Troops rally to victory
Ethan Procyszyn’s solo break-in goal at 7:56 of the third period proved the winner as the North Bay Battalion defeated the Peterborough Petes 5-3 in Ontario Hockey League action Thursday night, rallying from a 3-0 first-period deficit.
Anthony Romani had an empty-net goal and an assist, and Kent Greer, Jacob LeBlanc and Lirim Amidovski also scored for North Bay, which got 35 saves from goaltender Mike McIvor before 3,730 at the Peterborough Memorial Centre.
The Battalion, which opened an eastern swing of three games in as many days, posted its third consecutive victory to start the season, including a 4-0 decision over the visiting Petes last Friday night when McIvor made 36 saves for his second OHL shutout.
Colin Fitzgerald scored two goals and Quinton Page the other for Peterborough as goaltender Zach Bowen stopped 31 of 35 shots. The Petes have lost their three games.
With the teams tied 3-3 in the final frame, Procyszyn intercepted a pass in the offensive zone and found himself with a clear path to the net for his third goal of the season, tying Amidovski for the team lead.
The Troops went on the power play after Chase Lefebvre was whistled at 18:31 for throwing a stick. Bowen went to the bench for a fifth skater, and Romani, assisted by Wyatt Kennedy, put the puck into the vacant net at 19:55. Romani has two goals, both empty-netters.
The Battalion, which trailed 3-2 after 20 minutes, tied it at 6:48 of the second period when Amidovski beat Bowen to the glove side off the right post. Natan Teshome had the sole assist.
Bowen produced big stops in the second half of the frame, getting the right pad on a shot from Reyth Smith alone in the slot in the 13th minute, stoning Andrew LeBlanc with the left pad against a one-timer in the 15th and grabbing a puck that Owen Van Steensel tried to poke across the goal line at 18:05.
Rookie Fitzgerald opened the scoring 50 seconds into the game off an odd-man rush before the Battalion ran into penalty trouble. Page scored with the man advantage at 6:28 in the first half of a double minor for high-sticking issued to Zach Wilson, and Fitzgerald netted his second goal on the power play at 8:49, sweeping the puck home from the slot as Teshome serving a tripping call.
Rookie defenceman Greer sparked the comeback 21 seconds later, driving deep on the right side to cash a rebound for his first OHL goal and point as Ihnat Pazii and LeBlanc assisted.
Defenceman Jacob LeBlanc scored on a one-timer from a sharp angle to Bowen’s right at 10:12, assisted by Van Steensel and Romani, before a rash of penalties to both teams peppered the rest of the period.
The Battalion visits the Kingston Frontenacs at 7 p.m. Friday. The game can be seen live in North Bay on YourTV Channels 12 and 700.
BATTALION BULLETS: The Battalion wore their white sweaters and socks, standard home apparel through Dec. 31, at the request of the Petes, who donned themed uniforms on Pride Night … In 202 games, Van Steensel has 62 goals and 88 assists for 150 points, tied with John Hughes and Kamil Kreps for 23rd place in franchise history … The Battalion went 1-for-4 on the power play. Peterborough was 2-for-7 … Amidovski and Pazii paced the Troops with five shots on goal apiece. Fitzgerald, Page, Lefebvre and Jonathan Melee each had five for Peterborough … Opening lines had Procyszyn centring left winger Van Steensel and right winger Romani, Andrew LeBlanc pivoting left winger Pazii and right winger Amidovski and Nolan Laird centring left winger Teshome and right winger Ryder Carey. Dylan Richter centred left winger Smith and right winger Stepan Chukharev … Defence pairings saw Bronson Ride with Kennedy, Brayden Turley with Jacob LeBlanc and Wilson with Greer … The Battalion was without Declan Gallivan, Aaron Enright, Dalyn Wakely, Tyson Rismond and Jacob Therrien, who completed a two-game suspension resulting from a head-checking major and game misconduct last Friday night … Fitzgerald was the third overall pick in the 2024 OHL Priority Selection from the Peterborough Petes U16s … Grayden Strohack returned to the Petes lineup from a four-game suspension for actions in a 9-0 home-ice loss March 21 to the Ottawa 67’s … Jarrett Burton and Jack Hennigan were the referees.
