Troops win OT thriller
Kaden Pitre scored at 4:55 of overtime to lift the North Bay Battalion to a 5-4 comeback victory over the Brantford Bulldogs in a wild Ontario Hockey League game Thursday night.
Lirim Amidovski had three goals and one assist and Sebastien Gervais the other goal for the Battalion, while Pitre added two assists. Goaltender Jack Lisson provided 28 saves before a crowd of 2,631.
North Bay improved its won-lost-extended record to 24-17-2 for 50 points, second in the Central Division.
Jake O’Brien scored two goals and assisted on another for Brantford, which got one goal and one assist from each of Marek Vanacker and Cooper Dennis. Goaltender David Egorov faced 41 shots as Brantford, 30-7-7 for 67 points, pulled into a tie with the Ottawa 67’s atop the East Division.
With time winding down in the extra period, Brandt Harper fed the puck back to Pitre in the offensive zone off a desperate rush. Pitre, who beat Egorov cleanly, netted his 12th goal of the season, his seventh in 15 games since a trade from the Flint Firebirds.
Amidovski forced overtime with his 16th goal at 19:16 of the third period, converting a rebound at the left side with assists to Shamar Moses and Harper.
The Troops appeared to score 39 seconds into overtime, but referee Blake Beer blew the play dead before the puck trickled under Egorov and across the goal line.
The Battalion led 3-2 at the second intermission before O’Brien tied it at 17:20 of the third period. With the teams serving coincidental minors, Bulldogs coach Jay McKee pulled Egorov for an extra skater, and O’Brien jammed away at the puck for his 14th goal.
Dennis, assisted by Vanacker and Gabriel Frasca, drove off the left wing for his 25th goal at 18:03, giving Brantford a 4-3 lead, but Amidovski answered.
The Battalion, which trailed 2-1 through 20 minutes, tied it on the power play at 5:48 of the second period, six seconds after Jett Luchanko went off for interference. Kent Greer fired the puck from the blue line, and Amidovski tipped it. Cam Warren also assisted.
Gervais connected at the left lip of the crease at 19:15, putting the puck past the sprawling Egorov off an Amidovski drive. Pitre had the other assist on the 14th goal by Gervais, his second in six games since a trade from the Saginaw Spirit.
Vanacker opened the scoring on the power play at 8:41 of the first period, although it took some time for the fact to be realized, with play continuing until he put the puck in the net again at 9:04. The clock was reset, with O’Brien and Caleb Malhotra receiving assists on Vanacker’s league-leading 31st goal.
Amidovski took a short pass from Pitre in the neutral zone and broke in on a two-on-one rush, beating Egorov from the top of the right circle at 15:28.
O’Brien struck at 19:38, sweeping the puck home from deep in the left circle, the assists going to Dennis and Zackary Sandhu.
The Battalion visits the Soo Greyhounds at 7:07 p.m. Saturday for the first of back-to-back games, both of which can be seen live in North Bay on YourTV Channels 12 and 700.
BATTALION BULLETS: On Soiree Carnaval presented by Les Compagnons, which had a booth in the concourse, Bonhomme Carnaval visited with fans … It was the second of four season meetings, after Brantford posted a 7-2 home-ice win Dec. 6. The next encounter is scheduled March 12 at Boart Longyear Memorial Gardens … The Bulldogs have lost all six of their games decided in overtime … Nick Wellenreiter topped the Troops with eight shots on goal. Vanacker paced the Bulldogs with seven … North Bay recorded six shots before Brantford managed its first, 7:57 into the game … The Battalion went 1-for-6 on the power play. Brantford was 1-for-2 … Opening lines included Ethan Procyszyn centring left winger Wellenreiter and right winger Parker Vaughan, Pitre pivoting left winger Gervais and right winger Amidovski and Ryder Cali centring left winger Moses and right winger Warren. Evgeny Dubrovtsev centred left winger Nolan Laird and right winger Ryder Carey … Defence pairs had Bronson Ride with Harper, Aaron Enright with Hayden Barch and Adrian Manzo with Greer … The Battalion was without Mike McIvor, Jonathan Kapageridis, Alexander Karmanov, Carter Kunopaski and Arseny Pronin … Cole Vreugdenhil again backed up Lisson … Greer returned after losing seven games to an injury suffered in a 4-2 loss Dec. 31 to the visiting Kitchener Rangers … Among the missing for Brantford were Adam Benak and Luca Testa … Ryan Elbers was the other referee.
