Cali set for Battalion debut

Cali set for Battalion debut

The North Bay Battalion returns to action with newcomer Ryder Cali in uniform when it visits the Barrie Colts at 7:30 p.m. Saturday to open its only home-and-home series of the Ontario Hockey League season.

Barrie visits Memorial Gardens on Sunday to complete the set as the Central Division rivals put the OHL’s seven-day Christmas break behind them.

North Bay, which has lost its last three games, has a won-lost-extended record of 13-15-3 for 29 points, fifth in the division and ninth in the Eastern Conference. Barrie, 21-9-2 for 44 points, is second in the division and third in the conference.

The Battalion is 6-6-3 in home games with 19 left. On the road, the Troops are 7-9-0 with 18 away dates to play, including a game against the Soo Greyhounds that was postponed Nov. 29 and has yet to be rescheduled.

Cali, whose rights were acquired from Soo on Sept. 13, will make the first of as many as five appearances while the Milton Menace of the junior A Ontario Junior Hockey League is on its holiday break through Jan. 6. The first-round pick, 18th overall, in the OHL Priority Selection last April is with the Troops as an affiliate player before joining the club fulltime next season.

Coach Ryan Oulahen said he’s “just looking to work with him, get a feel for the player, have the player get a feel for us as to how we like to do things.”

“This is a high-potential player that’s going to add to our lineup here. We’re lucky to have him for when we do. For me, I just love building a relationship and getting to work with him, and I think that’s the biggest thing we’re going to be able to do here in the short term.”

Cali, who arrived in North Bay for practice Friday, has made a verbal commitment to Harvard University of Cambridge, Mass. The NCAA’s Division I council voted Nov. 7 to permit former Canadian Hockey League players to compete for Division I schools in the U.S. starting Aug. 1. Previously, CHL participation ended players’ eligibility.

The Battalion, which reached the conference final in each of the last three seasons, has seen several players suffer significant injuries, curtailing their contributions.

Anthony Romani, who led the OHL in scoring in 2023-24 with 58 goals, and Ihnat Pazii each broke a collarbone in a 3-2 road victory via shootout Oct. 11 over the Erie Otters. Romani, who’s been practising with the Troops in a red jersey, has played only six games, scoring two goals and adding three assists for five points. Pazii has two assists in six games.

Andrew LeBlanc suffered a leg injury in a 4-3 home-ice win Nov. 21 over the Guelph Storm and missed eight games before returning for the last two. In his first game back, he scored to unleash the Teddy Bears in a 4-1 loss Dec. 18 to the visiting Greyhounds.

Ethan Procyszyn has scored a team-leading 20 goals and earned 12 assists for 32 points in 31 games to pace the Troops’ points production. Jacob LeBlanc has five goals and a team-high 26 assists for 31 points in as many games, while Shamar Moses has scored seven goals and added 21 assists for 28 points in 26 games since a trade from Barrie.

Owen Van Steensel has 12 goals and 12 assists for 24 points in 31 games, and Jacob Therrien has scored six goals and earned 13 assists for 19 points in 29 games.

Procyszyn, who has 11 power-play goals, is in a three-way tie for the league lead.

Four Colts are playing in the World Junior Championship at Ottawa and suburban Kanata. Cole Beaudoin and Beau Akey are with Canada, while Emil Hemming is with Finland and Sam Hillebrandt is part of the crease crew for the U.S.

Beaudoin leads Barrie with 13 goals and 16 assists for 29 points in 24 games, and Dalyn Wakely, who went the other way in the Moses trade, has 14 goals and as many assists for 28 points in 24 games. Beau Jelsma has scored 13 goals and added 15 assists for 28 points in 23 games, while Riley Patterson has 14 goals, tied with Wakely for the team high, and 13 assists for 27 points in 30 games.

In 21 games, Hillebrandt has a goals-against average of 2.93, a save percentage of .903 and a record of 12-7-1. Ben Hrebik, 9-2-1, has a GAA of 2.03, a save percentage of .939 and one shutout in 13 games.

Mike McIvor of the Battalion is 10-6-2 with a 3.01 GAA and a .909 save percentage with one shutout in 20 games. Charlie Larocque, in 13 games, is 3-9-0 with a 4.83 GAA and an .843 save percentage. Photo/article credit- North Bay Battalion

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