OHL North Bay Battalion

Battalion Celebrates Win

Published on December 31, 2019 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
North Bay Battalion News Release


NORTH BAY, Ont. - Luke Moncada scored two goals and added an assist as the North Bay Battalion defeated the Sudbury Wolves 5-3 Tuesday, handing the Wolves a sixth straight Ontario Hockey League loss.

Brad Chenier, Alex Christopoulos and Mitchell Russell, into an empty net, also scored for North Bay, which has a won-lost-extended record of 9-26-0 for 18 points, fifth and last in the Central Division. Goaltender Cameron Lamour made 26 saves before a crowd of 2,511 for the Troops' traditional New Year's Eve game.

Macauley Carson had one goal and one assist for Sudbury, 18-17-1 for 37 points atop the division. The Wolves also got goals from Owen Robinson and Nolan Hutcheson, while starting goaltender Christian Purboo allowed three goals on eight shots in the first period before being replaced by Mitchell Weeks, who surrendered one goal on 16 shots over the final two frames.

"Every game takes a different path, and this game needed a lot of blocked shots and a goaltender who played really well," said interim coach Ryan Oulahen of the Battalion, which recorded a second consecutive win after a 6-5 overtime verdict Sunday night over the host Oshawa Generals.

"We needed some greasy play and we got it. That was Battalion hockey. Our penalty kill was outstanding and probably the reason we won. We gained a lot of momentum on our penalty kills, but we probably lost a little momentum when we didn't capitalize on our chances. The game went back and forth for both teams."

The Battalion emerged from the first period with a 3-1 lead after Chenier opened the scoring at 11:24, converting the rebound of a Moncada shot. Brandon Coe also assisted on Chenier's team-leading 18th goal of the season.

Sudbury responded 10 seconds later when Robinson's shot from the left-wing boards eluded Lamour, in goal for a second straight game.

The Troops found themselves shorthanded for five minutes after Mason Primeau was assessed a major for interference and a game misconduct at 11:49. The penalty, resulting from a check on Owen Gilhula, first was posted as a minor but, after a lengthy review by referees Jason Goldenberg and Dan Ransom, was elevated to a major.

Penalty killer Moncada turned the tables on the Wolves with his league-leading sixth shorthanded goal at 16:25. Moncada drove past Kalle Loponen and, falling forward, put the puck from the right circle over Purboo's blocker. Paul Christopoulos had the lone assist.

Alex Christopoulos connected at 18:44, taking a back pass from Kyle Jackson and snapping the rubber past Purboo's glove from the top of the right circle. Lamour earned his second career point with the other assist on Christopoulos's third goal.

The teams traded goals in the second period, with Moncada scoring unassisted at 4:53 when he beat Weeks low to the stick side from the right circle for a 16th goal on the season and Hutcheson cashing his own rebound at 14:26 on a breakaway.

Sudbury had numerous opportunities to get back into the game on the power play in the third period, starting when Russell and Chad Denault went off 15 seconds apart in the second minute. But Gilhula drew a tripping call with one second left in Russell's penalty and, even after Coe and Simon Rose were handed minors shortly after that, the Wolves failed to capitalize.

Weeks left for a sixth skater to set up Russell's empty-netter at 18:19 before Carson beat Lamour high to the glove side from the left circle at 19:13.

The Battalion plays host to the Niagara IceDogs at 7 p.m. Thursday.

BATTALION BULLETS: The Battalion has an all-time won-lost-tied record of 18-3-1 on New Year's Eve, including 5-2-0 at North Bay since relocation from Brampton in 2013. Sudbury has provided the opposition four times, including three games at Memorial Gardens, with the Troops 3-1-0 against the Wolves in Dec. 31 games ... The crowd was the second-largest of the season, behind the 2,903 that took in a season-opening 3-0 loss Sept. 20 to the Barrie Colts ... Jackson has a three-game points streak in which he has two goals and two assists for four points ... The Battalion posted a won-lost-extended record of 4-5-0 in December ... The Troops are 7-9-0 at home ... North Bay went 0-for-5 on the power play. Sudbury was 0-for-7 ... Opening lines included Moncada centring left winger Chenier and right winger Coe, Primeau pivoting left winger Harrison Caines and right winger Russell and Cameron Peters centring left winger Josh Currie and right winger Denault. Liam Arnsby centred left winger Jackson and right winger Christopoulos ... The Battalion was without James Mayotte and Christian Cicigoi ... Among the missing for Sudbury, which dressed 11 forwards and seven defencemen, was Quinton Byfield, who's with Canada at the World Junior Championship in the Czech Republic ... In three games against North Bay, Carson has two goals and four assists for six points.

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Ontario Hockey League Stories from December 31, 2019


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