IceDogs fail to go to war against Battalion
So much for the sweep.
The Niagara IceDogs had hopes of taking care of the North Bay Battalion in a swift and efficient manner, but the Battalion had other ideas.
The IceDogs dropped a 5-2 decision to the Battalion Saturday night in St. Catharines in Game 2 of their Ontario Hockey League, Eastern Conference best-of-seven quarter-final playoff series.
Niagara dominated the opener Thursday at both ends of the ice, but turned in a far less effective effort in Game 2, and the Battalion took advantage to tie the series at 1-1.
IceDogs coach Billy Burke didn’t even attempt to sugarcoat his team’s disappointing effort.
“I think we just thought we could show up and it would be easy and they wouldn’t have any pushback,” he said. “Obviously listening to them now they’re feeling good. They had a great game plan and it worked.”
Burke didn’t like the club’s overall work ethic.
“We didn’t get any breaks because we didn’t deserve any breaks,” he said. “We didn’t work hard enough and we didn’t compete hard enough, so we got what we deserved.”
Burke also expects more from his veterans.
“A lot of older guys have to be better,” he said. “I’m not going to call any guys out (individually) but I think there are older guys who weren’t good enough tonight.”
The IceDogs led the regular season with 326 goals, but have managed just four in the series so far.
“They’re stingy and they’re good defensively,” Burke said. “They’re in the 1-3-1 in the neutral zone, which is difficult to get through, but it’s not the end of the world.
“We need to grunt it out. There’s no rush there — they’re taking the rush away —so we need to chip it in by them and be physical and be patient.”
The Battalion raced out to a 2-0 lead on goals by Justin Brazeau and Daniel Walker less than a minute apart. Each team collected 12 shots on goal in the first period.
“Stevie (Stephen Dhillon) thankfully made a couple of big saves or it could have been 4-0,” Burke said. “You don’t want it (deficit) to rattle you but I don’t think we had enough playoff intensity at all.”
The IceDogs finally got on the board in the second with a pair of goals from Ben Jones and Akil Thomas before the Battalion answered back with a pair of their own to lead 4-2 after 40 minutes. Niagara held a 22-7 edge in shots.
North Bay goaltender Christian Propp had another solid game, turning back 43 shots.
Burke said it was unlikely injured forwards Kirill Maksimov and Kyen Sopa would be available in the series.
The series shifts to North Bay Tuesday and Thursday for Games 3 and 4.
Ice cubes: Maksimov, Sopa, Jonah DiSimone and Christian Sbaraglia did not dress for the IceDogs . . . Travis Mailhot and Pacey Schlueting were scratched for the Battalion . . . Welland Jackfish majority owner Ryan Harrison officiated the game.
Battalion 5 IceDogs 2
BPSN Star of the Game: North Bay goaltender Christian Propp with 43 saves.
Niagara IceDogs: Ben Jones (1); Akil Thomas (1).
North Bay Battalion: Justin Brazeau (1); Daniel Walker (1); Mitchell Russell (1); Mason Primeau (1); Brad Chenier (1).
Game stats: Shots on goal: By Niagara on Propp (45), by North Bay on Stephen Dhillon (27); Power plays: Niagara 0-for-2, North Bay 0-for-1; Penalty minutes: Niagara 2, North Bay 4.
Attendance: 5,478 (sell out)
Up next: The series shifts to North Bay Tuesday and Thursday for Games 3 and 4. Game 5 is in Niagara Friday, March 29.
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