St. Catherines, ON 28 Feb 08 - Cory Emmerton's second goal of the game, at 10:28 of the third period, proved the winner as the Brampton Battalion defeated the Niagara IceDogs 4-2 Thursday night in a battle of the top teams in the Ontario Hockey League's Central Division.

The victory moved the Battalion, with a won-lost-extended record of 37-20-4 for 78 points, seven points ahead of second-place Niagara, 35-24-1. With the IceDogs having eight games left and the Troops seven, they meet for the final time March 7 at Brampton.

Jason Dale had one goal and one assist and John de Gray the other goal for the Battalion. Emmerton also contributed an assist as the Troops beat Niagara for the fourth time in five meetings.

The Battalion got 28 saves, a number of them brilliant, from goaltender Bryan Pitton, who earned his 61st career win to tie Brad Topping's club record. Pitton's best stop likely was a gloved stoning of Alex Pietrangelo from close range at 13:58 of the second period after he weaved past several defenders.

Goaltender Sebastian Dahm, marking his 21st birthday, faced 25 shots for the IceDogs, who received goals from Luca Caputi and Michael MacIsaac.

Niagara lost for the first time in five games since a 5-2 defeat to the host Erie Otters on Feb. 15. The IceDogs had won seven consecutive home games since a 4-2 loss to the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds on Jan. 17.

MacIsaac tied the game 2-2 with his first OHL goal at 6:51 of the third period, but Emmerton replied on a delayed slap shot from the top of the right-wing circle. Dahm got a piece of it, but the puck slid slowly inside the left post for Emmerton's 22nd goal of the season.

Defenceman de Gray scored on a right-point shot on the power play at 14:08 to give the Troops breathing room. It was de Gray's fourth goal of the season and the 10th of his career.

Emmerton tied it 1-1 at 8:25 of the second period, capitalizing on work behind the Niagara net by Dale. Defenders Drew Schiestel and Josh Day tried to handle the puck after a dump-in, but Dale stole it and fed Emmerton at the left of the crease.

Dale put the Troops ahead 2-1 at 14:50, jabbing the puck home from the crease after Cody Hodgson broke in on the right wing past a falling defender and slipped the rubber toward the net. Dale got a couple of pokes at it for his 10th goal.

The IceDogs turned chippy late in the period after Dale, trying to clear the puck, had his stick ride up Andrew Agozzino's stick, striking him in the mouth. There was no penalty, but the home side was out for revenge, running with their sticks up.

Caputi scored shorthanded at 2:10 of the first period off a loose puck in the neutral zone. Michael Swift fed Caputi in the left-wing circle for his team-leading 46th goal and sixth shorthanded tally.

Pitton produced a big save in the 14th minute against Agozzino, who crashed the crease for the rebound of a shot from the right-wing boards, and stopped the deking Jason Bergeron on a solo break-in in the 15th minute.

Dahm stoned Mike Lomas with the rebound of Bobby Sanguinetti's shot tight to the goaltender's left in the 17th minute, and Niagara's Andrew Merrett hit the crossbar on a point-blank chance in the 18th.

Battalion scratches were Ben Alavie, Alexander Eriksson and Scott Tanski. Niagara, which dressed 17 players, three below the limit, was without Stephen Ceccanese, Vladimir Bessonov, Johnson Andrews, Stefan Legein, Alex Friesen, Matt Corrente, Mathew Sisca and Scott Fletcher.

The Battalion visits the Barrie Colts at 7:30 p.m. Saturday.

BATTALION NOTEBOOK: Attendance at the Jack Gatecliff Arena in the Gatorade Garden City Complex was a sold-out 3,145 … The Battalion went 1-for-4 on the power play. Niagara was 0-for-5 … The Battalion is 17-11-4 on the road. The IceDogs are 19-11-0 at home … The Troops went 9-2-1 in February … Opening Battalion line combinations included Hodgson centring left winger Emmerton and right winger Dale, Thomas Stajan centring left winger Graham McNabb and right winger John Hughes and Matt Duchene pivoting left winger Lomas and Luke Lynes on right wing. Kyle DeCoste centred left winger Luke VanMoerkerke and right winger Kody Musselman … Lynes played his 262nd career game, tying Chris Rowan's club record. Lynes, who set up de Gray's goal, has one goal and eight assists for nine points in a five-game points run … de Gray played his 246th game, moving ahead of Jay Harrison into fourth place on the club's all-time list … Defenceman Sanguinetti, held without a point, has three goals and five assists for eight points in five games against the IceDogs … Hodgson has nine points, including two goals, in five games against Niagara. He has two goals and four assists for six points in a five-game points run … Dahm is 14-5-0 with two shutouts since being acquired from the Sudbury Wolves. He was 2-3-0 in five starts for Sudbury against the Troops this season … Swift has nine goals and eight assists for 17 points in an eight-game points streak … Legein, who hasn't played for Niagara since Dec. 9, missed nine games with Canada's national junior team and is day-to-day with a sore shoulder … Corrente and Fletcher have hand and shoulder injuries respectively.