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OHL North Bay Battalion

Smith Set to Return for 'Inconsistent' Troops

November 25, 2015 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
North Bay Battalion News Release


NORTH BAY, Ont. - The North Bay Battalion, edging toward a full lineup, needs to improve its consistency to get better results, coach Stan Butler said Wednesday.

"The first thing we've got to do, to be honest, is just get back to a good work ethic and play hockey the right way," said Butler, whose Ontario Hockey League charges host the Hamilton Bulldogs for the first time at 7 p.m. Thursday.

"Right now we're a very soft team. We're like the weather outside; we're always melting."

After facing the Bulldogs, formerly the Belleville Bulls, for the first time, the Battalion visits the Niagara IceDogs at 7 p.m. Friday before opposing the Flint Firebirds, the relocated Plymouth Whalers, for the first time at 2 p.m. Sunday at Memorial Gardens.

"Last year I never had to challenge the players to compete, as a group, on a nightly basis," said Butler. "This time, it's a daily occurrence, even in practice. It's a nice group of boys. Sometimes a nice group of boys doesn't make for the greatest team."

Butler said that goaltender Jake Smith, out of action for the last nine games with an upper-body injury, has received medical clearance to play and that right winger Kyle Moore was to be reassigned to the affiliated Powassan Voodoos of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League.

Moore, a fifth-round pick in the 2014 OHL Priority Selection, has played 16 games this season without registering a point. He played three games with the Battalion last season without a point but had 21 goals and 32 assists for 53 points in 40 games with Powassan.

"Smith's cleared now to play in net, and today we're going to reassign Moore," said Butler. "In Kyle's case, I think that'll be good for him to get more ice time. I think he's maybe lost his confidence a bit and can get going.

"In Jake's case, he's one of the top goalies in the league, and everybody knows that we need top goaltending if we're going to be successful."

Butler pointed to the return of Kyle Wood from offseason wrist surgery as getting the Troops closer to a full lineup, despite the fact that fellow defenceman Brady Lyle, North Bay's first-round pick in the OHL Priority Selection in April, has yet to play after suffering a broken collarbone in the preseason.

"We need to get the rust off him and get him to be the dominant player that he can (be)," Butler said of Wood, who saw his first action of the season last week in a home-ice loss to the Kingston Frontenacs and a road shutout at the hands of the Mississauga Steelheads.

Left winger David Sherman returned against Kingston from a groin ailment, while right winger Brett Hargrave remained out of action with concussion-like symptoms.

The Battalion has a won-lost-extended record of 9-10-2 for 20 points, fourth in the Central Division, while Hamilton is 8-14-1 for 17 points, fifth in the East Division. Flint was 10-10-2 for 22 points, third in the West Division, before hosting the Saginaw Spirit on Wednesday night.

Butler saw no easy marks in the trio of opponents this week.

"The way we're playing right now, everybody's good.

"Hamilton's about where we are in the standings. Obviously, Niagara's a little bit above us, but they've been on a roll the last little while. Flint's about a .500 team, too, so they're all teams that are kind of in our wheelhouse. They're where we are because they're inconsistent just like we are."

Moore's reassignment leaves the Battalion roster at 23, made up of 13 forwards, eight defencemen and two goaltenders.

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