IceDogs fall to Colts
Declan Waddick netted his fifth goal of the season Thursday as the Niagara IceDogs dropped a 5-3 decision at Barrie. File photo: OHL IMAGES.
A late rally in the third period came up short as the Niagara IceDogs dropped a 5-3 decision to the Barrie Colts in Ontario Hockey League action Thursday in Barrie.
Trailing 4-2, Niagara’s Danil Gushchin scored with 1:10 remaining to narrow the gap to 4-3 before Declan McDonnell scored at 19:46 into an empty net to ice the game away for the Colts.
The loss drops Niagara’s record to 16-35-2-1 and leaves them 15 points behind the Peterborough Petes for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with 14 games remaining in their regular season schedule.
“Too many guys flat tonight, unfortunately,” Niagara coach Billy Burke said. “Rosey (Josh Rosenzweig) was great, allowed us to hang around and the guys fought to the end.”
The teams exchanged goals in the first period as Beau Jelsma opened the scoring for the Colts just 1:10 into the game before Declan Waddick netted his fifth of the season for the IceDogs.
Grayson Tiller and Oliver Smith scored in the second to increase Barrie’s lead to 3-1 after 40 minutes.
Brenden Sirizzotti narrowed the gap to 3-2 with the 14th of the season early in the third before Niagara-on-the-Lake’s Tai York fired his sixth of the season to give Barrie back their two-goal margin.
The IceDogs continued to be without injured forwards Pano Fimis and Cam Peters and injured defenceman Landon Cato.
Rosenzweig made 39 saves for net in Niagara.
St. Catharines native Matteo Lalama kicked out 15 shots and earned the win for Barrie.
The IceDogs are home to the Sudbury Wolves Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m.
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