OHL North Bay Battalion

Battalion Hosts 'Hounds

Published on December 8, 2021 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
North Bay Battalion News Release


NORTH BAY, Ont. - The North Bay Battalion returns to the familiar confines of Memorial Gardens at 7 p.m. Thursday when the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds are the Ontario Hockey League visitors. It's the Troops' first home game since Nov. 21.

"We haven't played at home in a while," coach Ryan Oulahen noted Wednesday. "Hopefully, we get a little bit energized for that and see what we can do against a really good team."

North Bay boasts a won-lost-extended record of 15-7-2 for 32 points, first in the Central Division and alone atop the Eastern Conference pending the result of the Hamilton Bulldogs' game Wednesday night with the visiting Oshawa Generals. Hamilton was two points behind the Battalion entering the game.

Since starting the season with five of six games at home, the Battalion has played 14 of 18 on the road, going 8-4-2 in the away dates.

The Troops, 3-1-1 on a just-completed stretch of five road games and 7-1-1 in their last nine outings, were announced Wednesday as No. 6 in the Canadian Hockey League's Top 10, up from eighth last week and the highest-ranked OHL team.

Sault Ste. Marie, coached by John Dean, who was a fellow assistant with the Battalion with Oulahen, is 14-9-0 for 28 points, first in the West Division, and has won its last three games.

"They have some really deadly offensive players," said Oulahen. "I believe that, as of right now, per game they're leading the league in goals, so we've got to be aware of that.

"They're a really well coached team. John does a really good job since he's gone there. I think our group likes to have these kinds of challenges."

Dean played 179 games over three-plus seasons with the North Bay Centennials before completing his OHL career with seven games for the Mississauga IceDogs in 2000-01.

"John and I spent a lot of time together, and I have the utmost respect for him and what he can do, and I know how good a coach he is," said Oulahen, whose charges open a home-and-home set with the Barrie Colts on the road at 7:30 p.m. Saturday before hosting the return engagement at 2 p.m. Sunday.

Brandon Coe, the OHL's scoring leader who signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the National Hockey League's San Jose Sharks in recent days, paces the Battalion offence with linemates Kyle Jackson and Matvey Petrov, and Oulahen said he's looking for somewhat more balance.

"We certainly are looking for other guys to step up. There's no secret that we're getting a lot of scoring from the one line and, if we can have other lines pitch in, then that can relieve a little bit of the pressure. We do feel like we have good depth, and it could come from lines two to four on any given night. I'd like to see one go in for certain guys, and that build a little bit more confidence.

"But I think what's nice is the way our back end plays. The way our defence plays can really move the puck, and that's been good. But that could just improve our team even more, to get a little bit of secondary scoring."

In the last game, a 5-1 win Saturday night over the Niagara IceDogs, Coe scored one goal and assisted on three. Mitchell Russell, replacing the ailing Jackson on the top line, collected his 13th of the season, while Owen Van Steensel produced his second and defencemen Avery Winslow and Ty Nelson also scored.

Josh Currie, who served a two-game suspension for a slew-footing match penalty in a 3-2 overtime loss Nov. 27 to the Ottawa 67's, is set to return. Jackson, who sat out at Niagara after being hit into the boards Friday night in a 5-2 win at Hamilton, may be back.

Rodion Tatarenko, who played the last two games, has returned to the affiliated junior A Powassan Voodoos, while Christian Stevens has been reassigned to the junior A Haliburton County Huskies after playing at St. Catharines.

Tnias Mathurin, scratched for the last four games, remains sidelined with a shoulder injury.

The Sault Ste. Marie game is presented by MADD Nipissing, the North Bay and area chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, while the Sunday game against Barrie features Indigenous Youth Day.

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Ontario Hockey League Stories from December 8, 2021


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