IceDogs repeat solid effort
Marcus Vandenberg is making a strong case for more playing time for the Niagara IceDogs.
The 19-year-old backstop got the nod for second straight game and once again delivered as the IceDogs topped the Peterborough Petes 2-1 in Ontario Hockey League action Sunday afternoon in St. Catharines.
Vandenberg, who had not started two in a row this season, kicked out 33 shots and was named first star as the IceDogs won their second game in succession for the first time this season.
“Vandy was obviously awesome, but when you can limit Peterborough and Kitchener to four goals in 120 minutes, that’s pretty impressive,” IceDogs coach Ben Boudreau said.
Vandenberg was coming off a spectacular performance Friday as the IceDogs upset the Kitchener Rangers, the Dorchester native’s former team.
Owen Flores has seen the bulk of the playing time between the pipes for the IceDogs and has been more than solid, but Boudreau indicated he is going with the hot hand.
“Both guys want to play and both guys are really good goalies,” Boudreau said. “Our message has been simple — give us results and you’ll have an opportunity to play. I thought Flores in the 3-2 loss (last week) was as good as he could have played and Vandy with a 4-3 win and 2-1 win, when he won we said we’re going to go back with him. He gave us results and I thought he was spectacular tonight.
“If he wants to play and earn his ice time, he’s doing a great job of it now.”
The IceDogs once again played shorthanded, dressing only 11 forwards, but still managed to turn in an exceptional overall effort for the second straight game.
“It’s the way we did it,” Boudreau said. “The opponent I think is important when you look at it, but it’s the way we did it. We didn’t sacrifice offence for defence. Both nights we committed to playing the right way.”
Boudreau felt it was essential the club see some progress after losing six in a row and 12 of 13.
“It’s hard to prove your point is working, you need success to back up the process,” Boudreau said. “If they don’t see success, it’s difficult to believe it in. Seeing some success — even the one-goal game Wednesday against the Bulldogs — we were an inch away.
“The process is working right now and once we get healthy I think we can make some noise.”
Following a scoreless first period, Peterborough took a 1-0 lead late in the second when Jax Dubois scored.
The IceDogs finally got on the board early in the second when rookie defenceman Urban Podrekar netted his first OHL goal.
Mike Levin then netted the winner with the man advantage at the 15:14 mark.
“Our special teams came through tonight for us in a big way and for us to find a way to win I think is really important,” Boudreau said. “We’re not making excuses who’s in or who’s out of our lineup right now.”
Ice cubes: Gavin Bryant, Michael Podolioukh, Brody Crane, Mathieu Paris, Andrew Wycisk and Andrew Vermeulen did not dress for the IceDogs . . . Easton Rye, Joseph Cadorin and Carson Cameron were scratched for Peterborough . . . Niagara used defenceman Connor Federkow for a regular shift on the wing . . . The Petes went scoreless in seven opportunities with the man advantage.
STATS PACK
IceDogs 2 Petes 1
Niagara’s Marcus Vandenberg and Peterborough’s Liam Sztuska.
Niagara IceDogs: Mike Levin (8); Urban Podrekar (1).
Peterborough Petes: Jax Dubois (8).
Game stats: Shots on goal: By Niagara on Liam Sztuska (35), by Peterborough on Marcus Vandenberg (34); Power plays: Niagara 1/5, Peterborough 0/7; Penalty minutes: Niagara 14, Peterborough 10.
Attendance: 4,384.
Next up: The IceDogs are back home Thursday against Erie at 7 p.m. and are in Sudbury Friday at 7 p.m.
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