Battalion preps for three

With demand for results to secure an Ontario Hockey League playoff position tightening, the North Bay Battalion faces three games this week.

Coach Ryan Oulahen’s charges play host to the Brantford Bulldogs at 7 p.m. Thursday before visiting the Sudbury Wolves on Friday night and entertaining the Niagara IceDogs on Sunday.

North Bay has a won-lost-extended record of 17-23-3 for 37 points, fifth in the Central Division and ninth in the Eastern Conference, one point behind the East Division’s Ottawa 67’s with two games in hand. The top eight teams in each conference qualify for the postseason.

The Battalion, which rallied from two goals down to defeat the visiting Wolves 3-2 Sunday in its most recent outing, is 3-3-0 in its last six games.

“I just thought it was important for our group to earn some results, because they’ve been playing really good hockey,” Oulahen said Wednesday. “So hopefully, now that that happens, you kind of love the taste of it and try to do everything you can to keep it going.”

Brantford, 26-16-4 for 56 points, third in the East, saw an eight-game winning streak snapped in its last game, a 6-3 road setback Saturday night to the Barrie Colts.

The Bulldogs are fifth in the conference, one point behind the Kingston Frontenacs and two behind both the Oshawa Generals and Niagara. Four points separate the top five teams, as Barrie leads with 60 points.

Brantford edged the visiting Troops 2-1 on Jan. 19 to even the season series at a win apiece.

“It was a game in which we probably thought we deserved a little bit better, but they’re a good team,” noted Oulahen. “They’re the type of team that (shows) nothing flashy. Everything’s just really good and really solid so, in order to beat them, you’ve got to go out and earn it.”

Ethan Procyszyn paces Battalion scorers with a team-leading 25 goals and 17 assists for 42 points, and Jacob LeBlanc has six goals and a team-high 33 assists for 39 points, both in 43 games. Shamar Moses has scored 10 goals and earned 25 assists for 35 points in 36 games since a trade from Barrie, while Jacob Therrien, who scored the third-period winner against Sudbury, has seven goals and 13 assists for 20 points in 33 games.

“He’s somebody that has a little bit different skill set,” Oulahen said of Therrien, who has played two games since losing eight to an upper-body injury. “He can really be opportunistic a little bit. He’s got that speed that can get in behind defencemen, just exactly what he did on the goal.

“We’re lucky to have him back in the lineup. He’s healthy. He’s got through the weekend feeling really strong and good. Sometimes when you come back from an injury it takes you a little bit to get going, and I expect him to make another step here this weekend as well.”

Nick Lardis leads Brantford with a team-best 41 goals and 31 assists for 72 points in 44 games, and Patrick Thomas has scored 20 goals and added a team-high 47 assists for 67 points in 46 games. Jake O’Brien has 25 goals and 36 assists for 61 points in 46 games.

The Brantford game features Capitol Centre Night, with fans receiving a fridge magnet upon exiting the arena. Photo/article credit - North Bay Battalion