OHL North Bay Battalion

Troops Stifle Whalers for 5-3 Decision

February 6, 2015 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
North Bay Battalion News Release


NORTH BAY, Ont. - Brenden Miller's goal at 12:20 of the third period proved the winner as the North Bay Battalion defeated the Plymouth Whalers 5-3 in Ontario Hockey League action Thursday night.

Nick Paul, Miles Liberati and Alex Henriksson each had one goal and one assist for the Battalion, which got its other goal from Mike Baird. Goaltender Jake Smith faced just 11 shots before a crowd of 3,179.

The Battalion has a won-lost-extended record of 25-12-10 for 60 points, second in the Central Division, two points behind the Barrie Colts, who downed the visiting Kingston Frontenacs 3-2 via shootout.

Mitch Jones had one goal and one assist for the Whalers, who also got goals from Victor Crus Rydberg and Danny Vanderwiel. Goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic made 39 saves for Plymouth, 17-28-4 for 38 points, fifth and last in the West Division and last in the Western Conference.

"We had opportunities, especially in the second period, to put the game away and we didn't do that," said Battalion coach Stan Butler. "We didn't take care of business and, as a result of that, we allowed them to stay in the game. Once they made it 3-2, they made a game of it."

The Whalers' 11 shots, including none in the second period, were the fewest North Bay has allowed this season. The Troops held the Ottawa 67's to 12 shots in a 1-0 home-ice victory Dec. 31.

"It's tough for any goalie when you don't get a lot of shots in a period," noted Butler. "You have to keep your focus. It's tough, but that's your job. You can't control how many shots you're going to get but, when you do get them, you have to save them."

The Battalion took a 3-1 lead in the first period, outshooting the Whalers 13-5, with Baird opening the scoring at 2:06 by redirecting Marcus McIvor's right-point shot.

Paul connected at 7:24 when his shot off the right wing beat Nedeljkovic high to the stick side. Mike Amadio and Liberati assisted on Paul's team-leading 24th goal of the season.

Crus Rudberg replied at 14:12. Sonny Milano grabbed a Ryan Kujawinski turnover and sent the puck across the ice to Crus Rydberg, who hammered it over Smith's glove from the left-wing circle.

Liberati struck on the power play at 16:42 as his wrister from the high slot eluded Nedeljkovic, who was screened by Brett McKenzie. McIvor and Henriksson earned assists on defenceman Liberati's seventh goal.

After the Battalion dominated the scoreless second period, testing Nedeljkovic with 16 shots, Vanderwiel pulled Plymouth within a goal at 5:28 of the third, slipping the puck under Smith's right pad. It was the Whalers' first shot on goal since the first frame.

Defenceman Miller restored the Battalion's two-goal lead with his 12th goal. When Nedeljkovic couldn't handle Paul's drive from the slot, Miller charged the net to put home his second chance at the loose puck from a sharp angle to the goaltender's left.

Blueliner Jones made it 4-3 at 14:07, but Henriksson responded at 16:28, snapping the puck past Nedeljkovic's blocker from the edge of the right circle. Kujawinski earned the lone assist on Henriksson's 13th goal.

The Battalion visits the Belleville Bulls at 7:05 p.m. Saturday. The game can be seen live in North Bay on TV Cogeco Cable 12 and heard on Country 600 CKAT.

BATTALION BULLETS: Barring an implausible meeting in the OHL final, it was Plymouth's last visit to North Bay. The Whalers have been sold and are to move to Flint, Mich., next season. They won 3-2 in overtime on an Oct. 17, 2013, visit in the Battalion's inaugural North Bay campaign. The franchise, which moved to Plymouth in suburban Detroit for 1997-98, visited the Centennials five times. The Battalion posted an all-time won-lost-tied record against Plymouth of 16-26-0. The Whalers are the only opponent the Troops never tied when that result still was possible ... Smith earned his 54th career victory, tying former partner Matej Machovsky for fourth place in franchise history. Bryan Pitton holds the record with 64 wins ... Miller's goal was his career 30th, surpassing Bobby Sanguinetti for second place on the franchise list for defencemen ... McIvor's two assists gave him a career-high 23 this season. His 26 points also are a career best ... Kujawinski has three goals and five assists for eight points in the last five games ... The Battalion went 1-for-5 on the power play. Plymouth was 0-for-4 ... The Battalion scratched Zach Shankar, Zach Bratina and Mark Shoemaker ... Plymouth was without Mathew Campagna, suspended in light of a match penalty for slew-footing late in a 5-3 win Wednesday night over the host Sudbury Wolves.

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