Wolves, Battalion on edge
There really hasn’t been a bigger series this season for North Bay Battalion and Sudbury Wolves than the one that will take place tonight and Friday — a home and home set between the Ontario Hockey League, Eastern Conference rivals.
For North Bay, it is in an unfamiliar position.
Since its arrival in North Bay in 2013, the Battalion has been a staple in the playoffs, beginning with a run to the finals in its first season, losing to the Guelph Storm, which went on to the Memorial Cup title tilt.
During the second season, North Bay lost in the conference finals to the eventual Memorial Cup champion Oshawa Generals. And last season, North Bay lost in the second round to the Barrie Colts.
Prior to its move to North Bay from Brampton, the Battalion had only ever missed the playoffs twice. One of the most remarkable things about head coach Stan Butler is that he has put a competitive team on the ice, when on paper, it had no business being in the playoffs.
Butler is the longest serving coach with one OHL team and is under contract until the 2018 season with the Battalion, much in part to his proven strong relationship with owner Scott Abbott.
It has been a rebuild year for the Battalion and it has proven to be a less than storybook season. North Bay sits ninth in the Eastern Conference going into its two-game series with eighth-place Sudbury. Ergo, attendance is down in an arena that was previously packed on game days.
This season, Butler has taken to the media in many cases to call out his players for lack of effort, lack of drive and lack of passion he was seeing. It is something that Butler has never been afraid to do. He expects a lot but he has a proven record of being a coach who develops junior players into professionals.
Meanwhile, over in Sudbury, the Wolves have written a very different story over the past few seasons. They have not made an appearance in the post season for the past two years — and lost in the quarter finals to the Barrie Colts the year previous.
The playoff drought is a very real thing for the Wolves and their fans. This was expected to be the season where that would all change.
A new owner breathed new life not only into the Wolves but into the city — a man who believes in what could be and will work diligently to make it happen.
At one point during this season the Wolves were atop the Central Division but now they are finding themselves in a position that is a little all too familiar for some, with no guarantee of making it.
It only takes one win, that’s it. Sixty minutes of solid hockey, where they keep their emotions in check, and play their game — and they are back in.
However, keeping their emotions in check has proven to be rather difficult for the Wolves. Take Sunday’s game against the Soo when with under five minutes left to play, the Greyhounds were really getting under the Wolves skin, particularly overage forward, C.J. Yakimowicz.
It boiled over, at the end of the game, with some punches thrown, and at this stage, no one wants to risk a suspension. The Wolves need their full roster if they want a shot at getting out of the first round — should they make it in.
This is a strong leadership group, with veterans who’ve won it all. They bring to the table the edge that the Wolves may need to elevate their game.
So, the big question is, who will step on Thursday and Friday for North Bay and/or Sudbury? Who will lead their team?
PHOTO: Sudbury Wolves and North Bay Battalion, in OHL action from earlier this season. (Photo by Dave Dale.)
Injury after injury took out the Battalion defense. Goalies Moran and Woroniuk were both out for long stretches as were main Ds Dineen and Bruce. Even if all these players had been available this season, this team was scoring-challenged from the get-go having lost the offense of previous seasons. I think most season ticket holders have been very disappointed with this year’s results and to be fair, this year’s Wolves have the better scoring forwards. On paper, Sudbury should advance but coach Butler has won before when most people thought he should have lost. That said, neither club will have much luck facing the Petes in the first round.
This is good insite.
Well done by Amanda!
Earlier in the season when the Wolves were in first, I joked to a few people that they should take a screen capture of the standings. As with Wolves team of recent past, their goalies were still taking 40 to 50 shots a game, they were still leading the league in penalties, couldn’t play a full 60, and their defensive zone play was an adventure. But they were winning. You just knew that wasn’t sustainable for success. Makes me wonder what their record would be if they didn’t play in the weakest division in the league. A playoff appearance is a must. The fan base that was excited last summer about new ownership and the prospect of a new arena is more than a little cranky. Winning covered up a lot of little sins that have added up to this do-or-die situation. If they can’t demonstrate that this is indeed a New Era of Wolves hockey, all this talk about a new arena – and probably hiked ticket prices and seat licences – is going to fall on deaf ears with a half-empty glass and steel ice palace in the Gulag of the OHL.
Well hopefully the Wolves can pull this off. They should of had this Playoff spot rapped up a long time ago. It is all the penalties that hurt the Wolves imo and the Coaching Staff needs to do something about this. I feel good about a “W” tonight it would feel good to knock North Bay out a the Playoffs.
Nice Article by the way. Amanda does a good job on the TV Brodcasts. Good addition to Hockey News North RR!
If the Wolves dont get this done there is going to be hell to pay as Branch said in an article right here on this site that making the play-offs this season is a “MUST” .. .. Just sayin’.
I agree with Ian Ross a hundred per cent 100 % bang on.
GO BATTALION GO! The Troops will not have Coach Butler behind the bench tonight according to the Nugget.
Correct! John Dean will assume head coaching responsibilities with Butler away in Toronto for the OHL Cup.
I recall Armand5’s timely comments at the beginning of the season, in late September, on the Battalion’s lack of the scoring punch of previous years. Despite the best efforts of Mackenzie and Harland, this has proven to be largely true. Add to that the loss of the top two Ds for much of the season, numerous other injury problems, goaltending that has been inconsistent, and it’s not at all surprising that the Troops are struggling for their playoff lives. North Bay just pulled off a very convincing 4-0 win tonight (Thursday); now the question remains – can they make it a ‘doubleheader’? Both teams still have a shot at a playoff berth. It will be interesting to see when all the dust has settled.