OHL North Bay Battalion

Relentess Battalion Finishes Fronts in Four

Published on April 2, 2015 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
North Bay Battalion News Release


KINGSTON, Ont. - The North Bay Battalion produced a dominant performance, ensuring it was over early.

The Battalion swept the Kingston Frontenacs out of their first-round Ontario Hockey League playoff series with a 3-1 victory Thursday night that was powered by Mathew Santos's two goals.

Mike Amadio also scored and Ray Huether earned two assists for North Bay. Goaltender Jake Smith faced 27 shots in his 17th postseason victory, extending his franchise record.

Juho Lammikko scored for Kingston, which got 26 saves from goaltender Lucas Peressini before a K-Rock Centre crowd of 3,688 that came to life only late and primarily because of final-minute thuggery by the home side.

"Going into the series there were a lot of people in the media saying this was going to be a tough series, and they were right," said Smith. "No game was a walk in the park. It was a battle, and this team has a lot of character in the room, and it helped us a lot."

The gracious Smith posted one shutout, in an 8-0 first-game thrashing of the visiting Frontenacs, while registering a 1.00 goals-against average and a .966 save percentage, both tops in the playoffs.

"Everybody bought into the system, and when everybody is doing that it makes everyone's job easier," said Smith. "The defence was playing great and blocking a lot of shots. I did what I could and blocked every shot I could."

The Battalion took a 2-0 first-period lead, initiated by Amadio's goal at 14:41. Roland McKeown turned over the puck over behind the net to Zach Bratina, who sent the disc to Amadio alone in the slot, although Nick Paul wrongly was credited with the assist. Amadio rifled the puck into the top corner for a team-leading fourth goal of the playoffs.

Santos scored at 19:53 as he eluded motionless defenders from deep on the left wing and, using Brenden Miller as a decoy, fired the puck between Peressini's pads. Huether, with his first playoff point for North Bay, and Brett McKenzie had the assists.

Kingston started the period strong, helped by simultaneous high-sticking and crosschecking penalties to Bratina at 3:58. Smith denied Evan McEneny and Conor McGlynn with the Troops shorthanded and also produced solid saves on Samuel Schutt, Ted Nichol and Zack Dorval.

By the second period, it appeared the Frontenacs were done long before Santos struck off yet another overwhelming Battalion forecheck at 15:56, barging off the left-wing boards and beating Peressini low to the glove side. Huether earned the only assist on Santos's third series goal.

Lammikko scored a lucky goal shorthanded at 14:56 of the third period, banking a Sam Bennett feed off Smith from the lip of the crease.

That brought some life to the listless crowd and home team before Peressini left for a sixth skater with three minutes to play. Smith turned away Crouse in tight, and Schutt just missed the left post from the deep slot, but that was as close as Kingston would get before its own stupidity and lack of disicipline set in.

The Frontenacs played the final 56 seconds two men short after Crouse drove his left shoulder and elbow up into the head of Marcus McIvor, who had played off the puck.

As McIvor lay prone on the ice, Crouse approached Smith and fought briefly with Miles Liberati. Several skirmishes broke out while McIvor received attention from athletic therapist James Borrelli. McIvor went to the dressing room before game ended, while referees Scott Ferguson and Sean Reid banished Kingston's Jacob Graves and Lammikko with misconducts.

Crouse received a match penalty for head-butting while Liberati drew a game misconduct for instigating a fight within the final five minutes of regulation time. Among other calls, Kingston's Ryan Verbeek was given a double-minor for spearing.

BATTALION BULLETS: The Battalion swept a conference quarterfinal for the fourth time and the first since ousting the Sudbury Wolves in 2012 as Brampton ... By the official scoring, Paul has 15 goals, tied with Matt Duchene for fourth place in franchise playoff history, and 11 assists for 26 points, seventh all-time, one point ahead of Evgeny Grachev for seventh place. Paul has a four-game points streak this postseason during which he has three goals and four assists for seven points ... Amadio has eight goals and eight assists for 16 postseason points, moving into sole possession of 17th place in franchise annals ahead of Jeff Bateman, Anthony Peluso, Matt Kang, Michael Vernace and McIvor ... Brenden Miller saw the end of a three-game series playoff points streak, during which he had two goals and four assists for six points ... The Battalion went 0-for-5 on the power play. Kingston was 0-for-3 ... Opening line combinations included Paul centring left winger Bratina and Amadio on right wing, Ryan Kujawinski centring Nick Moutrey on left wing and right winger Alex Henriksson and Huether pivoting McKenzie on left wing and right winger Santos. Zach Poirier centred left winger Mike Baird and right winger Hampus Olsson ... The Battalion again was without Zach Shankar, Owen Green and Mark Shoemaker ... The National Hockey League's Carolina Hurricanes announced Wednesday the signing of McKeown to a three-year entry-level contract.

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Ontario Hockey League Stories from April 2, 2015


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