Battalion wins in shootout
Nick Wellenreiter scored in a shootout to give the North Bay Battalion a 3-2 comeback victory Thursday night over the Brampton Steelheads in an Ontario Hockey League game.
Wellenreiter had one goal and one assist earlier, and Carter Kunopaski provided the other goal. Goaltender Jack Lisson made 20 saves through overtime before a crowd of 2,041, the smallest of the season at Boart Longyear Memorial Gardens.
North Bay improved its won-lost-extended record to 27-22-3 for 57 points, tied with the Niagara IceDogs for second place in the Central Division. Niagara, which defeated the visiting Owen Sound Attack 6-3, visits the Battalion at 2 p.m. Sunday on IG Wealth Management Day.
The Troops were without Bronson Ride, who started serving a two-game suspension issued after he received a roughing minor, spearing major and game misconduct in an incident in a 7-4 loss to the visiting Barrie Colts last Sunday.
Justin Bottineau scored both goals for Brampton, while goaltender Luke Johnson stopped 58 of the Battalion’s season-high 60 shots through overtime in a stellar display. Rookie Johnson of Evanston, Ill., was a second-round pick in the 2025 OHL Priority Selection from the Chicago Reapers 15U team.
Brampton, 0-1-3 in its last four games, is 15-27-9 for 39 points, fifth in the division.
“We would have liked to play the whole game like that third period,” said Battalion coach Ryan Oulahen. “The third period was outstanding. All the things that we try to do against that team, they’re a difficult team to play against. They defend extremely well, but then I thought we got to how we wanted to play and played really, really fast that third period.”
Wellenreiter, the first North Bay designee in the shootout, scored on a backhander directly in front of Johnson before he denied Kaden Pitre. The Battalion didn’t need another attempt, as Lisson stopped Keaton Ardagh, Nathan Amidovski and, to secure the win, Matej Stankoven.
Wellenreiter tied it 2-2 at 2:31 of the third period off a left-wing faceoff. Ethan Procyszyn got the puck to the mid slot, and Wellenreiter wired home his 16th goal of the season. The Troops outshot the visitors 17-1 in the frame and 5-2 in overtime.
Brampton, which trailed 1-0 after 20 minutes, tied it at 45 seconds of the second period when Bottineau darted down the left side, swooped through the faceoff circle and slung the puck past Lisson from the goalmouth. Troy Patton had the lone assist.
Bottineau struck again 1:47 later, popping a power-play rebound behind Lisson from the lip of the crease. Owen Cartwright and Mason Roy assisted on Bottineau’s ninth goal.
Johnson flashed the glove to snag a Shamar Moses redirection at 11:46 to preserve the Brampton lead.
Kunopaski opened the scoring 32 seconds into the game as Procyszyn wheeled the puck back to the left point for the rookie defenceman’s shot through traffic. Wellenreiter had the other assist on the first OHL goal for Kunopaski, a second-round pick last April who turns 17 on Saturday.
The Battalion failed to capitalize on either of the only two power plays in the first period but forged a 19-13 edge in shots on goal. Lisson stoned Ardagh on a pointblank shot from the goalmouth at 9:37.
BATTALION BULLETS: On Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Night presented by OUTLoud North Bay and Deacon Wealth Management, fans arriving early received glow sticks … It was the fourth of six season meetings, with the Battalion 3-1-0. The Steelheads won 2-1 at home Oct. 25 before the Troops prevailed 4-3 in overtime Dec. 11 at North Bay and 5-1 at the CAA Centre on Jan. 9. The next meeting is Monday at Brampton … In 242 games, captain Procyszyn has 73 goals and 82 assists for 155 points, one more than Brad Chenier and 21st in franchise history … Brampton’s one shot in the third period was the fewest allowed by the Troops in a frame this season … The Battalion went 0-for-4 on the power play. Brampton was 1-for-2 … Opening lines included Procyszyn centring left winger Pitre and right winger Wellenreiter, Ryder Cali centring left winger Sebastien Gervais and right winger Lirim Amidovski and Cam Warren pivoting left winger Moses and right winger Parker Vaughan. Evgeny Dubrovtsev centred left winger Nolan Laird and right winger Ryder Carey … Defence pairs were Kunopaski with Kent Greer, Aaron Enright with Hayden Barch and Jonathan Kapageridis with Brandt Harper … Apart from Ride, the Battalion was without Cole Vreugdenhil, Mike McIvor, Adrian Manzo, Alexander Karmanov and Arseny Pronin … Greer played his 100th game since being a second-round pick in 2024 … Gavin Zepp backed up Lisson. Zepp was a 12th-round pick in 2025 from the St. Andrew’s College U18s of Aurora, Ont.
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