Battalion open the season at home to the IceDogs tonight

It’s back to work for the North Bay Battalion as they begin the season at home against the Niagara Ice Dogs.

This is the first of six meetings between the divisional rivals.

Head Coach Stan Butler says his team has a lot of strengths, but they need to surprise some of the experts too. He says the defense and goaltending should be good.

As for the forwards, he says, “I’m just hoping there’s some guys on our roster that are going to score more goals than a lot of people around the league probably think they will.”

Butler says they have a few players away at NHL camps and aren’t expected back in time for tonight’s game.

This is the team’s only game opening weekend.

Butler says the Ice Dogs are rebuilding but they still have several players left from last year’s team that made it to the OHL final.

“As we’ve seen in North Bay, I think that means something when players have that, and have that experience and know what it’s like to win.”

Broadcast time on Country 600 CKAT tonight is 6:55 pm.