OSHAWA, Ont. – Sam Carrick scored the winning goal and added an assist to pace the Brampton Battalion to a 3-2 victory Saturday night over the Oshawa Generals, moving the Troops into sole possession of first place in the Ontario Hockey League’s Central Division.

Brenden Miller and Barclay Goodrow also scored and Cameron Wind contributed two assists for the Battalion, which has a won-lost-extended record of 27-12-9 for 63 points, two more than the idle Niagara IceDogs.

The Battalion, 13-2-5 in its last 20 games, hosts Niagara at 2 p.m. Sunday.

Goaltender Keegan Wilson faced 27 shots, preserving the win with a fine left-pad save at the post against Lucas Lessio in alone early in the scoreless third period.

Christian Thomas and Nicklas Jensen scored for Oshawa, 21-22-5 for 47 points, tied with the Belleville Bulls for third place in the East Division. Goaltender Kevin Bailie made 34 saves before a crowd of 5,514.

“Our compete, our energy, our intensity, all those kinds of things we had tonight,” said Battalion assistant coach Ryan Oulahen, who hadn’t seen them in a 6-2 home-ice loss Friday night to the Barrie Colts.

“When we have that, it gives us a chance to win every night. I was proud of the guys for pretty much battling the whole way.”

Said captain Carrick: “I thought we did a pretty good job tonight of sticking to our game plan, playing Battalion hockey and bouncing back from last night.”

The Battalion protected the third-period lead with a hustling series of short shifts. The Troops killed two late penalties, a tripping call to Jamie Lewis and an interference infraction to Jordan Auld, the latter in the final minute with Bailie already on the bench for an extra attacker.

Carrick scored at 14:50 of the second period to break a 2-2 tie. He took a pass from Andreas Tsogkas in the left circle, moved into the high slot, turned and fired the puck past Bailie. It was Carrick’s team-leading 25th goal of the season.

Carrick moved past Chris Rowan into sole possession of 13th place in career Battalion scoring. Carrick has 72 goals and 76 assists for 148 points in 234 games.

Goodrow tied it 2-2 at 3:49 of the middle frame with his 21st goal, driving to the left lip of the crease to take a diagonal pass from Carrick and redirect it behind Bailie.

With Wilson caught behind the net in the fifth minute, Boone Jenner put the puck just wide of the right post with 24 square feet at which to shoot. 

Alex O’Neil fought Oshawa’s Emerson Clark to a draw at 8:12, with both landing numerous blows. O’Neil went to the dressing room rather than the penalty box and didn’t return.

Thomas drilled a shot from the left wing past Wilson to open the scoring at 1:10 of the first period, but defenceman Miller replied at 3:12. Lewis won a draw back to Miller at the left point for a blast through traffic.

The Battalion weathered a two-man disadvantage lasting 1:01 midway in the period after Mitchell Porowski went off for hooking and Wilson drew an interference penalty, but Oshawa took a 2-1 lead at 18:19 when Jensen knocked home the rebound of a shot by Jenner after he broke behind the defence.

Wilson produced two big saves in the 10th minute, against Jenner and Lessio after each got past Dylan Blujus.

The Battalion scratched Spencer Abraham, Philip Lane and Connor Jarvis. Oshawa scratches were Daniel Maggio, J.P. Labardo, Brian Hughes and Nick Quinn.

BATTALION NOTEBOOK: Battalion coach Stan Butler served the second game of an eight-game suspension received for actions involving referee Mike Marley after a 2-1 victory over the visiting Sudbury Wolves last Sunday. Oulahen and fellow assistant Jason Ward ran the bench … Ward protested to referee Bob Langdon that the clock started five seconds late off a faceoff during Auld’s last-minute penalty, but the official claimed ignorance … Each team went 0-for-4 on the power play … The Troops, who ended a run of four consecutive extended losses away from home, are 12-5-7 on the road, while Oshawa is 11-11-3 at the General Motors Centre. The Battalion’s previous road win was a 4-2 decision Jan. 1 over Belleville … The Troops are 11-10-5 when the opposition scores first and 20-0-1 when leading after two periods … Zach Bell left the game after being checked into the boards by Oshawa’s Scott Laughton at 5:45 of the second period … Opening line combinations included Carrick centring left winger Brandon Robinson and right winger Goodrow, Patrik Machac pivoting left winger Ian Watters and Derek Froats on right wing and Lewis centring left winger Brett Mackie and right winger Matt MacLeod. Porowski centred left winger O’Neil and right winger Tsogkas … Tsogkas, a healthy scratch for the previous 13 games, played his first game since a 6-1 victory Dec. 18 over the visiting Sarnia Sting … Lane sat out with a concussion suffered in a 3-0 home-ice win over the Plymouth Whalers on Jan. 19 … The Battalion, 2-0-1 against Oshawa, faced the Generals for the third time in a span of nine games. Oshawa visits Brampton on March 11 to conclude the teams’ season series.