IceDogs rally to top Wolves
The Niagara IceDogs and Sudbury Wolves packed a lot into two games less than 24 hours apart this weekend at the Meridian Centre.
The IceDogs collected three of a possible four points over the two games which featured controversial calls, chippiness, two overtimes and an eight-round shootout.
The IceDogs topped the Wolves 4-3 in a shootout Sunday, just hours after dropping a 6-5 overtime decision marred by a questionable non-call of goaltender interference on the winning goal.
“Obviously we wanted to come in here to try beat Sudbury both games but two tight games, two games overtime, a shootout, so we’re just happy we came out on top in this one,” IceDogs coach Bill Burke said.
The IceDogs (17-35-3-1) trail the Wolves by 10 points for ninth place and Peterborough by 14 points for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with 12 games remaining in their regular season schedule.
The IceDogs may have been in a position to sweep the weekend but the Wolves prevailed Saturday when Evan Koneyn scored 1:39 into the extra period when he tapped in a loose puck following a collision with Josh Rosenzweig that appeared to be goaltender inference.
“It certainly one of the ones you would think you should be able to talk about but it’s in the past and you can’t worry about it too much,” Burke said. “It was certainly frustrating, especially with no time out and not being able to challenge.
“Shouldn’t have to challenge something like that, but it is what it is, I guess.”
Niagara forward Aidan Castle agreed.
“We came into this game with a little more motivation,” he said. “To have that not overturned was frustrating but we had a good bounce back today.”
Ironically, Sudbury’s Landon McCallum was called for goaltender interference Sunday when he barrelled into Rosenzweig with just under a minute remaining in overtime.
“Every game is going to be different, every officiating crew a little bit different,” Burke said.
Castle was the lone player out of 16 to score in the shootout when he beat Mitchell Weeks on Niagara’s eighth attempt. Rosenzweig then turned away Dominik Jandek to secure the win.
“I was just trying to watch the other guys,” Castle said. “I saw a lot of them going to the left and low and I just thought the five-hole was open and the five-hole is my go-to on breakaways.”
Burke said the IceDogs take time to work on shootouts in practice.
“We’ve had some presentations on things that work, trends, areas, how to get goalies moving,” he said. “Sometimes it’s usually just casual, five-puck competitions at the end of practice and Jason Barron (goaltending coach) helps out too with stats.”
The IceDogs trailed 2-0 before Daniel Gushchin and Liam Van Loon scored in the second period to tie the game at 2-2. Just 25 seconds later the Wolves reclaimed the lead with Marc Boudreau netted his second of the game.
The IceDogs battled back once again when Brice Cook scored halfway through the third to tie the game at 3-3.
“These guys have their backs against the wall and the certainly don’t go out quietly,” Burke said. “They stick together. Down in the third, coming back again trying to get it to overtime. “Just great character by the guys.”
Saturday, Cooke, Van Loon, Isaac Enright, Pano Fimis and Juan Copeland scored for the IceDogs. It was Fimis’ first game since suffering a shoulder injury Feb. 16 at Erie.
Ice cubes: Cameron Peters, Ilia Chmelevski, Sami Douglas-Najem and Rodwin Dionicio (suspension) were scratched for the IceDogs . . . Dylan Robinson, Quentin Musty, Ethan Larmand and Matthew Mania did not dress for the Wolves.
SATURDAY
Niagara’s Pano Fimis and Sudbury’s Mitchell Weeks.
SUNDAY
Niagara’s Aidan Castle and Sudbury’s Marc Boudreau.
STATS PACK
IceDogs 4 Wolves 3 SO
Niagara IceDogs: Danil Gushchin (36); Liam Van Loon (16); Brice Cooke (15).
Sudbury Wolves: Marc Boudreau 2 (8, 9); David Goyette (27).
Game stats: Shots on goal: By Niagara on Mitchell Weeks (38), by Sudbury on Josh Rosenzweig (42); Power plays: Niagara 0/4, Sudbury 1/3; Penalty minutes: Niagara 6, Sudbury 8.
Attendance: 3,955.
Up next: Home to Peterborough Tuesday and Erie Thursday.
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