The North Bay Battalion dropped a crucial 6-3 decision to the Flint Firebirds Friday night at the Dort Federal Event Center. It was the middle game of a five-game road stretch for the North Bay Battalion, and the first of three this weekend.
Jake Durham led the Firebirds with two goals and one assist. Adam Thilander, Andy Baker and Kyle Potts scored for the Battalion.
With the loss, North Bay drops out of a playoff position, to ninth in the Eastern Conference. The Battalion trail the 67's by two points after Ottawa pulled out a 3-2 victory over the Oshawa Generals Friday night. Ottawa also jumped over the Niagara IceDogs in the standings to sit in seventh. After Niagara's 3-2 loss to Kingston, they are tied with Ottawa in the standings, but the 67's have the tiebreaker with more wins. Both North Bay and Ottawa have one game in hand on the IceDogs.
The Troops do not play at home again until Thursday, March 2 versus the Barrie Colts. The team split the first two games of the five consecutive away with a 3-2 win at Sudbury last Friday night and a 6-1 loss to the last-place Colts in Barrie last Saturday.
The Battalion were facing former assistant Ryan Oulahen for the second time since his move to take the head coaching job with the Firebirds. The Troops defeated Flint 6-0 in North Bay on December 8.
The Battalion continue to replace injured and suspended players with new faces. Brett Hahkala made his OHL debut for the Troops and fellow Powassan Voodoo (and NOJHL-leading goal scorer) Andy Baker also suited up. Hahkala's father, Todd, made the 14-hour drive from Fort Frances, Ont., to witness his son's first OHL game.
The Battalion was without injured regulars Cam Dineen, Riley Bruce, Jacob Ball and Daniil Verity. Max Kislinger and Daniel Walker were suspended. Mat Woroniuk also did not dress as Julian Sime backed up (and replaced) Brent Moran. It was Moran's fourth time being pulled in his last five road games.
The Firebirds enjoyed an early man advantage after Battalion defenceman Jesse Saban was whistled for high-sticking just 28 seconds into the first period.
Former first-line winger in North Bay, Maurizio Colella, traded to the Firebirds at the trade deadline, opened the scoring, tipping the puck over the shoulder of Moran, 1:50 into the game. The powerplay marker, Colella's 14th of the season (and ninth since joining Flint) was assisted by Mathieu Henderson and C.J. Clarke.
Everett Clark was awarded a penalty shot after the referee deemed he was impeded by some stick work by Adam Thilander on a breakaway. Battalion Head Coach Stan Butler argued the call to no avail. Clark converted for his 13th, beating Moran (a former Firebird) for an early 2-0 Flint lead.
Thilander made up for the penalty shot with a goal of his own, sneaking in from the point to score on a back-door man-advantage chance. Steve Harland, continuing his hot run of play, and Eric Allair assisted.
Nicholas Caamano scored on a rebound off of a Fedor Gordeev shot at 10:12 to give the Firebirds a 3-1 lead. The goal was scored after a miscue by Troops defenceman Zach Shankar allowed the puck to continue around the boards where it was intercepted by Flint. Caamano's goal was his 28th of the campaign.
Shots-on-goal showed a 14-10 advantage for Flint after one period of play.
Michal Steinocher chased Moran with the fourth Flint goal, assisted by Alex Peters. Moran allowed four goals on 20 shots, lasting just three minutes into the second period.
Andy Baker's second OHL goal (to go with 41 in the NOJHL) came off a backhand tip over the glove of Firebirds' goaltender Connor Hicks from a Mark Shoemaker point shot. Brady Lyle also drew an assist on the goal that came at 14:20, and cut the Flint lead to 4-2.
Less than two minutes later, the Troops gave that goal right back, as Jake Durham banked the puck off of Sime's skate from behind the net and in. Helpers on Durham's ninth goal went to Clark and Caamano, and the Firebirds enjoyed a three-goal lead once more at 5-2.
Shots after two periods favoured the Firebirds 29-22.
Battalion defenceman Eric Allair did not return to start the third period. The Troops also started the game short one forward.
Kyle Potts gave the Troops some life, scoring off of Hicks' blocker and in. Potts' 10th was assisted by Thilander and came at 15:16, cutting the lead to 5-3.
Brett McKenzie and Flint captain Peters fought and both received five-minute majors, a trade-off that would see the Firebirds defenceman sitting alongside the Battalion's leading scorer until there were less than five minutes to play in a game McKenzie's team was trailing by two.
The Troops pressed, called their timeout, and pulled Sime for an extra attacker, but could not score again. Durham added his second of the game into the empty net to round out the scoring, making the final score 6-3 for Flint. It was Oulahen's first victory over his mentor, Butler.
Final shots on goal were 38-34 for the Firebirds and Flint also held a 35-28 advantage in faceoffs won. North Bay was 1-for-4 on the powerplay, while Flint went 1-for-1.
The Troops face the Saginaw Spirit Saturday night at 7 p.m. and the Soo Greyhounds Sunday at 2 p.m. as they finish off their five straight games away from Memorial Gardens.
