Slow start costly for IceDogs
Michael Levin has quietly put together a solid season for the Niagara IceDogs.
The 18-year-old native of Israel netted Niagara’s lone goal as the IceDogs dropped a 2-1 decision to the Mississauga Steelheads in Ontario Hockey League action Thursday night in St. Catharines.
Levin, a 5-foot-10, 154-pound winger and younger brother of former OHL first overall pick David Levin, has 16 goals and 28 points in 40 games this season playing in a variety of roles.
“He brings offence, there’s no question,” IceDogs coach Ben Boudreau said. “For a little guy, he brings a lot of things in a big package. He has vision and can really think the game with details and that’s something that we don’t have a lot of, a pure hockey sense guy. He gets to the right places, the right areas, and that’s why he ends up scoring.”
Boudreau loves Michael Levin’s attitude.
“The one thing I love that a lot of people don’t recognize is how coachable he is. He’ll take details and apply them in a game. If he makes a mistake he wants to know why and then wants to go out and correct it on the next shift,” Boudreau said. “The guy’s a hockey player, if that makes sense, not just because he laces on his skates and puts a stick in his hand. He thinks the game, he prepares the same way and he’s one of those guys who you know is going to be emotionally invested and wears his heart on his sleeve.”
Michael Levin and St. Catharines native Connor Federkow were acquired from the London Knights in exchange for a third-round pick and fifth-round selection in 2025. Michael Levin got into eight games with the Knights last season after being selected in the 10th round of the 2021 OHL Priority Selection.
He welcomed the move to Niagara.
“This was a big opportunity for me and I took it and got lucky with my teammates and the coaching staff. I’ve just got to keep going,” Michael Levin said. “That was my dream, to play in this league when I moved to Canada to play hockey. I’m enjoying the moment and having fun with my teammates.”
Michael Levin leaves Friday to play for Israel at the 2024 IIHF Hockey U20 World Championship Division III, Group A, in Bulgaria. Team Israel will begin play on Jan. 22 and will compete against Mexico, Bulgaria, Turkey, New Zealand and Kyrgyzstan as they seek promotion with a gold medal.
“I’m going to go see my friends I grew up with and see some family. I’m going to be excited to see them and play for my country,” Michael Levin said. “It’s tough (leaving the IceDogs) but it’s business. Hockey is business and you have to do what is going to be better (for you).”
The IceDogs dropped to 11-23-5-1 with the loss and missed an opportunity to gain ground on the Barrie Colts and Peterborough Petes, who both lost Thursday. The IceDogs trail the Colts by three points for ninth place in the Eastern Conference and the Petes by seven points for the eighth and final playoff spot in the East.
Niagara came out flat, giving up a pair of goals in a listless opening 20 minutes that ultimately cost them two valuable points.
“We played 40 minutes out of 60 and you have to play 60 minutes in order to win a hockey game,” Boudreau said. “We came out and did not start the game well. We were lazy in our details and didn’t played as a team and it took a little bit of a boot in the rear end after the first period to get them up to speed.”
The IceDogs turned things around in the final 40 minutes but were thwarted by Mississauga goaltender Ryerson Leenders, who made 33 saves.
“We’re resilient. We don’t pack it in but I thought we could have been better from the start and that first period is one we would like to have back,” Boudreau said. “Very proud of the effort, collectively the effort was there. We out-shot them, out-chanced them, out-played them but that was a good goalie on the other side that won them the game.”
Owen Flores, making his 13th straight start in goal for Niagara, made 26 saves.
Ice cubes: Michael Podolioukh and Andrew Wycisk did not dress for the IceDogs . . . Jack Ivankovic, Reed Gee, Wyatt Jinman and Liam Spencer were scratched for the Steelheads . . . Artem Frolov squared off with Adam Zidlicky while Connor Federkow and Mason Zebeski dropped the gloves.
STATS PACK
Steelheads 2 IceDogs 1
Niagara’s Mike Levin and Mississauga’s Ryerson Leenders.
Niagara IceDogs: Mike Levin (16).
Mississauga Steelheads: Dean Loukus (10); Marc Boudreau (8).
Game stats: Shots on goal: By Niagara on Ryerson Leenders (34), by Mississauga on Owen Flores (28); Power plays: Niagara 0/2, Mississauga 0/2; Penalty minutes: Niagara 18, Mississauga 18.
Attendance: 3,971.
Next up: IceDogs are in Barire Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and in North Bay Sunday at 2 p.m.
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