OHL North Bay Battalion

Schedule Packs Punch to Final Whistle

Published on March 19, 2016 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
North Bay Battalion News Release


NORTH BAY, Ont. - The final weekend of the Ontario Hockey League schedule is known to provide plenty of thrills, and it's no different this season.

Apart from Mike Amadio's franchise-record 50th goal of the campaign in the North Bay Battalion's 4-3 overtime victory Friday night over the host Sudbury Wolves, playoff permutations and combinations still abounded.

The Battalion, set to open an Eastern Conference quarterfinal series against an undetermined opponent at home next Friday night, plays host to the Barrie Colts at 2 p.m. Sunday in both teams' last game of the regular season.

North Bay has a won-lost-extended record of 34-23-10 for 78 points, second in the Central Division and third in the conference. Barrie has secured first place in the division and second in the conference.

The Battalion is four points ahead of the Niagara IceDogs, who were to host the Peterborough Petes on Saturday night before a visit to the Mississauga Steelheads on Sunday. Two Niagara victories and a regulation-time win by Barrie over the Troops would give the IceDogs third place in the conference on the basis of more wins.

In 67 games, Amadio has 47 assists, tying his own standard, set last season, for the most by a Battalion player since the franchise moved to North Bay from Brampton in 2013. Wojtek Wolski, who held the previous goals record with 47 in 2005-06, had 128 points that season and is the only player in franchise history with more points in a season than Amadio's 97.

Battalion coach Stan Butler, renowned for preaching and coaching a responsible all-round game, posted on his Twitter feed: "Congratulations to Mike Amadio on scoring his 50th goal. A true 200 foot player who scores his 50th shorthanded."

Butler is in his 21st season at the major junior level, numbering two years with the Oshawa Generals and 18 with the Battalion that sandwich one season with the Prince George Cougars of the Western Hockey League.

Amadio is the second player to score as many as 50 goals in a season under Butler, the other being Darryl LaFrance, who had 55 for Oshawa in 1994-95, the coach's debut campaign.

In their 20-year history, which ended after the 2001-02 season, the OHL's North Bay Centennials had six players produce eight campaigns of 50 goals.

Nick Kypreos scored 62 goals in 1985-86, while Vitaly Yachmenev had 61 in 1993-94. In 1990-91, Trevor Halverson scored 59 goals, a total matched by Jeff Shevalier in 1992-93. Bob LaForest registered 58 goals in 1982-83. Len Soccio scored 53 in 1987-88, which Yachmenev equalled in 1994-95. Shevalier struck for 52 goals in 1993-94.

Check out the North Bay Battalion Statistics

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Ontario Hockey League Stories from March 19, 2016


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