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OHL North Bay Battalion

Dineen Delivers Winner

January 22, 2016 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
North Bay Battalion News Release


HAMILTON - Cam Dineen scored at 3:23 of overtime to lift the North Bay Battalion to a 4-3 decision Friday night over the Hamilton Bulldogs, giving the Troops a third straight Ontario Hockey League victory.

Mathew Santos carried the puck across the blue line and fed Dineen, streaking off the bench, to beat Hamilton goaltender Connor Hicks with a backhand deke as the Battalion prevailed in overtime for the second straight game. Brady Lyle had the other assist on defenceman Dineen's ninth goal of the season.

Brett McKenzie scored two goals and Maurizio Colella one, while Steve Harland, Santos and Lyle each had two assists and goaltender Jake Smith made 23 saves in the Troops' first visit to the FirstOntario Centre. The Belleville Bulls relocated to Hamilton for this season.

North Bay improved its won-lost-extended record to 23-16-5 for 51 points, second in the Central Division and third in the Eastern Conference. Mike Amadio scored in overtime Thursday night for a 4-3 win over the visiting Guelph Storm.

Dineen leads OHL defencemen in scoring with 41 points in 44 games and is second to Alexander Nylander of the Mississauga Steelheads in rookie scoring.

Jack Hidi, Niki Petti and Michael Cramarossa scored for Hamilton, 16-23-4 for 36 points, fifth in the East Division and ninth in the conference. Hicks faced 34 shots before a crowd recorded as 6,420.

Tied 2-2 starting the third period, the Troops wasted no time taking their first lead as Colella beat Hicks low to the glove side from the left-wing circle at 1:15. Amadio and Santos assisted on Colella's fifth goal of the season and second since a Jan. 11 trade from Hamilton.

Cramarossa made it 3-3 on the power play at 10:43. Smith stopped a Trent Fox shot, but Cramarossa put the rebound under the falling goaltender.

Hamilton had the best chances over the rest of the period. Smith denied Petti from the slot in the 11th minute, and Matthew Strome just missed poking a loose puck into the open net in the 16th.

Hidi opened the scoring at 3:58 of the first period, hammering the puck over Smith's glove from the high slot.

The Battalion was outshot 12-7, and Smith was busy throughout the frame, turning away chances for Petti, Strome, Ondrej Kachyna and Brandon Saigeon. North Bay's best opportunities came early, with Amadio, McKenzie and Kyle Wood among those challenging Hicks.

McKenzie tied it at 7:30 of the second period, racing off the left wing on a give-and-go with Harland to beat an out-of-position Hicks.

The Troops thought they had taken the lead at 13:31, when Harland swatted home the rebound of a McKenzie shot. Referee Joe Park signaled a goal but, after a conference with the other officials, Park ruled that McKenzie, who was driven into Hicks, had made contact with the goaltender.

Petti scored at 15:42, lifting a backhander off the right wing under Smith's left arm, before McKenzie struck at 19:25. He ripped a shot from the left circle over Hicks's glove after Mike Baird caused a turnover. Harland also assisted on McKenzie's 22nd goal.

The Battalion hosts the Kingston Frontenacs at 2 p.m. Sunday.

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