Troops take Trout out

MISSISSAUGA, Ont. — The North Bay Battalion, which got three goals from Kyle McDonald, survived a late Mississauga Steelheads assault for a 5-4 Ontario Hockey League victory Sunday, capturing their best-of-seven Eastern Conference quarterfinal four games to two.

Kyle Jackson and Dalyn Wakely also scored for North Bay, which broke a series tie with a 6-0 home-ice romp Friday night. Goaltender Dom DiVincentiis again shone, making 36 saves before a crowd of 2,007.

The Battalion, second-place finishers in the conference, will meet either the third-place Barrie Colts or fourth-place Peterborough Petes in the next round.

North Bay bolted to a 5-1 lead by midway in the second period, but the seventh-place Steelheads refused to quit, with Porter Martone and James Hardie scoring 54 seconds apart late in the frame and Martone striking again at 17:13 of the third period. Kai Schwindt had the other Mississauga goal, while goaltender Ryerson Leenders provided 24 saves.

Martone one-timed a blast from deep on the left wing at 18:40 of the middle period, and the deficit was cut to 5-3 at 19:34 after the Steelheads jammed away at the puck in DiVincentiis’s crease and the rubber escaped to Hardie just free of the congestion at the left lip.

As Mississauga fought in the third period to extend its season, forging a 15-6 edge in shots in the frame, DiVincentiis made a huge save against Hardie at the back door on the left side in the third minute before Martone put home his second goal of the playoffs with the Steelheads deploying six attackers.

Paul Christopoulos went off for delay of game when he put the puck into the stands 30 seconds after the goal, giving Mississauga a skating advantage of six against four. But the Troops, entitled to ice the puck, defended against the onslaught.

McDonald opened the scoring at 9:10 of the first period when he stole an attempted pass at the left boards by Zander Veccia and went in alone to beat Leenders.

Jackson benefited at 11:45 when Justin Ertel’s backhanded pass from the right wing deflected off his leg into the net. Brayden Hislop also assisted on Jackson’s third goal of the playoffs, all in the last two games.

Wakely connected at 13:34 off an odd-man rush. After Anthony Romani dished the puck away from pressure, Wakely wired it high over Leenders’s blocker. Ethan Procyszyn also assisted on Wakely’s third goal.

Schwindt replied shorthanded at 15:04, stealing the puck in the Battalion zone and cruising across the goalmouth to hoist the puck behind DiVincentiis.

McDonald struck on the power play at 17:07, one-timing the puck from between the circles. Matvey Petrov and Ty Nelson assisted.

The Battalion penalty kill, exceptional throughout the game, was never better than during a five-minute disadvantage early in the second period after Liam Arnsby drew a head-checking major and game misconduct for contact with Martone at 1:12. DiVincentiis contributed a big save when he denied Angus MacDonell with the left pad with 1:42 left in the penalty.

McDonald collected his third goal and team-leading seventh of the series at 11:49, converting from the goalmouth on assists by Pasquale Zito and Josh Bloom. It was the Troops’ first three-goal game in the playoffs since Jackson scored four goals against the Kingston Frontenacs in a 6-3 road win in Game 3 of a conference semifinal last May 10.

BATTALION BULLETS: The Battalion has an all-time won-lost record of 88-102 in playoff games, including 42-54 in road dates and 0-1 in a neutral-site game. The Troops are 41-36 in the postseason since relocation from Brampton, including 19-20 on opponents’ ice. The franchise is 7-6 all-time in the sixth game of a playoff series, including 6-2 on the road and 3-2 as North Bay … In 18 playoff games, Jackson has 12 goals and eight assists for 20 points, while in 19 games Petrov has two goals and 18 assists for 20 points, tying them for 15th place in franchise history … McDonald has 13 goals and five assists for 18 points, and Nelson has two goals and 16 assists for 18 points, both in 19 games, tying them with Raffi Torres, Ryan Oulahen, Scott Tanski and Brett McKenzie for 19th place … McDonald’s 13 goals are tied with Luch Aquino and Mathew Santos for seventh all-time, while Jackson’s 12 goals are tied with Torres and Mitchell Russell for 10th place … Petrov’s 18 assists are sixth, while Nelson’s 16 assists are ninth. Nelson and Petrov have 10 power-play assists, tied with Aquino for seventh in franchise history … The Troops bused to Mississauga on Saturday … The Battalion went 1-for-3 on the power play. Mississauga was 0-for-4 … The Battalion was without Tnias Mathurin, Jacob Therrien, Brayden Turley, Brett Bouchard and Alexander Lukin … Mississauga scratched Brice Cooke, Dylan Gordon and Quinn Binnie.