IceDogs get back on track with shootout win
Rodwin Dionicio scored as the Niagara IceDogs topped the Sudbury Wolves 4-3 in a shootout Friday in Sudbury. File photo by: OHL IMAGES.
The Niagara IceDogs will enjoy a rare weekend off even more than usual after topping the Sudbury Wolves 4-3 in a shootout in Ontario Hockey League action Friday night at the Sudbury Community Arena.
It was a crucial win for the IceDogs who snapped an eight-game losing streak with victory.
“Obviously you don’t want to be riding a roller coaster with gut-wrenching losses and big wins but it certainly feels great,” IceDogs head coach Billy Burke said. “I’d be lying if I said this one didn’t feel great for everybody.
“Definitely the weight of the world off our shoulders. It’s just feels nice to get that reminder that we can win games here. We’ve had some positives but it’s nice to get the result.”
The IceDogs last won Jan. 25 at North Bay and Burke felt the club has put in the effort to turn things around, even if the results haven’t followed.
“We watch the film and we see stretches of exactly what we want and then we have mental lapses with young guys and players in this league make you pay,” he said. “Even though we had positives and are trying to keep it positive with the guys and continue to learn, we want to win. At the end of the day, positives and moral victories only go so far.
“It was so much fun on the bench and it’s good team atmosphere right now.”
The IceDogs fell behind early before regrouping in the second period.
“The first period I kind of thought we were halfway with everything,” Burke said. “I didn’t think we had our legs under us. I definitely thought Sudbury had more jump and carried the play and then we got our legs going and we were better in the second even though we were down 3-1. We had a better second period and we were able to carry that over and get two quick goals to get back into it.”
Aidan Castle, Rodwin Dionicio and Dakota Betts scored for the IceDogs in regulation.
Evan Konyen, David Goyette and Dominik Jedek replied for the Wolves.
The IceDogs had some solid opportunities in overtime but were thwarted by Sudbury netminder Mitchell Weeks.
Josh Rosenzweig made 48 saves, including all three attempts in the shootout, to pick up the win.
Danil Gushchin netted the winner in the shootout.
The IceDogs will take Saturday and Sunday off and reconvene Monday for practice to prepare for Wednesday’s game in Erie.
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