Troops double Trout 4-2

Andrew LeBlanc’s goal at 12:18 of the second period proved the winner as the North Bay Battalion defeated the Brampton Steelheads 4-2 Thursday night and climbed into a tie with the idle Ottawa 67’s in the Ontario Hockey League’s Eastern Conference playoff race.

Parker Vaughan and Lirim Amidovski scored first-period goals 18 seconds apart, and Bronson Ride converted into an empty net for the Battalion, which got 35 saves from Jack Lisson in a stellar showing before a crowd of 2,095.

The Battalion moved its won-lost-extended record to 19-27-4 for 42 points, fifth in the Central Division and tied with the 67’s of the East Division for the eighth and last conference playoff berth. The Troops have two games in hand on Ottawa, which saw a Thursday night visit to the Peterborough Petes postponed to Friday night because of inclement weather.

“I said yesterday that I was hoping we were going to look like a different team after three good days of practice, and we certainly did,” said coach Ryan Oulahen, whose charges, 0-2-1 in their previous three outings, played their last home game until Feb. 27, when Brampton visits again.

“We just got back to basics and playing fast hockey. Our transition game was really good. Our neutral zone defending was way better than it has been. Against their high-octane forwards, we had to do that, and I think ultimately that led to some success, a little bit more O-zone time and some good performances here today.”

Adam Zidlicky and Angus MacDonell scored for Brampton, with goaltender Jack Ivankovic giving up three goals on 26 shots.

Brampton, which defeated the host Sudbury Wolves 7-3 Wednesday night, is 23-20-8 for 54 points, third in the Central and sixth in the conference. The Steelheads had won three straight games since a 5-3 road loss Feb. 2 to the Owen Sound Attack.

Zidlicky opened the scoring at 6:36 of the first period, putting a soft shot past Lisson as he was bumped by Mason Zebeski. The goal, Zidlicky’s 16th, assisted by Luke Misa and Zebeski, survived a video review after Oulahen’s challenge.

Vaughan tied it on the power play at 14:22, wiring the puck from the top of the left circle to the short side for his seventh goal, his third since a trade from the Barrie Colts. Adrian Manzo and Ihnat Pazii assisted.

Amidovski promptly collected his 13th goal when he ripped the puck high to the glove side on an odd-man rush at 14:40, giving the Battalion a lead it never relinquished. Pazii and Nick Wellenreiter drew assists.

In the middle frame, LeBlanc scored off a two-on-one rush against Finn Harding, converting a pass from Jacob Therrien. Ethan Procyszyn also assisted on LeBlanc’s 10th goal.

Lisson, who denied Carson Rehkopf in close on the left side, later stoned Harding, who broke in alone in the 17th minute as the Troops awkwardly switched up their defence as a four-on-four skating situation gave way to a Steelheads power play.

MacDonell pulled Brampton within a goal at 17:14 of the third period, steering the puck into the open net with Lisson out of the play. Harding had the sole assist on McDonell’s 19th goal.

With Ivankovic gone for a sixth attacker, Ride banked the puck off the left-wing boards from behind his own net and down the length of the ice for the empty-netter at 19:11. Defenceman Ride’s third goal was unassisted.

The Battalion plays the first of a season-high six consecutive road dates when it meets Barrie at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. The game can be seen live in North Bay on YourTV Channels 12 and 700.

BATTALION BULLETS: Rug-A-Roo Flooring presented Valentine’s at Boart Longyear Memorial Gardens … It was the fourth of six meetings, with the Battalion holding a record of 2-1-1. Brampton won 7-2 at home Nov. 1 and 5-4 in overtime at North Bay on Nov. 3 before the Troops prevailed 6-5 in overtime at the CAA Centre on Jan. 11 … Ride’s three goals have come in the last four games … Therrien topped the Troops with four shots on goal. Rehkopf led Brampton with five … The Battalion went 1-for-4 on the power play. Brampton was 0-for-1 … Opening line combinations featured Procyszyn centring left winger LeBlanc and right winger Therrien, Zach Wigle centring left winger Shamar Moses and right winger Vaughan and Pazii skating between left winger Amidovski and right winger Wellenreiter. Nolan Laird centred left winger Briir Long and right winger Ryder Carey … Defence pairings had Ride with Jacob LeBlanc, Aaron Enright with Manzo and Zach Wilson with Brayden Turley … The Battalion scratched Kent Greer, Reyth Smith and Stepan Chukharev … Among the missing for Brampton were William Eggleton, Vilmer Alriksson and Lucas Karmiris … MacDonell has a seven-game points streak during which he has four goals and seven assists for 11 points … Brampton’s Porter Martone saw the end of six-game assists and points streaks in which he had five goals and 11 assists for 16 points … Drew Jackson and Mac Nichol were the referees.