For the first time since moving to North Bay, the Battalion losing streak has reached double-digit games. The recurring storyline all weekend has been “we gave ourselves a chance to win, but end up with no points.” And the three losses this weekend stretch the losing streak to ten in a row, the first time that has happened since the franchises’ inaugural year in Brampton when they lost 10 in a row in January of 1999.
But four of the last five games could have gone either way. Starting with the loss at home to the Sudbury Wolves on November 1st, the Battalion has either led or have been within a goal in the third period of play in every game, outside the 8-3 loss to Peterborough last Sunday.
They led in London 2-1. They led in Windsor 4-1. And again tonight, on the road against a Sarnia Sting team that had won eight of their last nine games played, the Troops opened the third, dead even at 1-1.
But a goal by Sean Josling, his team-leading 17th of the season at 8:08 was what broke the tie, and two empty-net goals followed, en-route to a 4-2 Sarnia win.
“The guys played hard, we outshot them today, we had a lot of good things out there. We had an opportunity to win a game, going into the third,” says Battalion Assistant Coach Scott Wray.
At this point, with a young team, you’re looking to see if the team improves game by game. At this point, the coaching staff is hoping they can take away some lessons in all these losses and put it to good use.
Against the Sarnia Sting, it was evident that there were improvements. After Sarnia opened the scoring at 6:36 in the second period on a gaol by Anthony Tabak (5) the Battalion responded with a good shift, and created a scoring opportunity. They didn’t allow the Sting to build upon the lead. North Bay pushed back, and that push back paid off later in the period when Brandon Coe (5) tipped in a shot from Brad Chenier at 13:30 on the power play, to tie the game at 1-1.
After yesterdays game, Wray said the Battalion sat back a little too much in the third period against Windsor and let them control the pace of play. Tonight, in the third period, the Battalion looked like they were letting a similar thing happen when Sarnia came out and generated several good scoring chances right away, The Battalion bent, but did not break and kept the Sting off the board at that point.
Wray says that’s another example of the team showing those improvements.
“They came out guns blazing, they switched their lines up, going a little top-heavy with their first two lines and we held the fort. Then we came back at them.”
But despite North Bay’s best efforts, they couldn’t get a puck passed Ethan Langevin after the Josling goal to even the game back up. So with time winding down, the Troops pulled their goaltender Joe Vrbetic to get the extra attacker on the ice. 1:56 to play.
The Sting took advantage of the empty net, skating the puck into the zone on the right side, and with Brayden Guy being pressured near the boards, he lifted a pass into the middle of the zone to a wide open Theo Hill (4) who put it into the empty net for a 3-2 lead.
Only 20 seconds later, Mason Primeau (6) tipped in a Nick Grima point shot to get the Battalion back to within a goal at 18:46. The Battalion pulled the goalie again, and again the Sting converted on the empty net, with Josling getting his second of the game and 18th of the year at 19:19.
“We outshot them in the third, and they and two empty nets,” says Wray.
“I thought for our third game in three nights, we played pretty well,” he continued.
Now the focus is on putting together that solid effort over a full 60 minutes.
“I’m proud of our effort. We have to go back to work on Tuesday and we have to learn from this. We could have won all three games, but we’re going home with three losses.”
“But we’re right there and the guys just have to stay upbeat.”
Also for a third straight night, the Battalion got everything they could have asked for in between the pipes.
Vrbetic stopped 17 of 19 shots in his second start of the weekend.
“He’s been really good,” says Wray. “he’s been back there, saving us when we needed him, and that’s what you need in this league. Just like their goaltender tonight, you need those saves to keep you in the game, and that’s what Joe did,” says Wray.
“That’s also when you have those games that you wish you could just win one for you goalie. It keeps them gaining confidence and keeps them thinking positive. And right now, guys are getting frustrated, like they should be, but at the end of the day we could’ve walked out of this trip with six points. Instead we’re walking out with zero and we need to find a way next week to get back to basics and be ready.”
