Akil the real deal
Akil Thomas has been a plus for the Niagara IceDogs in more ways than one this season.
On a team loaded with an abundance of firepower up front, the 19-year-old centre has quietly gone about his business and put together an outstanding campaign in all aspects.
Thomas netted a pair of goals and two assists as the IceDogs defeated the Erie Otters 7-4 in Ontario Hockey League action Thursday in St. Catharines.
Thomas now has 34 goals and 94 points, both career highs, and is also an impressive plus-42.
“This year I’ve taken a big step in my face-offs too and that’s a lot less time for the team to score in my own end,” Thomas explained, when asked about his plus-minus. “I’m really trying to take pride in being a 200-foot player.”
Thomas has steadily increased his offensive output each season after a solid rookie campaign that saw him collect 21 goals and 48 points.
“If I just play well and play hard, I think they (points) will come,” he said. “I don’t really think about points. I just think about playing well and they usually come when I do that.”
Thomas said the IceDogs aren’t concerned with any statistic other than the number in the win column.
“Tonight we were just relentless on the puck and I don’t even know who scored,” he said. “It seemed like we were all over the puck and everyone was involved in the scoring.”
While others may seem to stick out a little more for their offensive flair, IceDogs head coach Billy Burke is well aware how much Thomas means to the team.
“He’s outstanding,” Burke said. “He’s our everything. He’s great offensively and great defensively. He puts his heart on his sleeve and will do anything for the team.
“He’s a leader and it’s great to see him bounce back and have a great performance for us tonight.”
Niagara improved to 39-17-7 and are now tied for first place with the Sudbury Wolves with 85 points. The teams square off Friday in St. Catharines in a game which will go a long way to decide top spot in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference.
“It was a good job. We got it done. There are some corrections we can work on in the morning and just be ready to go,” Burke said. “We have to understand we need to play defence first. If we’re playing that way, we’re a pretty good team.”
The IceDogs jumped out to a 3-0 lead after one, outshooting the Otters 14-9.
Niagara then poured it on in the second to take a 7-2 lead after 40 minutes.
The Otters pushed back in the third and netted a pair.
“When they’re losing like that they want to give something,” Thomas said. “We’ll come out hard tomorrow and if we go up on them, we don’t take our foot off the gas.”
Ice cubes: Christian Sbaraglia, Jonah DiSimone, Andrew Bruder and Jake Uberti did not dress for the IceDogs . . . Elias Cohen, Luke Beamish, Noah Sedore, Maxime Golod and Alex Gritz were scratched for the Otters . . . IceDogs defenceman Drew Hunter was honoured as the club’s Academic Player of the Year . . . Erie defenceman Jacob Golden is the lone NHL draft pick on the Otters . . . Former Niagara Falls Canuck Kurtis Henry has six goals and 20 points for the Otters. Ex-IceDog Danial Singer is 15-9-24 in 47 games . . . The Otters lead the OHL with a 9-3-5 record in overtime and shootouts. The IceDogs are last at 0-7-0-2.
IceDogs 7 Otters 4
BSPN Star of the Game: Niagara centre Akil Thomas with two goals and two assists.
Niagara IceDogs: Thomas 2 (33,34); Kirill Maksimov (39); Ben Jones (39); Philip Tomasino (32); Oliver Castleman (20); Drew Hunter (5).
Erie Otters: Gera Poddubnyi (27); Mathew MacDougall (14); Jospeh Mack (10); Hayden Fowler (5).
Game stats: Shots on goal: By Niagara on Cole Ceci/Daniel Murphy (26), by Erie on Stephen Dhillon (40); Power plays: Niagara 2-for-4, Erie 0-for-2; Penalty minutes: Niagara 4, Erie 8.
Attendance: 5,156
Up next: Home to Sudbury Friday at 7 p.m. and Barrie Sunday at 2 p.m.
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