IceDogs remain winless after OT loss
The Niagara IceDogs are expecting big things from one of their smallest players this season.
Alex Assadourian is listed at 5-foot-9 and 168 pounds, but even those proportions seem generous. Despite his diminutive stature, the speedy winger is expected to be a key cog in the offence this season.
Assadourian netted his first of the season Thursday night in a losing effort as the IceDogs dropped a 3-2 overtime decision to the Erie Wolves in Ontario Hockey League action in St. Catharines.
The IceDogs, 0-3-2-0, are still looking for this first win of the season while the Otters got in the win column for the first time in their fifth game.
Niagara coach Ryan Kuwabara saw how valuable Assadourian could be after he netted nine goals and 33 points in 34 games last season following a trade from the Sudbury Wolves.
“He’s one the drivers of the engine,” Kuwabara said. “He’s always moving his feet quickly as we go through the neutral zone carrying that speed. It’s tough to keep up with him. When he’s going and we get a couple of other guys like Kevin (He) and a few of those other guys, then we’re going to continue to have good success.”
Assadourian began the game on a line between rookie Ethan Czata and Chris O’Flaherty in an attempt to balance the offence.
“I don’t think I have a one, two, three (line), I have an A, B, C,” Kuwabara said. “I can put that third line out against any team’s first line, I think. That’s the thing. I wanted some good depth there so instead of loading up a couple of lines, if we’re able to do that, hopefully we can spread the scoring out.”
The Otters led 2-0 after 40 minutes as the IceDogs once again got off to a slow start.
“We just seemed flat and seemed like we couldn’t make five-foot passes. We weren’t playing on our toes. We were chasing the game. We had to re-adjust and re-focus,” Kuwabara said.
The IceDogs finally came to life in the third, when Assadourian and Zak Lavoie scored four minutes apart to tie the score at 2-2.
“We talked about doing the little things we did the game before to have success, getting pucks behind their D, putting the pressure on, making good entry plays, things like that. We started to execute and we came alive,” Kuwabara said.
The IceDogs have had trouble scoring this season, with the exception of a 6-5 overtime loss in Barrie Saturday.
“You like both (offence and defence) going at the same time,” Kuwabara said. “I think we’re getting there. Sometimes it just takes a little longer for us to get everything going the right way.
“Obviously getting points in back-to-back games is a positive for our group right now and showing resilience and showing we’re not going to fold the net and give up the points like I think we did last year. This year we have some hunger in there and that’s good to see.”
The Otters won the game when former IceDog Pano Fimis scored 2:24 into OT on the power play.
Marcus Vandenberg, making his second start of the season in goal for Niagara, turned in another solid outing making 35 saves.
Overage goaltender Benjamin Gaudreau made his debut in net for Erie after being picked up in a deal with Sarnia and looked sharp. Gaudreau was selected in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft by the San Jose Sharks (#81 overall).
Ice cubes: Ryan VanNetten, William Stewart, Andrew Vermeulen and Ivan Galiyanov did not dress for the IceDogs . . . Nicholas Holomego, Alex Messier, George Alboim and George Toroptsev were scratched for the Otters . . . Former Thorold Blackhawk Brett Bressette picked up an assist for the Otters . . . The Intercounty Baseball League champion Welland Jackfish were honoured before the game.
STATS PACK
Otters 3 IceDogs 2 OT
Erie’s Pano Fimas and Niagara’s Marcus Vandenberg.
Niagara IceDogs: Zak Lavoie (2); Alex Assadourian (1).
Erie Otters: Spencer Sova (2); Pano Fimis (1); Matthew Schaefer (1).
Shots on goal: By Niagara on Ben Gaudreau (32), by Erie on Marcus Vandenberg (38); Power plays: Niagara 0/4, Erie 2/4; Penalty minutes: Niagara 8, Erie 4.
Attendance: 2,698
Up next: The IceDogs are home to Kingston Saturday.
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