Full Breakdown
North Bay Battalion Fall to Peterborough Petes in Overtime
3/30/2026, 8:19:52 PM
Overtime Decides Game Three of the Series
In a tightly contested matchup on March 31, 2025, the Peterborough Petes defeated the North Bay Battalion 2-1 in overtime, taking a 2-1 lead in their best-of-seven Eastern Conference quarterfinal series of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). The game, held at Boart Longyear Memorial Gardens, attracted 2,935 fans eager to witness playoff action.
The first period saw Peterborough strike early, with Adam Levac scoring just 12 seconds into the game, assisted by Kieron Walton and Garrett Frazer. North Bay struggled initially, facing a 9-0 deficit in shots before gaining momentum. The Battalion's Sebastien Gervais managed to tie the game with a shorthanded goal at 18:55 of the second period, assisted by Lirim Amidovski and Adrian Manzo.
Key Incident: Goaltender Ejection
The turning point of the game occurred at 15:39 of overtime when North Bay goaltender Mike McIvor received a match penalty for roughing after an altercation with Francis Parish. This decision followed a four-minute video review and resulted in McIvor's ejection from the game. Jack Lisson replaced him in net, facing a five-minute power play for Peterborough.
Game-Winning Goal
With the man advantage, Peterborough capitalized quickly. Kieron Walton scored the game-winning goal at 17:41 of overtime, assisted by Adam Novotny. This marked Walton's second consecutive overtime winner in the series, having also scored in Game Two.
Performance Highlights
Both goaltenders delivered strong performances, with Peterborough's Easton Rye making 47 saves and North Bay's McIvor stopping 41 of 42 shots before his ejection. Battalion head coach Ryan Oulahen praised his team's effort despite the loss, noting, “I liked a lot of things that we were doing... but we’re going to have to be more disciplined.”
Criticism & Opposition
Oulahen expressed surprise at the decision to eject McIvor, stating, “I’ve never seen it... that was an interesting one right there.” This incident has sparked discussions among fans and analysts regarding the consistency of officiating in high-stakes playoff games.
What's Next
The two teams will meet again for Game Four on Tuesday, April 2, 2025, at 7:05 PM at Boart Longyear Memorial Gardens. The series remains highly competitive, with both teams showcasing their skills and resilience.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Game one, we took a lot of penalties, game two we were better, today just too much going to the box so we’re going to have to be more disciplined,” — Ryan Oulahen, North Bay Battalion Head Coach
- “I mean, I’ve been coaching in this league a long, long time, and that was an interesting one right there.” — Ryan Oulahen, North Bay Battalion Head Coach
The ongoing series promises more thrilling hockey as both teams vie for advancement in the playoffs.
