Gens Edged out 3-2 by Battalion
Published on January 28, 2012 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Oshawa Generals News Release
Oshawa, Ontario - The Generals came out on the losing end of a tight checking, defensive battle Saturday night. They fell 3-2 to the Brampton Battalion before an impressive crowd of 5,514 at the General Motors Centre in Oshawa. 2 unanswered Battalion second period goals proved to be the difference. The Generals' power play had its chances, but went 0-for-4 and prevented Oshawa from getting back in the game.
Both teams were coming off losses and looked hungry in the first period. Oshawa's offence grabbed the reins right away. Andy Andreoff found a seam that sent Christian Thomas streaming down the left side. Thomas calmly crossed the blue line and unleashed a wrist shot that went upper deck on Keegan Wilson. The goal came at 1:10 and put Oshawa up 1-0.
Brampton didn't wait long to respond. Battalion centre, Jamie Lewis, won a clean faceoff to the right of Kevin Bailie back to the left point. Brenden Miller got good wood on a slap shot that scorched by Bailie glove side. Less than 4 minutes into the game, the score was tied at 1.
Throughout the frame, the Generals' defense did a solid job of boxing out Brampton forecheckers in front of the net. Julian Melchiori was a heavy hitter cranking green and white jerseys into the glass at every opportunity.
Boone Jenner split Brampton's defence, but he ran out of the time and space necessary to beat Wilson's right pad.
The Generals' power play had an opportune two-man-advantage late in the frame, but Wilson stepped up to the plate and fielded a barrage of Thomas haymakers delivered from the tops of the circles. Brampton weathered the storm.
Sensing a missed opportunity, the Generals found redemption at 18:19. Jenner reached into his bag of tricks and fooled Brampton's defenders, moving forward off the faceoff. Wilson blocked a Jenner corker from the slot, but Nicklas Jensen found the rebound and hammered home a 2-1 Oshawa lead.
In the middle-twenty, Brampton gained the upper hand. Barclay Goodrow came close to getting the ball rolling firing a series of wrist shots from the slot. A flurry of pad saves held down the fort and kept Brampton's snipers guessing.
But at 3:49, the Battalion found the answer. Operating from the right boards, Sam Carrick fed Goodrow with a beautiful cross-ice saucer pass. Goodrow one-touched the puck past Bailie stick side tying the game at 2.
Not quite satisfied, Carrick scored the go-ahead marker at 14:50. Cutting across the tops of the circles, he stitched a wrist shot through Bailie for his 25th of the season. The Generals' net-minder made a valiant glove save on Mitchell Porowski, but at the end of 40, Brampton led 3-2. Heading into the third, Oshawa had to find a way to generate more quality scoring chances on Brampton's net.
Early in the final frame, Lucas Lessio nearly rejuvenated Oshawa's rush. Lessio burned down the ice and baited Wilson with a forehand-to-backhand deke. Alas, Wilson's left pad battened down the bottom corner, and Lessio couldn't tuck home the equalizer.
Matt Petgrave shored up Oshawa's zone putting his body on the line to break up Battalion odd-man-rushes.
In the final minute, the Generals pulled their goaltender with the power play, but despite a beehive of activity in Brampton's zone, Wilson closed the door and prevented overtime.
Final shots favoured Brampton, 37-27.
Christian Thomas picked up the second star selection in the game.
With the loss, Oshawa is now tied with Belleville with 47 points. The Bulls bump the Generals from 8th place though, as they have a game in hand.
Oshawa completes their 3-game-weekend at home, tomorrow night, Sunday January 29th, vs. their division rivals, the Peterborough Petes. It's also Oshawa Centre Promotional Night featuring Chuck-a-Puck. Proceeds go to the United Way. The action gets underway at 6:05 PM at the General Motors Centre.
Ontario Hockey League Stories from January 28, 2012
- Gens Edged out 3-2 by Battalion - Oshawa Generals
- Spirit Fall to Knights 6-3 - Saginaw Spirit
- Fox Nets Hat Trick as Otters Win, 7-4 - Erie Otters
- Knights Special Teams Sink Spits - Windsor Spitfires
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
