IceDogs upset 67’s
The wait is finally over for Ethan Czata.
The rookie forward for the Niagara IceDogs went 23 games before finally scoring his first Ontario Hockey League goal Thursday.
Czata’s goal helped the IceDogs to an exciting 7-5 upset win over the Ottawa 67’s in an Ontario Hockey League game in St. Catharines.
“It felt like at all the weight was off my shoulders, especially getting it before the Christmas break,” Czata said. “It was great.”
Czata, who was able retrieve the souvenir puck, described the goal which gave Niagara a 2-1 lead at the time.
“Ryan Roobroeck hit the puck off the guy’s thing and I got a breakaway and put it through the goalie’s five-hole,” he said.
Czata was selected by the IceDogs in the first round (fifth overall) in the 2023 OHL draft but has struggled offensively to finish around the net.
“I kept getting opportunities but the puck just wasn’t going in but now it finally happened,” he said. “I think it will help me a lot.”
IceDogs coach Ben Boudreau has been playing Czata on a line with Ivan Galiyanov and Evan Klein.
“The one fortunate thing is, with the position he has on our team, we’re not expecting him to score,” Boudreau said. “He can be a good depth player, win face-offs, go on the penalty kill and provide energy. When he’s in that role and he does score goals, it’s a huge boost to our hockey team because those aren’t roles he’s expected to play as a 16-year-old.”
The win broke off a three-game losing streak for Niagara and came against a strong Ottawa squad which came in with a 17-9-2 record. The IceDogs have also recently defeated both Kitchener and Peterborough, two of the top teams in the league.
“When we dial in and play as a team we’re going to find ways to be competitive in games and you can tell when we’re not dialled in and start playing for ourselves,” Boudreau said. “The sooner we realize what works and what our identity is, the sooner we’re going to start stringing some wins together.”
Each team scored their first goal on a penalty shot in the first period, Will Gerrior for Ottawa at 1:35 followed by Brody Crane for the IceDogs at 6:15. Czata then added his goal to give Niagara a 2-1 lead after one.
The IceDogs then outscored the 67’s 3-2 in the second before the teams split four goals in the third.
“Our offence came from defence, which was really good,” Boudreau said. “We scored one short-handed and two on power plays, but four five-on-five goals came from defensive structure, which is when you look at our team identity, is something we have really been preaching recently.”
After going weeks shorthanded the IceDogs were finally able to ice a full squad.
“It’s been tough but now we have guys in positions they should be and guys playing the roles that there were meant to play,” Boudreau said.
The IceDogs are at Kingston Friday and home to North Bay Saturday in the final game before the Christmas break. They play again after Christmas at Owen Sound Thursday, Dec. 28.
Ice cubes: Andrew Vermeulen, William Stewart and Urban Podrekar did not dress for Niagara . . . Kaleb Dietsch, Chris Barlas, Tuomas Uronen and Jack Dever were scratched for the 67’s . . . Pittsburgh Penguins President of Hockey Operations Kyle Dubas was in attendance as was Jason Spezza, Special Assistant to the General Manager for the Penguins . . . IceDogs goaltender Owen Flores earned an assist on Mike Levin’s goal.
STATS PACK
IceDogs 7 67’s 5
Niagara’s Ethan Czata and Ottawa’s Will Gerrior.
For the Niagara IceDogs: Alex Assadourian 2 (4,5); Mike Levin (10); Gavin Bryant (8); Evan Klein (4); Brody Crane (1); Ethan Czata (1).
For the Ottawa 67’s: Will Gerrior 3 (11,12,13); Luca Pinelli (22); Brad Gardiner (7).
Game stats: Shots on goal: By Niagara on Max Donoso/Collin McKenzie (43), by Ottawa on Owen Flores (31); Penalty minutes: Niagara 10, Ottawa 14; Power plays: Niagara 2/5, Ottawa 0/3.
Attendance: 3,105.
Up next: At Kingston Friday, home to North Bay Saturday in their final game before the Christmas break. The IceDogs are then at Owen Sound Thursday, Dec. 28.
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