Troops Win in OT

Troops prevail in overtime

Andrew LeBlanc scored at 1:55 of overtime to lift the North Bay Battalion to a 3-2 victory Friday night over the Brantford Bulldogs in Ontario Hockey League action.

Ethan Procyszyn and Stepan Chukharev had the other goals for North Bay, while goaltender Mike McIvor provided 24 saves before 2,976 at the Brantford Civic Centre.

The Battalion improved its won-lost-extended record to 6-4-0 for 12 points, tied with the Niagara IceDogs, who lost 4-2 to the host Kitchener Rangers, atop the Central Division.

Dylan Tsherna and Jake O’Brien scored for Brantford as goaltender David Egorov faced 40 shots. The Bulldogs, winners of their previous three games, are 4-3-1 for nine points, tied with the Oshawa Generals for first place in the East Division.

The teams were skating four a side in overtime after the expiration of a double minor for high-sticking to Brantford’s Lucas Moore at 17:31 of the third period when LeBlanc dashed down the left wing, swept past O’Brien and cruised across the goalmouth to backhand the puck behind Egorov. Kent Greer and Jacob LeBlanc assisted on the scorer’s second goal of the season.

Chukharev tied it at 13:50 of the third period, cashing a Reyth Smith rebound from the inner edge of the left circle. Brayden Turley, with a left-point shot, also assisted on rookie Chukharev’s first OHL goal, which constituted his first point.

Brantford, which trailed 1-0 through 40 minutes, got on the board at 1:41 of the period when Tsherna put the puck home from the left side. A Battalion turnover at the blue line led to Joshua Avery and Luca Testa working the puck to the crease.

O’Brien collected his fourth goal at 12:31 when he snapped the puck past McIvor from the left circle on assists by Noah Roberts and Owen Protz.

How to Watch NY Giants Games in 2024Procyszyn struck on the power play at 12:33 of the second period after Tsherna was sent off for his second penalty of the frame. Jacob Therrien stepped into the high slot and fired the puck into traffic in front, with Procyszyn spinning to his forehand to stuff the disc past Egorov. LeBlanc also assisted on Procyszyn’s team-leading eighth goal.

Egorov robbed Smith at the left side of the crease in the fourth minute and snagged a high Procyszyn blast off an odd-man rush at 11:08. Egorov also denied Andrew LeBlanc at the right side off a cross-zone pass from Natan Teshome at 14:10.

The Battalion carried the play early in the first period, recording five shots on goal before Brantford countered with two on the power play after LeBlanc went off for holding at 5:26. The Bulldogs’ first shot saw McIvor stone Testa on a pointblank drive from the slot off a left-wing pass by Patrick Thomas, who was named Brantford’s captain Friday.

Smith and Niko Krmpotic fought at 12:36, with Krmpotic landing a flurry of punches on Smith’s helmet before the Battalion rookie delivered a solid uppercut. Each combatant was assessed a major penalty.

The Battalion plays host to the Sudbury Wolves at 2 p.m. Sunday on Indigenous Youth Day. Photo/Article credit- North Bay Battalion

BATTALION BULLETS: Jacob LeBlanc has three goals and nine assists for 12 points in 10 games and leads OHL defencemen in scoring … Chukharev, a resident of Vaughan, Ont., was a fifth-round pick, 101st overall, in the 2023 OHL Priority Selection from the Vaughan Kings U16s … The Battalion had the only three shots in overtime … Procyszyn led the Troops with six shots on goal. Testa topped the Bulldogs with five … The Battalion went 1-for-5 on the power play. Brantford was 0-for-3 … Opening lines featured Procyszyn centring left winger Owen Van Steensel and right winger Shamar Moses, Andrew LeBlanc centring left winger Teshome and right winger Therrien and Ryder Carey pivoting left winger Nolan Laird and right winger Lirim Amidovski. Dylan Richter centred left winger Smith and right winger Chukharev … Defence pairings saw Bronson Ride with Wyatt Kennedy, Turley with Jacob LeBlanc and Zach Wilson with Greer … The Battalion was without Declan Gallivan, Aaron Enright, Ihnat Pazii, Anthony Romani and Tyson Rismond … Among the missing for Brantford were Marek Vanacker and Ben Bujold … Briir Long of Astorville played his fourth game this season with Brantford, which took him in the 2023 Priority Selection from the Mississauga Senators U16s. He tested McIvor from directly in front at 9:28 of the third period after a pass from behind the goal line. Long played last season with the junior B St. Thomas Stars, seeing action in one game with the Bulldogs.