Petes earn split on northern road trip
Robertson continues torrid scoring pace with trio of goals on weekend
NORTH BAY — Rob Wilson was not a happy coach Saturday night, but on Sunday he focused more on the positives of his team’s Jekyll and Hyde weekend.
Wilson was upset with the Petes’ effort in a 5-2 loss to the Sudbury Wolves, but quite happy with the rebound in an 8-3 win over the North Bay Battalion.
Sure, the Wolves are first in the Central Division and North Bay last so Sunday’s result was expected, but Wilson said there’s more to it.
“It’s the way we played (Saturday) which frustrated me,” said Wilson. “I don’t think we gave Sudbury near the level of game we gave North Bay.”
Wilson said they went through growing pains as a younger team with a new coach last year, but his expectations are higher this year and he wants a more consistent clinical effort.
“What we are doing this year, which is very positive, is when we have an off night we are responding the right way. I thought we were very, very good today,” he said.
The Petes are 11-5, 9-4 on the road, to sit fourth in the OHL’s Eastern Conference.
After a slow start in Sudbury the Petes jumped on North Bay with three first-period goals 4:32 apart.
Liam Kirk quickly converted a John Parker-Jones shot, which ricocheted to him off the endboards for his 10th goal.
Nick Robertson scored the next two, tying him with Hamilton’s Arthur Kallyev for the league lead with 19 goals in 16 games. He one-timed Declan Chisholm’s pass on a power play extending Chisholm’s league high 15-game points streak. Chisholm has assists in all 15 games he’s played. Semyon Der-Arguchintsev assisted on both goals, including a soft pass Robertson put behind goalie Joe Vrbetic at 13:09. Alex Christopoulos stopped the Petes run beating Hunter Jones nine seconds later.
Brad Chenier scored on a short-handed breakaway 8:53 into the second. The Petes replied 25 seconds later when rookie Keegan McMullen deflecting Shaw Spearing’s point shot for his first OHL goal, a game-winner. Brady Hinz made it 5-2 burying Zach Gallant’s centring pass after the forecheck forced a turnover.
Michael Little was assessed a five-minute match penalty for slew footing which will carry a two-game suspension. The Petes killed the penalty and outscored North Bay 3-1 in the third. Cameron Butler had two and Gallant one. Niki Korpialho had the Battalion marker.
On Saturday, it took 31:01 for the first goal to be scored. Jones misplayed a puck while out of his net and Blake Murray fired it through his legs as he scrambled to try for the save.
Sudbury jumped ahead 3-0 with two tallies 52 seconds apart 2:18 into the third. Kosta Manikis buried Macauley Carson’s pass from behind the net and David Levin redirected Liam Ross’s shot.
The Petes responded when Robertson one-timed Chisholm’s pass at 6:16. They drew within one with 6:15 left on Der-Arguchintsev’s power-play tally.
Top NHL draft prospect Quinton Byfield, who was in the penalty box for the Petes’ goal, made up for it 2:05 later. Byfield deked Butler and Jones on a highlight reel marker. Noel Hutcheson added an emptynet goal.