Weekend junior hockey roundup: IceDogs take three of four points; Junior B results; Riverhawks lost in OT
The Niagara IceDogs picked up three of a possible four points this weekend.
The IceDogs topped the Erie Otters 6-3 at Erie Saturday followed by a 4-3 overtime loss at Oshawa Sunday.
The IceDogs, 12-6-4-1, are tied for second place with the Sudbury Wolves with 28 points in the Ontario Hockey League’s Central Division. The Mississauga Steelheads lead the division with 30 points.
At Oshawa, Matt Brassard scored the winner at 3:58 of overtime to give the Gens the win and the extra points. The Generals are 13-7-2 and in second place in the Eastern Division.
The Generals took a 2-0 lead in the first period on goals by Giovanni Vallati and Allan McShane.
Oliver Castleman and Philip Tomasino scored for Niagara in the second period sandwiched around a goal by Brassard.
Ben Jones’ 12th of the season in the third tied the game at 3-3.
Stephen Dhillon made 34 saves in net for the IceDogs.
Oshawa goaltender Kyle Keyser made 39 saves in goal for the Generals and was named the game’s first star.
The IceDogs are home to the Barrie Colts Friday and in Hamilton Saturday.
JUNIOR B
The St. Catharines Falcons extended their point streak to 15 games with a 4-1 win at Welland in Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League, Golden Horseshoe Conference action Sunday in Welland.
The Falcons improved to 15-3-0-1 and trail the Niagara Falls Canucks by six points for first place. The Falcons own a pair of games in hand.
Christian Girhiny paced St. Catharines with two goals while Carson Edwardson and Tanner Main also scored.
Michael Arch spoiled Dillon Lamarche’s bid for a shutout at 13:19 of the third.
The Junior Canadians fell to 5-14-0-1.
The Falcons are home to Welland Friday.
Canucks 6 Panthers 2
The Niagara Falls Canucks improved to 18-2-0-1 with a convincing win at Pelham Sunday.
David D’Agostino led the Canucks with a pair of goals while Dillon Hill, Mitch Mendonca, Matthew Riva and Alec Vent added singles.
Dylan Bigger and Noah Caperchione replied for the Panthers, who dropped to 13-6.
The teams square off again Friday in Niagara Falls.
Hawks 4 Meteors 2
The Thorold Blackhawks got back on the winning track with a 4-2 victory at Fort Erie Saturday.
The Hawks rallied from a 2-0 deficit after Noah Desmarais and Marco Lariccia have the Meteors a 2-0 lead.
Thorold then responded with four unanswered goals by Jonathan Balah, Nicholas Rubino, Owen Allen and Devon Thibodeau.
Chase Grsic made 23 saves in goal for the win.
Ethan Cook made 47 saves for Fort Erie.
The Hawks, 7-11-1, are home to the Meteors Thursday.
JUNIOR C
For the second consecutive game, the Niagara Riverhawks lost in overtime.
After losing 3-2 in overtime to Glanbrook on Thursday night, the Riverhawks dropped a 4-3 decision in OT at Hamilton Sunday in Provincial Junior Hockey League action
Nick Volpatti opened the scoring in the first period giving the Riverhawks a 1-0 lead after 20 minutes of play.
The RiverHawks extended their lead when Daniel Volpatti tucked away a rebound to give the Riverhawks a 2-0 lead. Hamilton cut the lead to 2-1 but Josh Urbshott restored the two-goal lead for the Riverhawks to give the visitors a 3-1 lead heading into the third period.
Hamilton came out strong in the third period outshooting the RiverHawks 15-6 and scoring twice to tie the game and send it into overtime.
Hamilton’s Aidan Robataille scored the game winner at 2:31 of the extra frame.
“I thought we played a pretty solid two periods tonight but got caught standing around too much in the third,” Riverhawks head coach Tim Barath said. “Again, we need to learn to play a full 60-minute game. It’s tough when you let a two-goal lead slip away late in a game.”
Hamilton outshot the RiverHawks 38-29 overall with Matt Boere making 34 saves in the loss.
The RiverHawks have now dropped their last four games and sit in third place in the Bloomfield Division with 22 points, one ahead of the Hagersville Hawks. Grimsby leads the division followed by Glanbrook Hamilton, Port Dover, Dunnville and Hespeler.
The Riverhawks return to action on Thursday night when they host the Hagersville Hawks.
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