Powerful Rangers too much for IceDogs
Gavin Bryant has come as advertised for the Niagara IceDogs.
The IceDogs added the veteran forward in a deal with the Owen Sound Attack with the thought Bryant would not only add some offence, but also be a leader in the dressing room.
Bryant participated in his 100th Ontario Hockey League game Wednesday and commemorated the milestone with a goal as the IceDogs dropped a wild 7-4 decision before an announced crowd of 2,842 fans at the Meridian Centre.
Bryant welcomed the deal which saw the IceDogs also acquire a third-round draft selection in 2027 in exchange for forward Declan Waddick, who netted 28 goals for Niagara last season. Waddick is off to a rough start in Owen Sound with two assists in his first seven games.
“I was so excited when it happened,” Bryant said. “It was a fresh start for me, a new opportunity and it’s been great so far. A great group of guys and the coaching is great, everything about the city, the billets, it’s been great.
“The change was obviously tough when it came but it’s been really good.”
Bryant is one of six IceDogs to be chosen as an assistant captain this season, a role he also held in Owen Sound.
“That’s kind of the persona I’ve tried to bring upon myself my whole career in the OHL, just anything in life, just trying to be a leader, especially for the younger guys,” he said. “It’s a younger team.
“It’s crazy. I’m in my third/fourth year in the OHL and I embrace it for sure and there’s a lot of leaders in the room too and they make it easy on me.”
The IceDogs turned in an uneven effort, falling behind 4-0 early in the second period before bouncing back to make things interesting in the third.
“I’m just trying to stay positive. It’s tough losing games obviously but it’s a good room and the coaching staff puts in such a good plan each day it’s easy for us players to buy into it,” Bryant said. “We have four losses but it’s just a matter of staying positive. We have what, 61 games left? So it’s a good learning curve for sure we have to play a full 60.”
The Rangers scored three goals by the four-minute mark of the second at which point IceDogs coach Ryan Kuwabara called a time out.
“The time out was called and I give it to Kuey. He’s very calm behind the bench — one of the calmest coaches I’ve every played for — and he just told us we were fine. We did it once in Barrie already scoring four unanswered. It was one of those things just staying calm and a lot of praise for the coaching staff for keeping us calm in that situation,” Bryant said.
The IceDogs fell to 1-4-2 with the loss while the Rangers, who lead the OHL in scoring, improved to 6-2.
Ice cubes: Ryan VanNetten, Ryan Humphery, Chris O’Flaherty and William Stewart did not dress for the IceDogs . . . Scott Blair, Matheas Stark and Owen Edwards were scratched for the Rangers . . . St. Catharines native Trent Swick was held scoreless but was a plus-2 for the Rangers . . . Former Fort Erie Meteor Antonino Pugliese collected three shots on goal for the Rangers.
STATS PACK
Rangers 7 IceDogs 4
Gavin Bryant for Niagara and Kitchener’s Carson Rehkopf.
Niagara IceDogs: Bryant (3); Alex Assadourian 2 (2, 3); Andrew Wysick (2).
Kitchener Rangers: Adrian Misalijevic 2 (8, 9); Carson Rehk opf 2 (8, 9); Luca Romano 2 (1, 2); Mitchell Martin (5).
Game stats: Shots on goal: By Niagara on Jackson Parsons (40), by Kitchener on Owen Flores (36); Power plays: Niagara 1/5, Kitchener 2/4; Penalty minutes: Niagara 8, Kitchener 10.
Attendance: 2,842.
Next up: The IceDogs are back home Friday versus the Sarnia Sting at 7 p.m. for Goodwill Donation Night.
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