Battalion score late to sink 67's

PEMBROKE, ON - An Ethan Procyszyn goal in the final minute broke a 4-4 tie and spoiled a comeback as the North Bay Battalion edged the Ottawa 67's 5-4 in Pembroke for the Troops final pre-season tune-up. 

It didn't start off well for the Battalion coming off a humbling 9-3 loss to Owen Sound on Tuesday night. 

Very early on, with the 67's on an odd man rusn, Thomas Johnston went high on Charlie Robertson from a bad angle to give the 67's a lead 46 seconds in. 

A few minutes later 67's forward Cameron Tolnai made a nice move around a Battalion defender and went backhand and high glove past Robertson which made it 2-0 near the halfway point of the period. 

The Battalion got one back on a power play as Michael Podolioukh ripped a shot from the point through traffic, his third of the pre season, past Collin MacKenzie. 

Less than a minute later, the Troops got the equalizer off a bad 67's turnover. Jacob Therrien intercepted a defenders pass and went inside and upstairs on McKenzie to make it 2-2 just over 12 minutes in. 

Early in the second Tarasevich on a breakaway went five-hole on MacKenzie and found the mesh to make it 3-2 Troops.

The Troops added to the lead on a 2 on 1 as Owen van Steensel fed Dalyn Wakely and he made no mistake beating Max Donoso on the first shot he faced. 

Wakely is the first of the nine Battalion players at NHL camps returned to the North Bay OHL team as he attended the Ottawa Senators main camp. 

Late in the period, an unfortunate collision as Jacob Therrien tried to cut to the middle and collided knee on knee with a 67's defender. The exciting young forward was helped off the ice. 

The second period was arguably the Troops best period of the pre-season.  

"I think we came together well in the second period," said Battalion defender Wyatt Kennedy during the OHL Tonight broadcast. 

Early third, Charlie Robertson made four solid saves but the 67's Caden Kelly fired one past the big Battalion netminder to make it 4-3. 

Then the Troops got into some penalty trouble and it cost them. 

On a 5-on-3 power play, the 67's Chris Barlas fired a one-timer from the top of the right circle which beat Robertson to make it 4-4. 

Podolioukh nearly made a Connor McDavid-like effort on a power play with an amazing individual display of skill where he split the 67's defence but could not solve Donoso. 

That chance seemed to ignite the Troops. 

Ethan Procyshyn got to a loose puck off a turnover and found the twine with less than 40 seconds left in regulation for the eventual game-winner.  

Robertson got the win in goal making 39 stops for his first OHL win as the Battalion finish with a 1-2 record in pre-season.

The Troops start games that count next weekend when they travel to Sault Ste. Marie for a pair of road contests against the Greyhounds.