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OHL North Bay Battalion

Amadio-McKenzie Ticket Earns Troops Nod

March 6, 2016 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
North Bay Battalion News Release


FLINT, Mich. - While Democratic presidential hopefuls Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders prepared for an oral engagement mere miles away, the North Bay Battalion allowed no debate as to the better choice Sunday at the Dort Federal Event Center.

Mike Amadio and Brett McKenzie each recorded two goals and one assist as the North Bay Battalion trumped the Flint Firebirds 8-2 in an Ontario Hockey League game.

Zach Poirier scored one goal and added two assists, Justin Brazeau had one goal and one assist and Kyle Potts and Max Kislinger also scored for the Battalion, which gained a split of a two-game road trip after a 4-2 setback Saturday night to the Windsor Spitfires. Zach Shankar earned three assists, while goaltender Jake Smith made 45 saves.

North Bay improved its won-lost-extended record to 32-21-9 for 73 points, second in the Central Division and third in the Eastern Conference.

Captain Amadio has 46 goals, one fewer than Wojtek Wolski's franchise-record 47 in 2005-06, and 92 points, tied with Cody Hodgson's 2008-09 total as the second-best all-time behind Wolski's 128 in 2005-06. Amadio's numbers are the best since the Battalion moved from Brampton.

Jacob Collins and Will Bitten scored for Flint, 19-36-6 for 44 points, fifth in the West Division and ninth in the Western Conference. Starting goaltender Kyle Keyser allowed five goals on 22 shots before Brent Moran entered the game in relief, giving up three goals on 17 shots.

The Troops grabbed a 3-0 lead in the first period, sparked by Potts's fifth goal of the season at 5:34. Potts swept the rebound of a Brazeau shot past Keyser from deep in the left-wing circle, with Mark Shoemaker drawing the second assist.

Brazeau connected at 11:07, banging home the rebound of Kyle Wood's shot from the blue line. Amadio also assisted on Brazeau's fifth goal before scoring what proved to be the winner at 18:19 as he took a Shankar pass and beat Keyser to the blocker side off the right wing.

Collins replied at 18:44 when he moved into the slot and drilled a Dane Johnstone pass from behind the net over a fallen Smith, and Bitten made it 3-2 on the power play at 3:06 of the second period, converting a Caamano pass on a backdoor play to the right post.

Poirier struck at 10:52 as he beat Keyser from the right circle, with assists to McKenzie and Mike Baird, and Kislinger sent Keyser to the bench at 14:39, redirecting a Shankar shot between the goaltender's legs from deep in the left circle.

The Battalion added three goals in the third period. McKenzie struck at 11:04, snapping the puck from the edge of the left circle between Moran's pads, and Amadio connected off the left post from the left-wing boards at 12:57. McKenzie scored at 18:38, scooping a Poirier rebound over Moran's left shoulder. Shankar had the second assist on McKenzie's 25th goal.

The Battalion visits the Peterborough Petes at 7:05 p.m. Thursday in the third of five straight road games.

BATTALION BULLETS: The game was the first 5 p.m. start in Battalion history. North Bay was the last team to make a first visit to Flint. The Plymouth Whalers were sold and moved to the city of 100,000 for this season. The Battalion went 6-12-3 all-time at Plymouth, with the Whalers the only foe the Troops never tied ... Firebirds president Costa Papista, once an executive with the North Bay Centennials, celebrated his 48th birthday ... The Battalion finished 9-10-3 against Western Conference teams. North Bay was 5-6-1 against the West Division. The host Troops downed Flint 6-3 on Nov. 29 ... Amadio played his 257th game, passing Dylan Blujus for seventh place on the franchise list. Amadio scored his 13th game-winning goal, eclipsing Adam Henrich and Chris Rowan for seventh place in franchise history ... The Battalion was 0-for-3 on the power play. Flint went 1-for-3 ... Opening lines included Amadio centring left winger Maurizio Colella and right winger Mathew Santos, McKenzie pivoting left winger Baird and right winger Poirier and Brett Hargrave centring left winger Kislinger and right winger Harland. Potts centred left winger Jacob Ball and right winger Brazeau ... North Bay was without Jake Ramalho, David Sherman and Daniil Vertiy ... Shoemaker played his 100th OHL game.

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