The North Bay Battalion had so far been quick out of the gate in this young OHL season, scoring first in both of their home games. Thursday's opening period was by far the team's weakest home effort thus far. The poor start eventually led to a 3-1 loss to the Owen Sound Attack.
"What's frustrating is our start to the game," said Head Coach Stan Butler, "we're playing a team that now has their number one goalie back, and we've got to be at the top of our game to beat them, and we were flat."
"Until we get out work ethic up to the level that you need in this league, we really have no chance to be successful," added Butler.
Just 1:50 into the game, Maurizio Colella had a clearance attempt clear the glass, giving the Attack the first man-advantage of the night. North Bay's Brad Chenier's strong penalty killing and Brent Moran's clearance of a screened shot kept the game scoreless as the Colella minor expired.
Attack forward Maksim Sushko drove to the net just under eight minutes in, dipsy-doodling in on Moran, before shooting wide. It was Moran who kept the Battalion in it, thanks to his 10 saves (and one shot off the post) in the first half of the opening period.
It took the home team 14 minutes to register their second shot Thursday night.
With just under four minutes to play, the Battalion's Brett McKenzie plastered Santino Centorame into the glass next to the penalty box and received a five-minute major and a game misconduct for the hit to the head.
Post-game, Butler agreed that the McKenzie misconduct was a turning point in the game. "The guys had to step up, we lost three forwards tonight. We played three lines from about five minutes to go in the second period."
While killing the major, Zach Poirier intercepted Attack goaltender Michael McNiven's clearing pass out of the Owen Sound zone but couldn't slot the loose puck home.
Just one minute later, Belarussian Sushko potted his first (of what would seem to be many OHL goals).
The Battalion were outshot 14-3 in the first period and trailed 1-0.
A net-crashing play under four minutes into the second was reviewed twice, causing a ten-minute delay, and resulted, somehow, in an Owen Sound interference penalty AND an Attack goal, leaving the vocal home crowd unhappy and dumbfounded, and the Battalion down 2-0. Attack leading scorer Petrus Palmu was credited with the goal.
Butler explained post-game that the officials deemed that on the delayed Attack penalty, the Battalion directed the puck into their own net, meaning the goal stood.
At 5:40, the inevitable make-up call went the Battalion's way, and Mark Shoemaker crept in from the blueline, found himself all alone in the slot, but was foiled by McNiven. On the same powerplay, Poirier had a decent chance, but could not convert.
Colella missed Cam Dineen at the blueline and the Attack skated in 2-on-0 on the Battalion net, but Moran made a fine save. The puck squirted around the boards, and the Battalion pounced and attacked with numbers, Daniil Vertiy converting the 2-on-1 pass from Steve Harland to cut the lead in half.
At 12:23, Colella one-timed a shot and nearly tied things up, but McNiven again made the save.
With under two minutes to play, poor defensive coverage in the Battalion zone and quick passing by the Attack led to an Ethan Szypula marker, extending the Attack lead to 3-1.
Shots on goal after two periods were 29-15 in favour of Owen Sound.
A more concerted effort in the third period saw the Battalion draw closer in the shot column, but not on the scoreboard, and the game ended in a 3-1 victory for the Owen Sound Attack, dropping the Troops to 0-3 at home.
"I thought our work habits were better in the third. It was a pretty even game in the period, but it doesn't matter. If you run a 100 metre race and give the guy a 30 metre head start, you're not going to win," said Butler.
Asked what can be done to turn around the season, Butler replied, "It's four games in. I'm not jumping off the overpass where they're doing construction or anything like that.
We've got to work, be a lot better, and compete."
With 6:30 to play, North Bay winger Jacob Ball had an opening, but McNiven stood tall once again.
Final shots were 33-25 in favour of Owen Sound. Brent Moran was the star again for North Bay, but not even his exploits could salvage a sinking ship on this night.
The Battalion play Saturday night in the Soo, before returning home to face the Niagara IceDogs on Thanksgiving Monday at 2 p.m.
