Dog day afternoon
The Niagara IceDogs followed up one of their best efforts of the season with one of their worst.
Less than 48 hours after a dramatic and emotional overtime win Friday before sold out crowd, the IceDogs laid a huge egg Sunday afternoon, dropping a 5-1 decision to the Brantford Bulldogs in Ontario Hockey League action at the Meridian Centre.
Niagara head coach Ben Boudreau made zero attempt to sugar-coat the effort.
“It was the complete opposite of what we expected,” Boudreau said calmly. “It’s a learning lesson you just can’t show up and expect the exact same thing to happen. We had success Friday because we fought for it. We were mentally and physically ready to compete and there was no resemblance of that whatsoever.
“We thought because we showed up it would happen the exact same way.”
Boudreau said the players need to look in the mirror following that type of an effort.
“You want your guys to be motivated but you can’t do it for them,” he said. “They have to internally be motivated. Great players are going to be consistent at what they do and I didn’t find any sort of consistency from Friday to Sunday. As coach, you can do all the Xs and Os. You can lead them to water but you can’t make them drink it.
“Our players have to want to be like that every single night which isn’t easy, but winning isn’t easy.”
The Bulldogs, who have won all five meetings with the IceDogs this season, jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first period, including a pair by Jake O’Brien 3:15 apart.
“We want to be consistent the way we play and when I looked at the three goals, there was no resemblance of our structure on the players,” Boudreau said. “The second we got behind they started going on their own page. Whether you win or you lose, you have to do it as a team. It was very individualistic out there and to call a spade a spade, we are not talented enough to play as individuals. We have to have strength in numbers and do it as a team. The second we get away from that the results show on the scoreboard like they did tonight.”
The loss keeps the IceDogs six points in arrears of the idle Barrie Colts for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The Colts also own three games in hand.
“I really lament wasting an opportunity on home ice with a great crowd to creep up the standings,” Boudreau said.
Alex Assadourian scored the lone goal for the IceDogs in the second period, one of the few highlights on the afternoon.
“Don’t think we were ready from the get go. We weren’t executing our game plan. We just have to put this one behind us and go at it again tomorrow,” Assadourian said. “Obviously, it frustrating but there’s nothing we can do about it now. We just have to look into the future and go game by game and be ready to come out tomorrow.”
The IceDogs are back at it Monday at 2:05 p.m. in Oshawa.
Ice cubes: Michael Podolioukh and Andrew Wycisk did not dress for the IceDogs . . . Nick Lardis, Tomas Hamara, Noah Nelson, Cedricson Okitundu and Ben Radley were scratched for the Bulldogs . . . Former St. Catharines Falcon Luca Testa had a strong game for the Bulldogs with a goal and five shots on net . . . Niagara goaltender Owen Flores was playing in his 100th OHL game . . . A lucky fan from Port Colborne took home $5,657.50 as the winner of the 50/50 draw.
STATS PACK
Bulldogs 5 IceDogs 1
Brantford’s Jake O’Brien and Niagara’s Alex Assadourian.
Niagara IceDogs: Alex Assadourian (7).
Brantford Bulldogs: Jake O’Brien 2 (10,11); Florian Xhekaj (27); Patrick Thomas (15); Luca Testa (12).
Game stats: Shots on goal: By Niagara on Mateo Drobac (32), by Brantford on Owen Flores (45); Power plays: Niagara 0/4, Brantford 2/7; Penalty minutes: Niagara 16, Brantford 10.
Attendance: 4,856.
Next up: The IceDogs are in Oshawa Monday, in Mississaugua Friday and back home to take on the Kingston Frontenacs Saturday.
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