There are a lot of learning curves for an OHL team over the course of a 68 game season. Right now the North Bay Battalion are trying to learn how to finish out games, and they are taking their lumps along the way over a losing streak that has now stretched out to six games. The latest a 5-2 loss to the Niagara IceDogs on Saturday night at the Meridian Centre.
“I thought our guys really competed tonight, it’s a tough way to finish it,” says Battalion Assistant Coach Adam Dennis.
It was the third straight game in which North Bay (11-17-1-1) found themselves behind by multiple goals within the opening twenty minutes. But also the third straight game in which they found a way back in to the game, tying the contest, before eventually falling in the third period.
The game winner for Niagara (18-7-4-0) came in the third period off the stick of Kirill Maksimov (20), his second of the game, at 7:15. From the right side of the North Bay zone he snapped a shot past Christian Purboo to ignite the Meridian Centre crowd.
Still, North Bay stuck with it and kept pressing until the very end. At one point Adam McMaster broke into the Niagara zone on a partial break and drove towards the net, getting tripped up before he could get a shot away. No call came of the play and moments later, with the North Bay net empty, Matthew Philip (7) put the game on ice with an insurance goal at 18:43.
It's been a disturbing trend over the last several weeks for the North Bay Battalion when it comes to special teams play. They remain as the top team in terms of power play percentage, but have gotten just 2 power play opportunities or less in 11 of the last 13 games played. They have converted on six of their 26 total chance over that stretch, but have found themselves shorthanded 56 times over the same period and have relinquished 14 goals against.
The McMaster play in question was one that was called earlier in the game in favour of the IceDogs, leading to their first goal of the night, as Maksimov opened the scoring at 8:26 of the first period.
In the crucial moments of the third, as the road team, and the team that is trailing, you would almost guarantee a partial break away opportunity where the shot was denied on an infraction, would be called, but alas, McMaster was denied of drawing the man advantage for the Troops, who are now 1-9-1-0 over their last 11 games.
Elijah Roberts (3) would also score on an empty net chance with the last minute as the Troops continued to try and cut into the lead until the very last minute.
“We have to learn how to close out games a little bit better,” says Dennis. “[The IceDogs] are a very good team, we go into the third period, tied 2-2, after battling back from 2-0.”
“I liked our compete, I just think we have to find ways to tighten up in the third period and put it in the other zone.”
After Dallas Stars prospect, Jason Robertson (31) made it 2-0 at 13:21 in the first, the North Bay Battalion responded.
Nick King (4) sent a point shot in towards Stephen Dhillion, who was screened by Justin Brazeau. The goal at 15:15 cut the lead in half, with the Troops starting to press towards the end of the first.
In the second Matthew Struthers (13) scored his first goal since November 10th to tie the game. It was a power play goal for the Troops at 10:28 and in similar fashion Struthers used the big body of Captain Brazeau to screen the goaltender and put the puck past the iron pipes.
“Same thing as yesterday,” says Dennis, comparing the 5-2 loss to Niagara to the 4-2 loss to Kitchener on Friday night.
“It’s that one blocked shot, that one save, that one big rush, we have that breakaway at the end that we didn’t quite convert on that’s really making the difference right now.”
Dennis added, “We need some big plays.”
What did stand out was the ability to limit Robertson’s chances throughout the night. Since being acquired by the IceDogs a few weeks ago, Robertson has 21 points in seven games played (including a goal and an assist on Saturday night).
But for the Troops to not be intimidated, or fall victim to Robertson’s prowess, was a positive sign that this team feels like they can play with anyone, especially as Robertson proved to be a consistent thorn in the side of the Troops during their first round match up against Kinston last spring. In that five game series, Robertson produced seven points, with four goals.
Dennis says the IceDogs have a lot of weapons.
“It is important that you have a good team defence and I thought we did that for the most part,” stated Dennis.
"There was a couple of breakdowns, but that’s expected and I thought it was a good effort, we just needed a little bit more.”
North Bay will hope to find that little bit more when they suit up on Sunday afternoon against the Hamilton Bulldogs. A team they are now trying to chase down in the Eastern Conference playoff race, with Hamilton six points ahead of the Troops after Saturday’s action.
That game available on radio or online at Country-600 CKAT.
