing for their first-round matchup on the much smaller ice pads at Pete Palangio arena this week. Game one of the series takes place in Kingston on Friday night.
“Obviously preparation is a little bit different because unfortunately in our city right now we don’t have another 200 x 85 arena, that is the regulation ice surface so we have to practice in a rink that his a little smaller and hopefully the adjustment time when we get back playing in Kingston tomorrow night on a big rink, we will adjust sooner than later,” said Butler prior to a Thursday afternoon practice.
The Fronts, who the Battalion knocked off in four straight in the opening round of the playoffs in 2015, come in sporting a 3-1 record against the Troops this season.
The Frontenacs went all in at the midway point of the season, adding talented names in Gabriel Vilardi, Sean Day, Cliff Pu and Max Jones to their lineup.
“We understand that we are the underdog, we are the only team in the playoffs without an NHL draft pick, they obviously went for it this year,” said Butler.
“They traded away a lot of good young players but saying that, the games that we have played with them have been close and our group is confident in the sense that they are confident in their own abilities to play well. They know that the team they are playing is a very good team and they know they have to play very well to give ourselves a chance to win.”
Game one and two are in Kingston this Friday and Sunday but due to the World Curling event, the Battalion is playing its first home game at the Sudbury arena while renovations to get the Gardens back to looking like a hockey rink again will be still underway.
“I think part of being a good corporate community citizen is you believe in what’s good for the community first,” said Butler about sacrificing a home playoff game at the Gardens for the world-class curling event.
“We are just going to roll with the punches, we were well aware a long time ago of our situation here. It probably could have been even more challenging if had we got home ice because we would have played the first two games in Sudbury.
"The Sudbury Wolves have been more than cooperative, obviously, they are happy because they have the Telus Cup this year so the ice is staying in and it gives them an opportunity - no different if it was our arena - to make some money on an event here so they have been great. It is what it is really, it doesn’t matter if we play in the middle of Lake Nipissing, we have to find ways to win."
Butler is expecting good things from his starting netminder as Christian Propp, who is yet to play against the Frontenacs this season, who are led by one of the top goalies in the league in Jeremy Helvig.
“I will give you the Cy Young baseball analogy, you need to have something good on your mound too so obviously the first challenge for our team and for Christian is that he needs to duplicate what Jeremy is doing at the other end and if he can play as well as Jeremy then that obviously gives us a much better chance at being successful,” said Butler.
Series Schedule:
Friday, March 23, at Kingston 7 p.m.
Sunday, March 25, at Kingston 6 p.m.
Tuesday, March 27, at North Bay (in Sudbury) 7 p.m.
Thursday, March 29, at North Bay 7 p.m.
*Saturday, March 31, at Kingston 7 p.m.
*Sunday, April 1, at North Bay 7 p.m.
*Tuesday, April 3, at Kingston 7 p.m.
Battalion Fan Bus
Meantime the North Bay Battalion Booster Club is organizing a fan bus to head to Sudbury on Tuesday, March 27th for the neutral site game.
Anyone interested should reserve today by email at [email protected], or by texting Nicholas Forsyth at 705-840-6449. Payment is due in full by Saturday, March 24th, 2018.
Bus and Ticket cost is $50.00, while Bus only cost is $35.00.
