The Owen Sound Attack’s three-game winning streak is over.
Dom DiVincentiis made 26 saves, and Justin Ertel had the game-winning goal on a fortunate bounce in the second period as the North Bay Battalion beat the Attack 3-1 in Ontario Hockey League action on Thanksgiving Monday afternoon at the North Bay Memorial Gardens.
Carter Kostuch and Owen Van Steensel also scored for North Bay (3-1-1-1), who extended their point streak to four games. Ben Cormier had the lone goal for the Attack (3-2-0-0).
Kostuch opened the scoring early in the second period. He knocked down a saucer pass attempt by Cedrick Guindon inside the Attack blueline and then beat Carter George with a shot to make it 1-0 North Bay at 1:26 of the second. The goal was Kostuch’s first in his OHL career.
The Attack then had an opportunity to equalize the game on a five-minute power play. Lirim Amidovski was assessed a major penalty and a game misconduct at 3:29 of the second for a blindside hit on Guindon, who looked uneasy when he was being helped off the ice but did return for the Attack later in the game.
But Owen Sound couldn’t get anything done with the lengthy power play opportunity. Worse, they conceded a short-handed goal against. Ertel was behind the Attack defencemen chasing after a puck that George came out of his net above the top of the circles to handle it, but when the goaltender shot it the puck hit the shin pad of Ertel and bounced perfectly back towards the open net. 2-0 North Bay.
Cormier cut the Battalion lead in half at 13:23. Jake Crawford entered the offensive zone on the left side and then found a streaking Cormier on the right wing with a well-placed pass, and the second-year forward ripped a shot blocker-side past DiVincentiis that pinged just inside the post.
That was Cormier’s second of the season.
The Attack had their opportunities to tie the game in the third, but couldn’t get one past DiVincentiis. Ethan Burroughs had a breakaway, but the Winnipeg Jets prospect got a enough of the puck to steer it wide. Deni Goure had a good look as well in the back half of the third, getting a pass in the high slot and lots of time to pick a target. But his shot missed the mark.
Goure’s four-game point streak to start the season ended in the loss.
Owen Sound outshot North Bay 12-6 in the third.
Van Steensel scored an empty-netter at 18:08, giving North Bay an insurance marker.
DiVincentiis made 26 saves in the win, while George stopped 24 taking the loss. The Attack outshot the Battlaion 27-25 while going 0 for 2 on the power play; North Bay finished 0 for 3.
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
The game in North Bay Monday was the first of four straight on the road for the Attack. Friday and Saturday they visit Sudbury and Sault Ste. Marie. Then they’ll play their fourth straight on the road in Kitchener Oct. 20, before returning home to host Brantford on Saturday, Oct. 21.
