To you from failing hands we throw the torch, be yours to hold it high. - Canadian army officer, physician and poet John McCrae (1915)
The first step has been taken.
A young North Bay Battalion (1-3-0-0) squad picked up its first win of the season and even though it wasn’t a tidy affair, the ‘W’ will provide a much-needed psychological boost heading into a good week of practice.
The effect of the win can’t be overstated. At risk of going winless in four to start the season, seeds of doubt would have been sewn into the psyche of the 16 and 17-year-old boys that have been asked to do a man’s job. And that’s not to say those same seeds are not still swirling around Memorial Gardens. A calamitous final period against the Sarnia Sting served to remind our players, both young and old, that there is work to be done… much work.
The win also showed just how much effort is needed to earn a ‘W’ in this League, and how a commanding 5-1 lead can dissipate within minutes. Not only did the youngsters get a cautionary lesson, more importantly our veterans did too, as they reflect on the kind of effort that will be required for this club to seal a victory.
Fortunately, the current leaders have been well schooled, and that will be a valuable asset going forward. But even though a good number of the current Battalion leadership, Mike Amadio, Mathew Santos, Miles Liberati, and others, has experienced considerable OHL success, with deep playoff runs in each of the past two seasons, they experienced that success riding the coattails of hardworking studs like Barclay Goodrow, Ben Thomson, Dylan Blujus in year one, and Nick Paul, Ryan Kujawinski and Marcus McIvor in year two. This season, with no one to follow into battle, the new veterans are being asked to catch the torch and hold it high.
My broadcast partner on The OHL Tonight on TVCogeco, Greg Theberge, has been through these exact trials on numerous occasions, and I was eager to hear his take on the new North Bay Battalion…
Ranjan: Okay Greg, we can all breathe now... On a special night for the Centennials, the North Bay Battalion picked up their first win of the season... Why did it take 4 games for the offense to show up?
Greg: Well we can only speculate, but against Sarnia, the Battalion got into a better 5-on-5 rhythm than they did against the Peterborough Petes, where they took a lot of penalties in the first period. And they never found their rhythm versus the Kitchener Rangers, even though they had a few scoring opportunities at the beginning of the game but failed to capitalize. Against Sarnia, the line combinations were tweaked a bit and their veterans showed more leadership. That’s the way they’ll have to go about it over these first 15 to 20 games.
Ranjan: Starting the season 0-3, Coach Butler insisted that our veterans lead the way… overall you sound happy with the work of our veterans against Sarnia…
Greg: It was definitely a big improvement versus Sarnia. In particular, Zach Bratina, Mike Amadio and Brett McKenzie… those three really have to lead, both on the ice and off the ice, with strong mental toughness and consistent work habits. The back end, with Miles Liberati and Riley Bruce, stepped up as well and helped contribute offensively. But, in my mind, though they were much better, there’s always room for improvement from the veterans.
Ranjan: How important was that first win for this club?
Greg: It was crucial. The longer you go without a win, the more you believe that you can’t win. So it was a good confidence booster for both the veterans and the rookies, and the younger group can now see how hard it is to win in this League. In the early stages of the 2015-16 season it will be critical that some of the 2nd and 3rd year players understand that they must assume a different role than they may have had last year, and with the new role comes added responsibility and greater accountability.
Ranjan: The final period against Sarnia wasn’t picture perfect. What lessons can a young hockey team take from that, as they head into a tough contest in Sault Ste. Marie against the Greyhounds on Saturday?
Greg: Well, it was clear to everyone: the last 8 minutes of the game versus Sarnia represented a total team collapse, starting in net with Jake Smith’s unfortunate rebound, and compounded by the forward lines not exerting enough back pressure and not having a strong net front presence defensively. This club just needs to gel a bit more as a 5-man unit, and find ways to slow the opposition down, whether it be continually icing the puck or gaining the neutral zone and, it may sound like an old cliché, getting pucks in deep. But let’s not diminish the importance of winning face-off battles, because this is where a collapse often begins. It’s going to be a long night if you start each sequence in the defensive zone by chasing the puck.
Ranjan: A compelling storyline is the addition of North Bay native Brett Hargrave to the Battalion lineup. Prior to Friday, the last time Brett played had been back on March 21, 2014 as a member of the Owen Sound Attack in the 2014 playoffs. What is he facing as he returns to the ice following an 18-month layoff...
Greg: Well, at 6-foot-4, 207 pounds, the first thing I like about Brett Hargrave is something that you can’t teach: size and strength. But, at the same time, his first priority right now must be physical conditioning. After so much time off, he needs to get back into midseason form in a hurry, so that he can compete with the other team’s top lines physically. It’s going to take a lot of work, on and off the ice, and Brett has to establish a great work ethic to do that.
Secondly, as a former first round draft pick out of the Priority Selection, I’d like to see him play with even more confidence. He’s had 3 seasons in the League and it’s the right time to show some authority and gain some respect… so that means he might have to get his Sher-Wood up a few times, or chop someone down like a cherry tree, if that’s what needs to be done. Brett needs to find his identity and carve out a role with the North Bay Battalion. Coach Butler likes his big forwards, but they have to show him that they can be rugged and dependable.
Ranjan: Did you like the look of a top line that saw Mike Amadio between Zach Bratina and Brett Hargrave?
Greg: I did. I like the Bratina and Amadio combination. But really, with no disrespect to Hargrave, I think you could throw anybody on the other wing with these two guys and get good results, whether it be McKenzie, Santos or Poirier. What we were looking for was some chemistry between these top two forwards, and I think we’re seeing it. What I really liked was how they were developing radar for each other on the ice. Mike Amadio is a humble player, a generous player with the puck, with his own style of toughness. Remember: this guy faces top forwards and defensemen every game, and not only takes the punishment, but gets into the dirty, grinding areas and, never once displays poor body language. No wincing, whining or complaining… and that’s what I call leading by example.
Ranjan: The original Brett...Brett McKenzie...is playing some inspired hockey. He’s starting to look like a solid 2-way centre in this League. What are you seeing so far?
Greg: In Brett McKenzie I see a confident hockey player that has paid his dues, now 2 years in this League. He is accepting the challenge now as a number two centreman, and he’s good in all three zones, along the same lines as a young Barclay Goodrow. Brett had a great mentor last season in Nick Paul and I think he’s emerging as a combination of those two players: Barclay and Nick. As good as he’s been so far, McKenzie’s getting better each game, and I think there are better things yet to come.
