McMaster buries OT winner
Beamsville’s Adam McMaster, seen in this file shot, netted the overtime winner Friday as the Brampton Battalion edged the Niagara IceDogs 4-3. Photo: OHL IMAGES
Adam McMaster couldn’t have picked a better time or place to break out of his slump.
The 18-year-old Beamsville native fired the winner in overtime to give the visiting North Bay Battalion a 4-3 victory over the Niagara IceDogs in Ontario Hockey League action Friday in St. Catharines.
“It (felt) really good. I haven’t scored in six or seven games so it was good to get the monkey off my back,” McMaster said.
McMaster said he had 10-15 friends and family in the stands.
“It’s always nice to have family support,” he said. “Coming back, I have butterflies every time. I can feel it when I get off the bus.
“Even when this rink was being built, I was in The Jack (Jack Gatecliff Arena) playing minor hockey and I was here playing minor hockey for some games so it’s definitely nice to see the seats filled.”
McMaster passes off ticket duty to his mother when he comes into town.
“My first year was terrible,” he smiled. “It’s pretty nice for me now. I know it’s just the normal two (tickets) for mom and dad.”
McMaster, who was selected in the first round (13th overall) of the 2016 OHL draft, is off to a solid start with seven goals and 14 points after 18 games. He collected 24 points in his rookie season and 28 last season in his draft year where he was overlooked.
“That’s my goal, to get close to a point a game,” he said. “Obviously, most importantly I have to help the team win, block shots, do whatever they need. Personally, that’s my goal to be close to that (point per game) and get a re-entry pick in the draft.”
McMaster, who scored the winner on a nice snap shot from the slot, admitted it bothered him to be bypassed.
“I use it as a bit of motivation, but Vancouver invited me to their development camp,” he said. “It showed they had some confidence in me and I think I had a pretty good showing there.
The Battalion scored the lone goal of the first period when Patrick Brown netted his first of the season less than three minutes in. The Battalion held a 13-8 edge in shots. Ivan Lodnia had Niagara’s best opportunity with a clear breakaway.
Play opened up considerably in the second period as the teams combined for five goals to head into the third knotted up at 3-3. Niagara outshot North Bay 15-12.
The third period was scoreless. Niagara had a two-man advantage for 1:25 early in the period but failed to capitalize. Each team had 36 shots on goal in regulation.
IceDogs coach Billy Burke wasn’t overly happy with the effort.
“We had too many passengers,” he said. “Some guys were going and some weren’t.
“An up and down effort is a good way to summarize it.”
Burke said he could almost see the loss coming.
“It was one of those games where you didn’t have a good feeling. We had our chances but couldn’t bury them.”
Ice cubes: Akil Thomas (upper body), Kirill Maksimov (Team Russia), Lleyton Moore and Colton Incze did not dress for Niagara. Rookie Christian Sbaraglia acted as Stephen Dhillon’s back up . . . The Battalion do not have an NHL draft pick on their roster . . . Drew Hunter made his season debut for the IceDogs after being injured in training camp . . . Niagara used defenceman Mason (Tank) Howard on forward.
Stats Pack
Battalion 4 IceDogs 3 OT
BPSN Star of the Game: North Bay winger Adam McMaster with the game winner in OT.
For the Niagara IceDogs: Matthew Philip (5); Bradey Johnson (5); Philip Tomasino (4).
For the North Bay Battalion: McMaster (7); Daniel Walker (4); Patrick Brown (1); Simon Rose (1).
Game stats: Shots on goal: By Niagara on Christian Propp (39), by North Bay on Stephen Dhillon (39); Power plays: Niagara 1-for-4, North Bay 0-for-1; Penalty minutes: Niagara 4, North Bay 10.
Attendance: 5,148
Up next: At North Bay Saturday. The Hamilton Bulldogs visit next Thursday.,
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