OHL Notes: Troops work OT


By
October 15, 2018

North Bay Battalion capped a three games in less than 72 hours road trip on Sunday afternoon with an improbable 3-2 overtime win over the Soo Greyhounds.

Overage gunslinger Justin Brazeau scored the OT winner for North Bay, which traveled to the Soo after losing a Saturday night road match to the Saginaw Spirit by a 6-2 margin. North Bay started the three-game road swing on Friday night with a 5-3 victory over the Flint Firebirds.

Sunday’s win by the Battalion improved its record to 4-6-0 through 10 games of the 2018-2019 Ontario Hockey League season.

For Brazeau, the OT tally was the eighth of the season for the 6-foot-6 forward who hails from the northeastern Ontario town of New Liskeard.

A 13th-round draft pick of North Bay in 2014, Brazeau scored 39 goals for the Troops in 2017-2018.

Overage defenseman Theo Calvas turned in an effective performance on the North Bay blue line in his third game with the Battalion after being acquired in a trade with the Sarnia Sting last week.

The 6-foot-5 Calvas began his OHL career with the Greyhounds after being a 14th-round draft pick in 2015.

And right-handed shooting rookie defenseman Payton Vescio, formerly of the North Bay Minor Trappers of the Great North Midget Hockey League and Powassan Voodoos of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League, had a steady outing for the Battalion in Sunday’s win over the Greyhounds.

Vescio is the son of Kevin Vescio, who patrolled the OHL blue line of the erstwhile North Bay Centennials during the coaching days of the legendary, late Bert Templeton.

AROUND THE O

… The Greyhounds, with a record of 5-3-2, continue their home stand with three more games at GFL Memorial Gardens this week.

The Soo is home to the 6-2-1 Saginaw Spirit on Wednesday with the 3-7-0 Kingston Frontenacs visiting the Greyhounds on Friday and the 6-3-1 Hamilton Bulldogs making the trek north on Saturday.

Of note, local product Cole MacKay, a second-year forward, is second on the Soo scoring chart with 4 goals, 4 assists, 8 points in 10 games.

… Flint Firebirds general manager Barclay Branch has started the search process to replace head coach Ryan Oulahen, who resigned last Friday for personal reasons.

Branch told Hockey News North that interim coach Greg Stefan is a candidate to take over full-time bench boss duties.

Flint has a record of 0-9-0 to begin the season.

PHOTO: North Bay Battalion overage forward Justin Brazeau.


What you think about “OHL Notes: Troops work OT”

  1. Not only doesn’t the Battalion not have a signed NHL player on their team, the are the only team in the OHL that doesnt have a drafted player on their roster.

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