IceDogs come up just short
The Niagara IceDogs showed they can play with the big boys this week.
Monday, the IceDogs knocked off the Ottawa 67’s, the best the Eastern Conference has to offer, then followed that with a gutsy effort against the London Knights Thursday.
The IceDogs, missing seven regulars, picked up a point after dropping a 5-4 overtime decision to the Western Conference’s best team.
“I think the effort was there tonight,” said Niagara assistant coach Jody Hull, who ran the bench in the absence of head coach Billy Burke, who was under the weather. “We ran out of gas again in the third and it’s a product of our lineup.
“We’re not using that as an excuse, but you still have to try to find ways to win hockey games.”
The IceDogs dressed just 10 forwards and six defencemen, although only five saw ice time. Rookie rearguard A.J. Cook, up from Ridley College, dressed but did not see the ice while forward Bradey Johnson took a regular shift on defence.
Hull feels the IceDogs stack up well against the 67’s and Knights.
“I consider ourselves the best in the league, too, and so do the guys in the dressing room,” he said. “I think if you put our healthy team on the ice against even their healthy teams, I think you might get the same results or you might get an extra point out of it, too.
“We’re dealing with a little bit of adversity and this could be good moving forward.”
The Knights jumped out to a 2-0 lead after one period on an early goal by Matvey Guskov just two minutes into the game, followed by Sahil Panwar’s third of the season halfway through the period. The IceDogs held a 14-12 edge in shots.
Niagara dominated the second period scoring four times, including a pair by captain Ben Jones, to take a 4-2 lead into the third.
The Knights pressed hard in the third, scoring once early and once with seven minutes to play, to send the game into overtime.
Nathan Dunkley, who tied the game in regulation, won it at 4:33 of the extra period with the IceDogs down a man.
Jones admitted it was ideal to have to face such a strong team with a short bench.
“We’ve been doing it for a few games now and we’re a little bit more used to it. We can’t use that as an excuse. We’re a great hockey team and we have enough guys where we can win games as was proved the other day versus Ottawa.”
Ice cubes: Jonathon Schaefer (suspension), Lleyton Moore (injury) Ivan Lodnia, Kyen Sopa, Jason Robertson, Ivan Lodnia and Daniel Bukac did not dress for Niagara . . . Evan Bouchard, Adam Boqvist, Andrew Perrott, Gerard Keane, Sergey Popov and Alex Formenton did not dress for the Knights . . . Ethan Sims now has two assists his two games with the IceDogs since signing with the team earlier this week after starting the season with the St. Catharines Falcons . . . Former IceDog Willy Lochead, who retired before the season, then joined the Knights, has four goals and 11 points in 30 games . . . The IceDogs are 0-6 in overtime this season.
Knights 5 IceDogs 4 OT
BPSN Star of the Game: Knights forward Nathan Dunkley with two goals, including the winner in OT.
Niagara IceDogs: Ben Jones 2 (18,19); Kirill Maksimov (25); Akil Thomas (14)
London Knights: Dunkley 2 (15,16); Cole Tymkin (16); Matvey Guskov (6); Sahil Panwar (3).
Game stats: Shots on goal: By Niagara on Joseph Raaymakers 35, by London on Stephen Dhillon 51; Power plays: Niagara 2-for-4, London 2-for-6; Penalty minutes: Niagara 14, London 12.
Attendance: 5,300 (sellout).
Up next: Home to Erie Friday and at Hamilton Sunday.
SUPPORT US
On the right side of our web site, you will notice a yellow SUPPORT US button.
We are asking anyone who finds value in our work and is able to financially help us to click on the button and contribute whatever amount you feel is appropriate and can afford. There is no set amount. Any amount is appreciated.
The funds collected will be used to enhance and offset the expenses of running the web site.
