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OHL North Bay Battalion

Battalion Prevails 3-1 over Kingston

March 31, 2015 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
North Bay Battalion News Release


KINGSTON, Ont. - Alex Henriksson's goal at 11:44 of the second period stood up as the winner as the North Bay Battalion defeated the Kingston Frontenacs 3-1 Tuesday night to take a commanding 3-0 lead in their best-of-seven Ontario Hockey League first-round playoff series.

Jake Smith was outstanding in goal for the Battalion, making 46 saves, including 20 in the third period. Nick Paul and Mathew Santos, into an empty net, also scored for North Bay, which got three assists from Brenden Miller.

"We haven't been coming out and playing in the third period like we had in the first and the second," said Miller. "We definitely want to play a full 60 minutes of 'Battalion hockey' and keep pushing the pace, but we'll take the win."

Lawson Crouse scored for the Frontenacs, while goaltender Lucas Peressini made 31 saves before 3,146 at the K-Rock Centre.

Kingston hosts the fourth game in the Eastern Conference quarterfinal at 7 p.m. Thursday, with a fifth, if necessary, at North Bay at 7 p.m. Friday.

The Battalion carried a 1-0 lead out of the first period, in which each team recorded 14 shots. Paul scored his third goal of the series on the power play at 8:14, redirecting Kyle Wood's shot from the left point past Peressini, who was screened by Nick Moutrey.

Peressini was tested several times in the frame, making a key stop against Miller from the slot, getting the glove in front of a Mike Amadio shot and stoning Zach Bratina alone in front.

Smith, who opened the period turning aside Ted Nichol and Sam Field at the left post, stopped a Field drive from the slot with Cody Caron unable to corral the rebound. Smith kicked out a Jared Steege chance and parried Sam Bennett's shot off a right-wing rush. Penalty killer Samuel Schutt missed the net on a two-on-one break.

Henriksson made it 2-0 when his shot from deep in the left circle glanced off the post, hit the right leg of a fallen Peressini and trickled across the goal line. Ryan Kujawinski and Miller earned the assists on Henriksson's first goal of the series.

Kingston held a 12-10 edge in shots, but Smith was sharp. The Frontenacs' best chance came in the sixth minute, when Smith slid to deny Schutt's attempt to convert a pass from Spencer Watson. Smith made three saves on Conor McGlynn and two on Bennett and also turned aside chances from Crouse and Roland McKeown.

Peressini, who dealt with efforts by Miller, Henriksson, Paul and Brett McKenzie, closed the pads to thwart Bratina on a breakaway.

Crouse got Kingston on the board 39 seconds into the third period, banging home a McKeown pass at the lip of the crease.

Smith's biggest save in the period came in the 17th minute when he stretched to get the left pad out to foil Crouse alone in the deep slot. Kingston was unable to capitalize on a delay-of-game penalty to Wood at 11:30, and Smith made saves on Crouse, Schutt, Ryan Verbeek, Evan McEneny and Chad Duchesne.

Peressini went to the bench for a sixth skater with 1:55 left to play, but the Frontenacs failed to find a good scoring chance. At the other end McEneny sprawled to keep Paul from scoring into the empty net, but Santos took a stretch pass from Miller and walked in on the open cage for the clinching goal at 19:30.

Game 4 can be seen live in North Bay on TVCogeco Cable 12 and heard on Country 600 CKAT.

BATTALION BULLETS: Miller received a misconduct after Santos's goal, while Kingston was assessed a bench minor, apparently for remarks by coach Paul McFarland ... Miller has six goals and 25 assists for 31 career playoff points, eclipsing Matt Duchene and Luch Aquino for fourth place in franchise history ... Paul has 15 goals, tied with Duchene for fourth all-time, and 10 assists for 25 playoff points, tied with Evgeny Grachev for seventh place on the franchise list ... Marcus McIvor played his 42nd postseason game, surpassing Cody Hodgson, Brad Albert, Scott Tanski and Sam Carrick for sole possession of third place in Battalion history ... North Bay went 1-for-4 on the power play. Kingston was 0-for-3 ... Opening line combinations included Paul centring left winger Bratina and Amadio on right wing, Kujawinski centring Moutrey on left wing and right winger Henriksson and Ray Huether skating between McKenzie on left wing and right winger Santos. Zach Poirier centred left winger Mike Baird and right winger Hampus Olsson ... North Bay scratched Zach Shankar, Owen Green and Mark Shoemaker ... Defenceman Jarkko Parikka again was among the Kingston scratches. He has been reported as having suffered a torn tendon in a foot at practice last week, sidelining him for the season ... The referees were Brent Coulombe and Mike Marley.

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