In a battle between two northern rivals, the Sault Ste Marie Greyhounds came away victorious in a shootout over the North Bay Battalion 4-3.
“You have to give full marks to the Soo,” Battalion head coach Ryan Oulahen said.
“They play a little bit differently than teams we have seen; high pace and pressure hockey. I thought we had a hard time feeling that out.
“I really liked our second period, and then for whatever reason, maybe we thought the game was over, a goal late in the second sunk the momentum we were getting, and we didn’t get the extra point but we found a way to get one.”
The Troops got off to a fast start as Anthony Romani (7) beat Greyhounds netminder Samuel Ivanov, 12 seconds into the game. The goal also sent the teddy bears flying as North Bay was playing in their annual Teddy Bear Toss game.
The Battalion got back in to the goal column just over five minutes in to the second period as Justin Ertel (9) beat Ivanov on a surgical passing play from Kyle Jackson and Josh Bloom. However, the Greyhounds saw a shift in momentum when their captain Bryce McConnell-Barker (16) beat Charlie Robertson with just over a minute left in the middle frame to cut the lead in half.
Continuing on with the momentum, the Soo struck again less than a minute into the third as Kalvyn Watson (13) found twine to tie the game 2-2.
“They’re momentum killers,” Oulahen stated.
“We felt we had a good second period, got up to a 2-0 lead and then they score one late. Then starting a period short handed, it’s tough, but we got down and found a way to tie it.”
Continuing the momentum, the Greyhounds struck midway through the period as Mark Duarte (11) put the Soo up 3-2. Yet, the Troops kept on pushing and with under two minutes left, and the goalie pulled, Matvey Petrov (11) one timed the puck into the net to tie the game 3-3.
Overtime solved nothing before Duarte iced it in the shootout for the Soo as he beat Robertson on the Hounds' fourth attempt.
For the Troops, they’re back in action Friday night when they head to Mississauga for a date with the Steelheads.
“They’re a team right behind us in the division and it’s a four point game,” Oulahen said.
“They didn’t play tonight so they’ll be rested and we’re used to this trip so we have to give it our best tomorrow.”
