Romani powers Battalion Victory
Anthony Romani scored two goals, helping power the North Bay Battalion to a 7-2 victory Thursday night over the Windsor Spitfires in Ontario Hockey League action.
Owen Van Steensel had one goal and two assists and Dalyn Wakely one goal and one assist, while Sandis Vilmanis, Tnias Mathurin and Ty Nelson also scored for North Bay, which improved its won-lost-extended record to 33-19-8 for 74 points, second in the Central Division, one point behind the Sudbury Wolves.
Goaltender Dom DiVincentiis contributed 30 saves as the black-clad Battalion posted a third consecutive win before 3,252 at Memorial Gardens. The Troops, who led 4-0 and 5-1 at the intermissions, are 11-4-0 in their last 15 games.
A.J. Spellacy and Ryan Struthers scored for Windsor, 18-35-7 for 43 points, last in the West Division. Goaltender Joey Costanzo faced 44 shots as the Spitfires suffered a fifth straight loss.
Vilmanis struck at 4:56 of the first period, chipping home a Justin Ertel pass off a two-on-one rush. It was Vilmanis’s 30th goal of the season, his 20th in 22 games since a Jan. 6 trade from the Sarnia Sting. The goal, also assisted by Liam Arnsby, was Vilmanis’s career 50th and marked his 100th point in 114 OHL games.
Wakely scored at 8:02, cruising across the goalmouth to backhand his 35th goal past Costanzo. Van Steensel and Wyatt Kennedy assisted.
Mathurin connected shorthanded at 9:43 for his third goal on a rush with Ertel. Defenceman Mathurin, returned from two games’ rest, slipped a between-the-legs shot under Costanzo for what proved to be the winner.
“That was impressive,” said coach Ryan Oulahen. “I didn’t realize live that he actually went through his legs until I saw the replay. He’s such a talented athlete, and I think it was kind of ad lib a little bit and a beautiful goal.”
Van Steensel capitalized on the power play at 17:18, putting a wired one-timer into the net from the right circle off a cross-ice pass from Andrew LeBlanc. Arnsby had the second assist on Van Steensel’s 34th goal.
Romani raced down the right wing and beat Costanzo high to the glove side at 12:43 of the middle period. DiVincentiis received the lone assist.
Spellacy replied at 17:00, taking a cross-crease pass from Liam Greentree, with Ryan Abraham also assisting. Spellacy’s 17th goal came after North Bay’s Jacob Therrien was sent to the ice in the offensive zone without a call.
Nelson scored five seconds into a power play at 1:33 of the third period, beating Costanzo to the far side from the left circle on assists by Van Steensel and Wakely. Defenceman Nelson has 25 power-play goals in 179 games, tying him with Aaron Van Leusen and Howie Martin for eighth place on the all-time franchise list.
Romani cashed a rebound with the man advantage at 11:18 for his team-leading 49th goal. LeBlanc and Ethan Procyszyn assisted, before Struthers completed the scoring with a snap shot from the left circle at 14:08.
BATTALION BULLETS: On Canadore College Recruitment Night, students’ council president Jessica Crook, vice-president Alex Matthew and student government coordinator Lise Paxton took part in the ceremonial faceoff … In the teams’ other meeting, the Spitfires prevailed 5-4 in overtime at home Oct. 5 … North Bay completed its schedule against Western Conference teams with a record of 12-9-1 … In 192 games, Wakely has 85 goals and 87 assists for 172 points, one behind Nelson and 16th in franchise history … In 179 games, Romani has 80 goals and 74 assists for 154 points, tied with Brad Chenier for 19th in franchise annals … Van Steensel has a 12-game points streak in which he has 11 goals and 14 assists for 25 points … The Battalion went 3-for-3 on the power play. Windsor was 0-for-4 … Opening lines saw Wakely centring left winger Van Steensel and right winger Romani, Arnsby centring left winger Ertel and right winger Vilmanis and Procyszyn pivoting left winger Andrew LeBlanc and right winger Therrien. Centre Brice Cooke and left winger Ihnat Pazii had various linemates … Defence pairings were Kennedy with Nelson, Mathurin with Paul Christopoulos and Bronson Ride with Jacob LeBlanc. Trevor McDowell also saw action … The Battalion scratched Brayden Turley, Nolan Laird, Stef Forgione and Lirim Amidovski … Windsor’s Djibril Toure has been suspended indefinitely for actions in a 6-1 home-ice loss Sunday to the Mississauga Steelheads. Photo/article credit-North Bay Battalion
