MISSISSAUGA, ON - Vili Saarijarvi scored twice and the red hot Jacob Ingham made 28 saves for the shutout as the Mississauga Steelheads defeated the North Bay Battalion 4-0 in Ontario Hockey League action Friday night.
Shaw Boomhower and Spencer Watson also scored and 2017 NHL Draft prospect Owen Tippett provided two assists for Mississauga, which improved its won-lost-extended record to 22-17-11 for 55 points atop the Central Division.
Ingham, the OHL’s goaltender of the month for January, posted his second shutout of the season before an announced crowd of 2,544 at the Hershey Centre.
The Steelheads have won three consecutive games and five of their last six, the other being a 1-0 overtime loss to the host Kingston Frontenacs.
Battalion starting goaltender Brent Moran allowed all four goals on 24 shots before being replaced early in the third period by Mat Woroniuk, who faced six shots in his first appearance since suffering a knee injury Nov. 24 in a 6-1 loss to the visiting Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds.
North Bay, 19-26-4 for 42 points and third place in the division, is 1-3-1 against Mississauga. The Battalion remained two points ahead of the fourth-place Niagara IceDogs, who lost 3-2 to the visiting Peterborough Petes.
The blanking came one night after the Battalion ended a four-game losing skid with a 7-4 home-ice victory over the Sarnia Sting.
The Steelheads emerged from the first period with a 2-0 lead courtesy of defenceman Saarijarvi. He first struck at 2:58, beating Moran with a wrister from just above the left hash marks, and then ripped a power-play shot from the right-wing circle over the goaltender’s blocker at 5:11. Both goals were assisted by Tippett, and the second was Saarijarvi’s 10th goal of the season.
The Battalion, outshot 8-6 in the period, mustered two early chances, but Ingham denied Steve Harland’s left-wing rush and was quick to react when a Brett McKenzie shot glanced off the skate of defender Stephen Gibson into the crease with the Troops on the power play.
Boomhower connected at 6:16 of the second period, banging home the rebound which made it 3-0.
The Battalion had 12 shots in the frame, with McKenzie, Zach Poirier, Kyle Potts and Justin Brazeau among those testing Ingham. Moran, who faced 14 shots, turned away two chances for Watson and a drive off the left wing by Trent Fox.
Watson ended Moran’s action at 1:04 of the final period, finishing off a two-on-one rush with Ryan McLeod against Adam Thilander.
Despite enjoying three power plays in the period, the Battalion couldn’t beat Ingham, who stopped a drive from the blue line by Daniel Walker and shots from deep in the right circle from Poirier and Daniil Vertiy.
A fracas followed Woroniuk being run and bowled over at the final buzzer, with Walker and Boomhower engaging in the main event. Each received a roughing minor, while Boomhower also drew a double minor for spearing.
The return home Sunday afternoon when the nationally ranked Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds pay a visit to Memorial Gardens. Puck drop is set for the usual 2 p.m. start.
