IceDogs fall flat
The Niagara IceDogs didn’t show up for work Sunday and the results were predicable.
The IceDogs turned in a sloppy, listless effort as they dropped a 5-2 decision to the last-place Peterborough Petes in Ontario Hockey League action in St. Catharines.
It was an odd outing for the IceDogs who were coming off wins Thursday over Saginaw and Saturday over Sudbury.
IceDogs coach Ben Boudreau went straight to the point when asked about the game.
“We gave up six breakaways tonight and they scored on five,” Boudreau said. “It was one of the things we talked about as a group. We weren’t dialled in as a team or paying attention from the defence. They got in behind us six times and they executed on five of them and the game is over at the end of the two.
“We showed up and played like we were just hoping that if we showed up, we would have had something happen.”
Boudreau lamented watching the same mistakes over and over.
“Yeah, six of them (mistakes) to be very specific, all the exact same way,” he said. “I think everybody was guilty — (Darcy) Dewatcher, Chinner (Callum Cheynowski) and Scotty (Blair Scott) and (Matthew) Virgilio — and it was all the same message about being above the offensive threat and once they get behind us we’re in trouble. We end up chasing before we woke up and it was too late.”
Down 5-0 after two and sensing his team needed a spark, IceDogs sophomore centre Ethan Czata dropped the gloves with Francis Parish just 25 seconds into the third, which Boudreau praised.
“I want to shout it from the mountaintops,” Boudreau said. “I don’t care about the goals and the assists, in a draft year at that moment down 5-0 to step up on home ice and do that I think is just absolutely incredible. It says so much about his character, about how much he cares and what he’s willing to do for his teammates regardless of the score. I think that will get him more notice outside of his offensive ability.”
The team took notice as Andrei Loshko scored twice in a span of less than three minutes to give the IceDogs their only offence of the game.
“It was an unbelievable spark,” Boudreau added. “To be honest, I wish there was a whole team full of guys that cared and played like that. Ethan Czata is one of those ones where you know what you’re getting every single time. He’s quickly becoming one of our mainstays. We’ve got some great centres but we’re really going to need Ethan and I thought it was a great moment in his career to step up, especially before the Prospects Game Wednesday.”
The IceDogs have five days off before hosting North Bay Saturday and Boudreau hinted the team had best come to the rink prepared to work this week.
“It looked like we were struggling in conditioning,” he said. “We got in from Sudbury at four in the morning and we canceled practice on Saturday and then we came out flat like that so I think it’s the last time we do that just as far as the response so we need to make sure that we put our foot down.
“This isn’t the time to rest.”
Peterborough goaltender Easton Rye turned in a solid effort and looked to be in line for his second shutout of the season before Loshko scored.
“We had opportunities to score and you have to give them credit. I thought Easton stood on his head tonight,” Boudreau said. “We had opportunities to shoot where we didn’t. Collectively we just didn’t have anything going here tonight.”
Ice cubes: Alex Assadourian, Rafek Dianov, Andrew Wycisk and Nick Frasca did not dress for the IceDogs . . . Luka Genlinas, Zach Bowen, Thanasi Marentette, Blake Gowan and Matthew Jenken were scratched for the Petes . . . Boudreau indicated Assadourian and Wycisk are not expected back in the foreseeable future . . . The IceDogs committed 14 turnovers in the neutral zone in the first period . . . Loshko 3 (22, 23, 24); Kevin He (26); Blake Arrowsmith (8); Braidy Wassilyn (7) and Sean Doherty (6) scored in a 7-2 win over Saginaw Thursday while Assadourian 2 (11, 12); Loshko (25); Jack Brauti (5); Mathieu Paris (3) scored in a 5-4 win at Sudbury Friday.
STATS PACK
Petes 5 IceDogs 2
IceDogs centre Ethan Czata and Peterborough goaltender Easton Rye.
Niagara IceDogs: Andrei Loshko 2 (26, 27).
Peterborough Petes: Johnathan Meele 2 (14, 15); Brady Stonehouse (6); Nico Addy (5); Braydon McCallum (3).
Game stats: Shots on goal: By Niagara on Easton Rye (32), by Peterborough on Owen Flores (27); Power plays: Niagara 0/3, Peterborough 0/1; Penalty minutes: Niagara 9, Peterborough 13.
Attendance: 3,314.
Next up: The IceDogs are home to face North Bay Saturday and Barrie Sunday.
Dear reader. If you liked this story or one of the 6,500 other stories found on our website, please consider hitting the Support Us button on the right-hand side of our home page and making a PayPal contribution to our website. Your support would be much appreciated. If you are a business owner, please consider advertising on our site. Our rates are reasonable and we provide plenty of exposure for your business. Contact bpotrecz@outlook.com for more information.
