IceDogs come up short
It took 10 games and about a month, but Liam Ham finally made his 2018/19 season debut for the Niagara IceDogs.
The 19-year-old rearguard injured his ankle on the first day of training camp and got only one practice under his belt before suiting up for the first time.
Ham was thrown right into the fire as he played significant minutes on the blueline as the IceDogs dropped a 3-2 decision to the Ottawa 67’s in Ontario Hockey League Thursday night in St. Catharines.
It was the second loss in as many nights for the IceDogs, who dropped a 4-3 decision at Erie Wednesday.
Ham admitted it was difficult to watch his teammates from the stands.
“It was pretty tough. It was an injury we didn’t think would take that long (to heal) and it was definitely challenging, but it’s good to be back.”
Ham, who worked out earlier this week and proclaimed himself pain free and ready to go, admitted it will take a little while before he is in mid-season form.
“Not being on the ice very much, that’s very tough,” he said. “The conditioning, you as do as much as you can in the gym, but it’s totally different from going on the ice.
“It was tough but no excuses.”
Ham spent his time on the sidelines cheerleading and trying to pick out anything that could help the team or his game.
“I sat up there and watched intently. I was trying to learn as much as I could. It was tough to watch but you always have to be there for your teammates.”
IceDogs coach Billy Burke appreciated having the rugged Ham back in the lineup.
“It was great. Even thought it was his first game, he steps in there and I thought he did a great job,” Burke said. “You could tell he was a little bit rusty but for Game 1 with only one practice under his belt, I was really impressed with him.”
The 67’s held an 18-12 edge in shots in a scoreless first period that saw Ottawa throw their weight around.
“I think we knew it was going to be a game like that, a pretty intense game,” Burke said. “They’re a good team so that was to be expected.”
Burke had no issue with how his charges responded.
“I thought for the most part they responded well and battled as hard as they could.”
Ottawa broke the stalemate with a pair of quick goals near the middle of the second period before Kirill Maksimov finally got Niagara on the board with a power-play marker. It was his team-leading 11th of the season.
The IceDogs tied the game at 2-2 when Kyen Sopa potted his sixth of the season less than two minutes into the third. San Jose draft pick Sasha Chmelevski fired the winner with 4:39 to play when he swatted in a rebound.
Wednesday in Erie, the IceDogs fell behind 3-0 in the first period and 4-0 in the third before rallying with three late goals.
Maksimov, Matthew Philip and Akil Thomas scored for the IceDogs.
Thorold’s Christian Girhiny collected his second goal of the year for the Otters.
Ice cubes: Christian Sbaraglia, Oliver Castleman, Drew Hunter and Elijah Roberts did not dress for the IceDogs . . . Yanic Crete and Alec Belanger were scratched for the 67’s . . . Andrew Bruder dropped the gloves with Kody Clark after Clark kneed Philip Tomasino. Clark is a Washington Capitals draft pick and the son of former NHL forward Wendel Clark.
67’s 3 IceDogs 2
BPSN Star of the Game: Ottawa forward Sasha Chmelevski with two points.
For the Niagara IceDogs: Kirill Maksimov (11); Kyen Sopa (6).
For the Ottawa 67’s: Chmelevski (4); Tye Felhaber (12); Graeme Clarke (5).
Game stats: Shots on goal: By Niagara on Cedrick Andree (32), by Ottawa on Stephen Dhillon (44); Power plays: Niagara 1-for-5, Ottawa 0-for-4; Penalty minutes: Niagara 17, Ottawa 19.
Attendance: 4,032.
Up next: Windsor at Niagara Friday at 7 p.m.
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