The North Bay Battalion insist the only tank they want to have any connection to is the giant inflatable one that they skate out of before every home game.
The 11-35-2 Battalion sit in last in the Ontario Hockey League and 15 points out of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
Despite only two wins in their past ten, interim head coach Ryan Oulahen says they are continuing to fight and have no intention of tanking down the stretch to ensure the top pick in the OHL Draft this spring which would likely be Adam Fantilli, a "generational player," according to many scouts, playing at a New England Prep School this season.
"You really don't want to flirt with the hockey gods and as athletes how can you not want to lace them up and not be competitive," said Oulahen during Wednesday's media conference as his team prepares for a tough weekend road trip which starts Thursday night in Peterborough.
Oulahen says his competitive juices are always flowing. He admits even when he plays mini sticks with his two children, he still wants to win.
"They are not winning, they are not beating me at mini sticks," said Oulahen.
"I want to win every single time I go into a game. That is the mentality that we have to have."
North Bay visits the Kingston Frontenacs on Friday night and the powerhouse Ottawa 67’s on Sunday in the final three-game road trip of the season for the Troops.
“Play with no pressure, maybe it is a good thing to get on the road and play some good opponents, and play with really nothing to lose, and focussing on the areas of the game that we need to improve on rather than the result of the game,” he said.
"We are literally trying to do what we can to gain momentum, gain wins. We need belief. We are playing the guys that deserve to go on the ice, there are a whole bunch of different things that."
Because of injuries, the Battalion has been without the services of centre Mason Primeau and defenceman Braden Henderson for the last three games and, due to suspension, rearguard Simon Rose has missed the last two, although he is set to return at Peterborough.
“That’s 20 to 25 minutes of really good hockey and a veteran presence on the back end,” said Oulahen.
While noting that Henderson and Primeau haven’t begun skating yet, Oulahen said, “We’re still not a hundred per cent healthy, so that’s the No. 1 thing, but we don’t want to talk about any excuses with our group.”
