Skip to content

Brazeau leads Battalion third period charge against Steelheads

Win moves Troops up into third place in the Central

Just when it looked like the Mississauga Steelheads would run away with it, the North Bay Battalion would get another gift from their opponent in the form of a power play. The Troops scored three of their four unanswered goals with the man advantage on route to a 4-3 win at Memorial Gardens.

Justin Brazeau had two goals and an assist, including the game-winner as the Battalion completely dominated the third period to earn the comeback victory.

“I didn’t think we had the greatest start, especially after last weekend how we played. I thought we did a good job picking up the pace during the game and getting the pucks behind their defence. They’re a skilled team so we had to get pucks deep on them and that’s what we did in the third and it worked,” said Brazeau, who also earned the game’s first star.

Andy Baker scored from close range late in the second period to get the Troops on the board on a tally that went to video review.  Cam Dineen also added his eighth of the season with his third-period powerplay goal which made it 3-2.  

Coach Stan Butler was also pleased with his team's play in third and with how they responded, despite trailing in the first period.

“We know they’re a really good team. I mean they went to the OHL finals with a lot of the same guys. You know to come back, to be trailing 2-0 in the game, to push back the way we did and even when they made it 4-3, to keep battling right to the end because you knew they were going to push even harder,” added Butler. He also praised his netminder, Christian Propp, who made his second home debut after playing just a few minutes back on October 26 versus Windsor.

“I thought he was really good tonight, very consistent and square to the puck. He’s a big body, we were very happy with his game tonight.”

Propp earned his first win playing a full game for the Battalion and kept his team in it. At one point he made six saves while killing a minor penalty in the third.

One them was a spectacular body save following a tic, tac, toe passing play by the Steelheads.

“It’s a great feeling, whatever team I am playing against, just to be back in net and competing for my teammates, that’s the ultimate feeling and I was sitting there for four to five weeks so it’s really nice to be back and competing for the boys every night,” shared Propp.

Owen Tippett and Jacob Moverare scored second-period goals just over five minutes apart to give the visitors the 2-0 lead.  

Nicolas Hague made it a one-goal Battalion lead with a goal at 18:41 of the third period. However, that's as close as the Trout would get on this night.  

The game also marked the return to Memorial Gardens ice for Callander native Jake Gravelle. The former North Bay Midget AAA Trappers defender was held off the scoresheet as the Trout drop their seventh straight.  

The win moves the Battalion ahead of the Steelheads and into third spot in the Central Division.

North Bay is already back on the road to take on the Soo Friday, but return to the Gardens this Sunday for an afternoon affair with their division rivals, the Barrie Colts.