Barrie Rallies late to double Battalion
Beau Jelsma scored three goals, including an empty-netter, to lead the Barrie Colts to a 4-2 victory Saturday night over the North Bay Battalion in a hotly contested Ontario Hockey League game.
Riley Patterson had the winning goal, Thomas Stewart provided three assists and goaltender Sam Hillebrandt contributed 36 saves for Barrie, which moved its won-lost-extended record to 26-29-4 for 56 points, fourth in the Central Division.
Ty Nelson and Owen Van Steensel scored a goal apiece to bring North Bay back from a 2-0 deficit before 4,230 at the Sadlon Arena. Goaltender Mike McIvor stopped 31 of 34 shots.
The Battalion is 33-20-8 for 74 points, second in the division, three points behind the Sudbury Wolves, who invade Memorial Gardens at 2 p.m. Sunday. The Troops, who won their previous three games, are 11-5-0 in their last 16.
Anthony Romani and Dalyn Wakely each recorded two assists, with Romani now having 49 goals and 50 assists for 99 points, second in the OHL scoring race, one point behind Sudbury’s David Goyette.
Patterson broke a 2-2 tie at 15:13 of the third period, knocking the puck loose from the sprawled McIvor at the left post. Rookie Patterson’s 27th goal of the season, assisted by Cole Beaudoin and Stewart, survived a challenge for goaltender interference.
Jelsma hit the empty net from his own blue line at 18:47 to settle the issue. Zach Wigle received an assist on Jelsma’s team-leading 34th goal.
Nelson pulled the Troops within 2-1 with his man-advantage goal at 2:31 of the frame, one-timing the puck under the crossbar off a right-wing faceoff. Nelson’s 15th goal was his 26th career power-play marker, giving him sole possession of eighth place on the franchise list, one ahead of Aaron Van Leusen and Howie Martin.
Van Steensel tied it with his 35th goal at 7:24, pitchforking the puck behind Hillebrandt from in front of the crease.
Jelsma scored at 14:24 of the first period, one second after the expiration of the second half of a double minor to Wyatt Kennedy for high-sticking. Jelsma looped off the right wing past Tnias Mathurin and tucked the puck around McIvor’s outstretched right leg. Tai York and Stewart had assists.
The Battalion outshot Barrie 12-11 in the period despite serving five minors to the Colts’ one. Hillebrandt got his stick down to foil Romani on a breakaway in the second minute and denied Andrew LeBlanc with the right pad on a partial break in the 18th.
A slew of penalties early in the second frame helped increase the number of near-misses for both teams, although the Troops fared well in the bargain, with McIvor making several big stops, including sliding to his left to rob Beaudoin on the power play after a tripping call to Ethan Procyszyn at 3:02.
Jelsma doubled the hosts’ lead with the man advantage at 17:26, virtually repeating his first-period move and getting to the crease to put the puck home. Stewart provided the lone assist.
The power play resulted from roughing minors to Procyszyn, LeBlanc and Barrie’s Blair Scott. Jack Brauti of the home side was handed a misconduct for abuse of an official at the same time.
Lirim Amidovski and Barrie’s Shamar Moses received fighting majors for a tussle at 18:28.
BATTALION BULLETS: The Battalion is 1-3-1 against Barrie. The teams complete the season series March 20 at North Bay … In 193 games, Wakely has 85 goals and 89 assists for 174 points, tied with Nelson, who has 48 goals and 126 assists in 180 games, for 15th place in franchise history. Wakely has a six-game points streak in which he has seven goals and as many assists for 14 points … In 181 games, Romani has 80 goals and 76 assists for 156 points, two more than Brad Chenier and 19th in Battalion annals … Van Steensel has a 13-game points streak in which he has 12 goals and 14 assists for 26 points … The Battalion went 1-for-5 on the power play. Barrie was 1-for-8 … Opening lines featured Wakely centring left winger Van Steensel and right winger Romani, Liam Arnsby pivoting left winger Justin Ertel and right winger Sandis Vilmanis and Procyszyn centring left winger LeBlanc and right winger Jacob Therrien. Brice Cooke centred left winger Ihnat Pazii and right winger Amidovski … The Battalion scratched Brayden Turley, Trevor McDowell, Nolan Laird and Stef Forgione … Barrie coach Marty Williamson was credited with his 559th win, one more than the legendary Dick Todd and the seventh-most in league history. Williamson has a won-lost-tied record of 559-443-9 in 1,011 games. Todd coached the Peterborough Petes for 14-plus seasons in two runs, culminating in 2005-06 with his third OHL championship … Pat Myers and Andrew Willmetts were the referees.
