The North Bay Battalion outshot the Mississauga Steelheads but the Troops could not solve Trout netminder Joe Ranger as they went on to blank the North Bay Battalion 3-0 on Friday night at the Paramount Fine Foods Centre in Mississauga.
Ranger was named the game's first star turning away 27 shots in the win. Vrbetic made 23 saves as he suffers the loss less than 24 hours after the Steelheads edged the Troops 3-2 on home ice Thursday night.
The Steelheads got on the board on a late first period five on three power play as James Hardie banged one out of the air past Joe Vrbetic for a 1-0 lead after one.
The Trout added to the lead in the middle frame as Callum Chisholm banged home a rebound midway through the second for his first goal of the season.
Early in the third, the Trout's James Hardie finished off a great three-way passing play to tuck it behind Vrbetic which made it 3-0 just over five minutes into the third.
The Battalion had a chance to get back into it with a short five-on-three power play. They put on some great pressure as Owen Van Steensel hit the post while Steelheads goalie Joe Ranger also thwarted Brandon Coe in tight.
The Battalion played the game without forwards Liam Arnsby, Matvey Petrov, Kyle Jackson and defender Alexander Lukin.
Goalie Dom DiVincentiis did not dress for the game as he continues to recover from that hit in Tuesday's OT loss to Niagara. Affiliate goaltender Owen Wray from the Powassan Voodoos dressed as Vrbetic's backup for the second night in a row.
This was the Troops second shutout loss of the season. Their first game in early December when they fell 1-0 to Barrie back on December 12.
The Troops hope to get back in the win column on Sunday afternoon for the final game without fans at Memorial Gardens as they face the Ottawa 67's. Puck drop is set for 2 p.m.
