Battalion beats Sudbury 3-1
Ryder Cali’s early second-period goal proved the winner and goaltender Mike McIvor made 24 saves as the North Bay Battalion defeated the Sudbury Wolves 3-1 in Ontario Hockey League action Friday night.
Shamar Moses and Lirim Amidovski had the other North Bay goals before a crowd of 3,062.
The Battalion, which has a won-lost-extended record of 3-2-0, has played only two road games, both at Sudbury, having won 4-3 in overtime Sept 19. Cali has three goals on the season, all scored at Sudbury, including the overtime marker.
Blake Clayton scored for the Wolves, who got 27 saves from goaltender Finn Marshall
Sudbury, which played its second home game and returns to the road for three games next weekend, is 0-5-1 and the only winless team in the league.
After a scoreless first period, the teams combined for three goals in 2:31 early in the second, starting with Moses’s power-play tally at 3:04. Moses netted his first goal from the top of the left circle off a cross-ice pass from Cam Warren. Ethan Procyszyn had the other assist.
Cali connected at 5:03 from the left hash marks, with Warren, in the left-wing corner, and Bronson Ride drawing the assists.
Clayton replied 32 seconds later, knocking home a loose puck in the crease after McIvor foiled Rowan Henderson at the post to the goaltender’s left but failed to corral the disc. Chase Coughlan also assisted.
Procyszyn went off for high-sticking at 14:33 of the third period after an opponent was struck by the puck, but Coughlan received a head-checking minor at 15:22 to put the teams short a skater each.
The Battalion capitalized when Amidovski launched a screened shot from high on the right wing past Marshall just 10 seconds later, with assists going to Brandt Harper and Ride. It was Amidovski’s first goal.
Marshalll dashed to the bench for a sixth attacker with 35 seconds to play but, with the Wolves trailing by two, it was too little too late.
Despite Sudbury enjoying three power plays to the Troops’ one, the teams took eight shots apiece in the first period.
Marshall denied Cali on a chance at the crease in the 12th minute and produced a big save against Procyszyn on a one-timer at 12:29.
Coughlan took Sudbury’s only penalty, for roughing at the North Bay net, at 12:45 before the Wolves received the last two man advantages of the frame in the last 4:02, with the final penalty extending into the second period by 24 seconds.
The Battalion plays host to the Soo Greyhounds at 2 p.m. Sunday on Indigenous Youth Day.
BATTALION BULLETS: It was the second of eight season meetings, with the third scheduled Jan. 2 at the Sudbury Community Arena … Cali, Moses and Nick Wellenreiter paced North Bay with four shots on goal apiece, while Kieron Walton topped Sudbury with four … The Battalion went 1-for-5 on the power play. Sudbury was 0-for-5 … Opening lines featured Procyszyn centring left winger Arseny Pronin and right winger Moses, Evgeny Dubrovtsev pivoting left winger Ihnat Pazii and right winger Amidovski and Warren centring left winger Cali and right winger Parker Vaughan. Briir Long centred left winger Nolan Laird and right winger Wellenreiter … Defence pairings had Ride with Harper, Aaron Enright with Kent Greer and Carter Kunopaski with Jonathan Kapageridis … Jack Lisson backed up McIvor … The Battalion was without Adrian Manzo, Declan Gallivan and Ryder Carey … Sudbury scratches included Nathan Villeneuve, who’s recovering from a lower-body injury suffered in training camp with the National Hockey League’s Seattle Kraken … Walton made his season debut after a concussion suffered during rookie camp with the NHL’s Winnipeg Jets … Sudbury acquired defenceman Liam Ladds of Ilderton, Ont., from the Peterborough Petes on Thursday for the Petes’ fifth-round pick in the 2027 OHL Priority Selection. In two-plus seasons with Peterborough, Ladds, who turns 18 on Oct. 28, played 115 games with two goals and 15 assists for 17 points … The referees were Ryan Elbers and Damian Figueira.
