OT Thriller in Mississauga
Ethan Procyszyn scored at 3:55 of overtime to lift the North Bay Battalion to a 4-3 Ontario Hockey League victory Friday night over the Mississauga Steelheads and into first place in the Eastern Conference and Central Division.
Dalyn Wakely had two goals and one assist and Anthony Romani also scored for North Bay, which won a season-high fourth straight game in improving its won-lost-extended record to 22-14-6 for 50 points, one more than the division rival Sudbury Wolves, who lost 7-3 at home to the Erie Otters, and two ahead of the idle Brantford Bulldogs, leaders in the East Division.
Goaltender Dom DiVincentiis, playing his 100th game, provided 31 saves as he posted his 64th win, tying Bryan Pitton for second place in franchise history. Jake Smith had 90 career victories, including 81 for North Bay.
Luke Misa, Angus MacDonell and Porter Martone each scored one goal and added an assist for Mississauga before a crowd of 1,903. Goaltender Ryerson Leenders, making a 10th straight start, contributed 20 saves. The Steelheads are 22-17-3 for 47 points, third in the Central.
The Troops stormed the Mississauga zone in overtime, recording three shots on goal, eclipsing the season-low two registered in the third period. After Romani fired wide alone in front, Sandis Vilmanis was denied at the left post and Tnias Mathurin put a backhander high over the net, Procyszyn stuffed the puck home on a wraparound, assisted by Ty Nelson and Andrew LeBlanc.
With six Steelheads skaters deployed, Martone precipitated overtime with his team-leading 29th goal of the season at 19:04 of the third frame, taking a MacDonell pass across the goalmouth and ripping the rubber into the net from the left side.
DiVincentiis preserved a 3-2 lead earlier in the period, stopping Misa at pointblank range at 2:19 and denying Lucas Karmiris on a three-on-one rush in the 10th minute.
Wakely opened the scoring at 9:06 of the first period, deflecting a Nelson right-point drive behind Leenders from the goalmouth.
Romani, who raced away to corral a puck off the end boards that otherwise would have been icing, rifled the disc home at 13:28 for his team-leading 36th goal. Wakely and Owen Van Steensel assisted. With 33 assists for 69 points, Romani is tied with Hunter Brzustewicz of the Kitchener Rangers for first place in OHL scoring.
The Troops, who outshot Mississauga 10-4 in the frame, dominated play and enjoyed several other solid chances to score, including on a break-in by Jacob Therrien at 5:55 that left Leenders with no idea where the puck was under him.
Wakely scored at 1:11 of the second period, four seconds after a Battalion power play expired. He took a pass from Van Steensel and beat Leenders high to the glove side from the inner edge of the left circle. Nelson also assisted on Wakely’s 21st goal.
Misa responded 1:15 later, getting open on the left side for his 18th goal, assisted by Chas Sharpe and Marc Boudreau.
MacDonell pulled Mississauga within a goal at 10:37, cutting off the right wing to the net and going to his forehand to slip the puck home for his 15th goal. Adam Zidlicky and Martone assisted.
The Battalion entertains the Niagara IceDogs at 2 p.m. Sunday on Cogeco Minor Hockey Day.
BATTALION BULLETS: It was the fourth of six season meetings, with the Battalion holding a 3-1-0 record. The visiting Steelheads won 7-6 on Oct. 19 before the Troops prevailed 5-3 on the road Dec. 8 and 4-2 at home Jan. 11. The next encounter is Feb. 1 at North Bay … The game was the first of six in a row against divisional foes, the longest such run this season. Mississauga and Sudbury provide the opposition twice each, with single dates against Niagara and the Barrie Colts … With three assists, Nelson has 120 in 167 career games, tied with Jeff Bateman for fifth place in franchise history. A scoring change saw Nelson awarded an assist on Wakely’s empty-net goal in a 6-3 road win over the Soo Greyhounds last Saturday night … Romani is on a 19-game points streak in which he has 18 goals and as many assists for 36 points … Van Steensel, with two assists, has a 10-game points streak in which he has five goals and seven assists for 12 points … The Battalion went 0-for-3 on the power play. Mississauga was 0-for-2 … Opening lines included Wakely centring left winger Van Steensel and right winger Romani, Liam Arnsby centring left winger Justin Ertel and right winger Vilmanis and Procyszyn pivoting left winger LeBlanc and right winger Therrien. Brice Cooke centred left winger Ihnat Pazii and right winger Lirim Amidovski … Defence pairs had Nelson with Paul Christopoulos, Mathurin with Jacob LeBlanc and Trevor McDowell with Wyatt Kennedy … The Battalion scratched Brayden Turley, Nolan Laird, Bronson Ride and Stef Forgione. Photo & article credit- North Bay Battalion
