IceDogs earn three of four points on road trip
The Niagara IceDogs battled back from a 6-4 deficit to defeat the Windsor Spitfires 7-6 in overtime Saturday before dropping a 4-3 shootout decision at Sarnia Sunday afternoon. Photo: OHL IMAGES.
The Niagara IceDogs continue to show their resiliency, twice coming from behind to earn three of four points on a weekend road trip to Windsor and Sarnia.
The IceDogs battled back from a 6-4 deficit to defeat the Spitfires 7-6 in overtime Saturday before dropping a 4-3 shootout decision at Sarnia Sunday afternoon.
The IceDogs, 3-4-4-1-1, have now earned points in five straight games.
“We are very proud of how the team is able to be so resilient game in and game out,” IceDogs coach Ryan Kuwabara said. “They are a tight knit team that wants to play for each and do well. It is a great character builder for our group and will need that experience of these pressure situations they are able to battle back from being behind.”
Saturday in Windsor, the IceDogs trailed 6-4 in the third period before a pair of late goals by Mathieu Paris and Michael Podolioukh sent the game into overtime where Gavin Bryant netted the winner.
It was the first overtime win of the season for Niagara which had lost their previous four games in extra time.
“It has been tough not being able to get more of those points in OT but that made that win much more special because we had battled so hard,” Kuwabara said.
Paris led the offence with two goals and three assists while Gavin Bryant added a goal and two assists. Former Spitfire Daniil Sobolev had a strong game versus his former team with a goal and assist and was a plus-3. Rookies Ryan Roobroeck and Andrew Vermeulen added singles.
Marcus Vandenberg made 39 saves in net for Niagara.
Sunday in Sarnia, the IceDogs trailed 2-0 heading in the third before Paris netted a short-handed marker to get Niagara on the board. After the Sting went up 3-1, Podolioukh and Vermeulen replied to send the game into overtime. It was the third straight game with a goal for Vermeulen.
Following a scoreless overtime period, former IceDog Andrew LeBlanc earned the Sting the extra point when he was the lone goal scorer of the shootout.
Owen Flores made 40 saves in net for the IceDogs.
The IceDogs travel to Sudbury Friday and are home to North Bay Saturday.
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