IceDogs hit rock bottom
The Niagara IceDogs dropped an 8-2 decision to the Barrie Colts in OHL action at home. Photo by: ALEX LUPUL PHOTOGRAPHY.
Niagara IceDogs coach Billy Burke has been a model of patience and understanding this season as the IceDogs endured their share of ups and downs.
Burke has more often than not looked at the glass as half-full, tried to find the silver lining in the black cloud, and attempted to extract something positive even after the toughest losses.
But Burke finally lost his cool Friday following an embarrassing 8-2 loss to the Barrie Colts before a sell-out crowd on Pink in the Rink night.
Burke slammed the door on his way out of the dressing room and then didn’t mince words during his post-game scrum with the media.
“The only reason I’m here is just out of respect for you guys (media) and the fans, the people that actually showed up tonight,” he said. “I’m not going to stand out here and call out players or anything like that.
“That was disgusting. That was embarrassing. That’s got to be, performance-wise, the worst I have seen in three years (as head coach) and I’m going to take accountability for that.
“One thing I try to be is positive at all times. When I get effort and care, I can live with results. When there is no effort, and no care, and it looks like we haven’t practiced once all year, then I take that personal.”
When the IceDogs sold off Akil Thomas, Phil Tomasino and Kyen Sopa and went into a full rebuild, they knew they would have to take a step back before going forward again.
The team has remained generally competitive since the trades, at least giving themselves a chance to win most nights, while working hard and displaying a good attitude.
But Friday the IceDogs hit rock bottom and Burke wasn’t going to sugar coat it.
“I think it was a little bit of a loser mentality,” he said. “Golly gee, we sure tried hard last night (3-2 loss to Ottawa). Everyone got their gold star and participation ribbon and thought Barrie was going to come in here and give it to us because we sure tried hard last night.
“In this league you can lose every game, and the way we looked tonight, we will lose every game.”
It was a costly loss for the IceDogs who missed a golden opportunity to gain two points on both the Colts and Hamilton Bulldogs, who lost to the 67’s Friday.
The IceDogs still hold down the eighth and final spot in the Eastern Conference, four points behind both the Colts and Bulldogs and seven up on Kingston, who hold two games in hand.
The IceDogs must find a way to turn things around in a hurry as they visit the Bulldogs Saturday at 4 p.m.
“We better bounce back,” Burke said. “We have a practice day Sunday, practice day Monday, game Tuesday, practice day Wednesday. If they’re not going to work, we’re going to work on off days and the off days go out the window.”
Ice cubes: Isaac Enright, Ivan Lodnia and Ethan Sims all remain week-to-week for the IceDogs . . . Referee Ryan Elbers is a former member of the St. Catharines Falcons . . . IceDogs forward Jake Uberti played in his 100th OHL game and picked up an assist. . . Dakota Betts and Luke Bignell dropped the gloves for a spirited tilt in the first period . . . An auction was held following the game for the pink jerseys worn during the game with proceeds to Canadian Cancer Society Niagara.
Colts 8 IceDogs 2
BPSN Star of the Game: Barrie forward Tyson Forester with three points.
Niagara IceDogs: Cameron Snow (7); Lucas Theriault (5).
Barrie Colts: Forester 2 (28, 29); Ethan Cardwell (18); Aiden Brown (11); Victor Hadfield (6); Ivan Vierling (5); Jacob Frasca (5); Matthew Hill (2).
Game stats: Shots on goal: By Niagara on Jet Greaves (29), by Barrie on Andrew MacLean/Christian Sbaraglia (42); Power plays: Niagara 0-for-3, Barrie 2-for-6; Penalty minutes: Niagara 17, Barrie 11.
Attendance: 5,388 (sell out).
Up next: At Hamilton Saturday. Tuesday at home versus London in a makeup game from Dec. 12. Thursday at home versus Owen Sound.
