IceDogs complete perfect road trip
The Niagara IceDogs doubled the Sudbury Wolves 6-3 Sunday and are now tied for first place in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference with the Barrie Colts. Photo: NIAGARA ICEDOGS.
The Niagara IceDogs completed a perfect northern road trip with a convincing 6-3 win at Sudbury Sunday afternoon.
The IceDogs also defeated North Bay and Sault Ste. Marie for a 3-0 record on the trip, the first time in team history they have gone undefeated on the northern swing.
“This is incredible,” IceDogs coach Ben Boudreau said. “Between a franchise record start and doing a lot of firsts, taking our first three games up north, 20 wins before Christmas, it’s a lot of fun right now to be a Niagara IceDog.”
Ethan Czata led the IceDogs with three goals and two assists Sunday and now has 14 goals and 33 points in 31 games, including nine points in the last three games and is a team-leading plus-18.
“What I think you have in Ethan Czata is a motivated kid and now what he’s done is really been a driving force in turning this team around into a real contender,” Boudreau said. “Over a point a game, a defensive two-way centre that can produce, it’s pretty attractive. So, he’s coming into his own at the absolute right time.
“It’s tough to put up five points every game, but if he can be consistent in the way he plays, it’s going to come naturally to him.”
Overall, the IceDogs continue to fill the net — they scored 21 goals on the road trip.
“It seems like our offence is coming in spades,” Boudreau said. “What a difference a year makes is incredible. I think our northern road trip last year we had 21 goals scored against us and this year we’re scoring 21 goals for, which I find absolutely incredible.”
Kevin He, Blake Arrowsmith and Ryan Roobroeck all had a goal and two assists Sunday while Andrei Loshko chipped in with two assists.
Owen Flores, back in goal after a rare night off Friday in Sault Ste. Marie in favour of Charlie Robertson, made 35 saves for the win.
“Our big guys really came through to play and it didn’t matter which goalie we put in, they had fantastic performances,” Boudreau said.
The IceDogs are now 21-9-1-1 and tied for first place in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference with the Barrie Colts. The IceDogs visit Barrie Thursday.
“This is going to be a huge measuring stick to where we are compared to where we think we are,” Boudreau said. “We’re 5-0-1-1 in our last six games. It’s a great accomplishment, but we have two games to close out an excellent first half and we want to close it out the right way.”
The IceDogs are in Brampton Friday and are then off until Saturday, Dec. 28 at Flint.
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