IceDogs earn points in two losses
Sean Doherty scored four goals over the weekend as the Niagara IceDogs lost to Barrie in overtime and to North Bay in a shootout. Photo: OHL IMAGES.
The Niagara IceDogs suffered two losses over the weekend but still managed to collect a pair of important points.
The IceDogs dropped a 4-3 shootout decision at North Bay Sunday afternoon, just hours after losing 7-6 in overtime at Barrie.
The IceDogs, 27-15-3-2, sit in fifth place in the Eastern Conference of the Ontario Hockey League with 60 points, just five points in arrears of the Colts for first place.
IceDogs head coach Ben Boudreau said he can live with the outcomes this weekend.
“Our mindset right from the very first game is we want to go week by week,” Boudreau said. “We take everything in small increments and then hopefully they all add up at the end of the year when we look back over a year’s worth of time.
“Our goal is to make sure we’re at the minimum. 500 or above. And if you would have asked us if we would have been happy for two out of four points this weekend, we would have taken that and I know that there were two extra frame losses, points percentage, so we’ll definitely take that.”
The IceDogs were once again undermanned, playing both games without captain Kevin He (suspended) as well as injured forwards Alex Assadourian and Mathieu Paris.
“I thought we did a lot of good things with our captain suspended and without our entire first line,” Boudreau said. “We got some young guys some good quality ice time. I think there were some good stories — Charlie Hotles getting his first OHL point and Matthew Humphreys getting his first OHL start today and still finding a way to achieve our goal.”
Humphries looked sharp in his OHL debut, making 38 saves in relief of starter Owen Flores who had started 12 games in a row and 34 of the last 36 games.
Humphries, Niagara’s third-round selection (44th overall) in the 2024 OHL Priority Selection, will be with the IceDogs for the rest of the season with Charlie Robertson out for the year after undergoing surgery.
“Oh, he was phenomenal,” Boudreau said. “It’s a shame not a lot of people got to witness it live in person. I think he was first star of the game. You know we’re up 3-1 and it wasn’t his fault that we gave up two. I thought we could have given a little bit more help but if this was any type of glimpse into what the future holds for the Niagara IceDogs, put him in that young core group that’s going to grow this organization going forward. It’s an exciting future and he’s front and centre.”
Jack Brauti, Ryan Roobroeck and Sean Doherty scored for the IceDogs.
Roobroeck, Doherty and Mike Levin all missed in the shootout.
Saturday in Barrie, Doherty had three goals while Roobroeck, Blake Arrowsmith and Andrew Wycisk added singles.
Kashawn Aitcheson scored the winner in overtime on a two-on-none breakaway.
The IceDogs host Sudbury Friday and Kitchener Saturday.
He is eligible to return Friday while Boudreau indicated Assadourian and Paris are at least another weekend away from playing.
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