IceDogs eliminated from playoffs, losing streak at eight
Kevin He scored his 30th goal of the season for the Niagara IceDogs Saturday in a 7-5 loss at Peterborough. Photo: OHL IMAGES.
The Niagara IceDogs were eliminated from the playoffs after dropping two games over the weekend to extend their losing streak to eight.
The IceDogs lost 7-1 at Ottawa Friday followed by a 7-5 defeat at Peterborough Saturday night to fall to 16-38-6-1. They trail the Barrie Colts by 17 points for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference of the Ontario Hockey League with seven games remaining on their schedule.
“This is my first time missing the playoffs in almost a decade and it’s not a feeling that you want to get used to,” IceDogs coach Ben Boudreau said.
“We need this to be a one and done, not only for the city and its fans but for the players on the team. They need to see this organization going in the right direction and the positive thing is that we have a really good core of young players, we are going to grow us as our expectations rise. There’s a long-term plan for success and that starts with a goal of making sure the IceDogs are back in the playoffs and competitive for years to come.”
Boudreau pointed to youngsters such as Kevin He, Ryan Roobroeck, Artem Frolov and Ivan Galiyianov as core players who give him hope for the future.
“Our young guys are stepping up and it’s good to see them rewarded,” he said. “The drivers of this team, this young organization, this core group, are all young guys and I think that’s important to highlight.”
He netted his 30th of the season Saturday while Roobroeck added two to give him 26 on the season. Galiyianov had a goal and an assist while Frolov potted his first OHL goal and also added an assist after a rough outing in Ottawa.
“We lost 7-1 last night and he was on for six of the seven goals and you remind yourself that’s part of the growing pains,” Boudreau said. “But if you staple him to the bench for six or seven minutes a game he doesn’t get those experiences. It would mean something different if our entire season was on the line but we’re in the situation where we have to grow our guys and tonight playing him another 25-26 minutes and getting his first goal, you hope it’s the first of many.”
Boudreau feels for his players who have, for the most part, given a respectable effort most nights.
“They really found a way to show up and give their all. I know it’s the end of the season and the guys who are playing through injuries and deciding to put their bodies on the line, you have to give credit to. You have to feel for the guys because it’s not from a lack of effort,” he said. “I love the guys in that room, I love the guys on the team and one day we’ll be on the other side of this.”
Following the loss in Ottawa where Mathieu Paris scored the lone goal for Niagara, the IceDogs finally got their offence untracked in Peterborough.
“This is the first time in seven games where we scored more than three goals, we got the run support tonight scoring five. I thought that was impressive,” Boudreau said. “The frustrating thing part tonight is defensively when you make a mistake you want a goalie to give you that one save and I think our goalies are fighting that confidence right now because the wins haven’t come. In a game like that, having a lead three different times and not being able to shut it own on the defensive end is disappointing we didn’t get the result.
Charlie Robertson made 31 saves in the loss while Owen Flores turned back a similar number in Ottawa.
The IceDogs are home to Erie Thursday to begin a final stretch of seven games in 10 days to conclude the season.
“Don’t let a single day go back in the OHL you don’t cherish because before you know the opportunity will be gone,” Boudreau said when asked for his message to the team for the final two weeks. “That’s something I speak from experience. You think somethings going to last forever, but it doesn’t. Even though we’re losing now it’s great to have the people to go to work with every single day in Niagara and that’s something you don’t lose focus on.”
With files from Brandon Caputo of The Armchair GM’s Sports Network.
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