IceDogs Outlast Otters in Shootout Win
Published on February 27, 2026 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Niagara IceDogs News Release
ST CATHARINES, ONT - On Thursday night, the Niagara IceDogs were matched up against the Erie Otters for the fourth time this season, coming out on top with a shootout win.
The IceDogs were looking to even the season series, and the first line of Ethan Czata, Riley Patterson and Noah Read got them on the right track almost immediately.
On the opening shift of the game, Czata, IceDogs captain and Tampa Bay Lightning prospect, pounced on the loose rebound for his 23rd of the year and put Niagara up 1-0. Just two minutes and 50 seconds later, on their second shift of the game, the first line struck again, this time with Patterson scoring on a rebound for his 35th to put the IceDogs up 2-0.
The Otters would respond with a quick goal by Tyler Cooper, and the first period ended with the IceDogs leading 2-1.
Early on in the second, Hayden Reid capitalized on an Otters turnover and scored a gorgeous goal for his 15th of the year.
The 3-1 lead for the IceDogs didn't last long as Michael Dec tipped in his 25th of the season to make it 3-2, and the Otters tied the game on a flukey goal by Kayden Edwards from below the goal line.
After back-and-forth chances for both teams throughout the third period, the IceDogs' first line came up big for the third time of the night.
Czata spun off a check along the wall and set up Noah Read back door for the go-ahead goal with just over a minute left in the game. It looked like Read's goal would be the game-winner, but with 8 seconds left, Andrew Kuzma scored a power-play goal for his 17th of the season on a one-timer to send the game to overtime.
After regulation couldn't award a winner, the five minutes of three-on-three overtime saw no changes to the score, and the game would need a shootout.
Vancouver Canucks prospect and IceDogs leading scorer Riley Patterson shot first and made no mistake to give the IceDogs the lead in the shootout. After Patterson put them ahead, IceDogs goaltender Charlie Robertson turned away all three Otters' shootout attempts to secure the win for the IceDogs.
The top line combined for seven points, with Reid and Patterson recording two each and captain Ethan Czata adding three. The top line hopes to stay hot down the stretch of the regular season. The IceDogs' next two games are on the road against the Guelph Storm and North Bay Battalion.
The IceDogs return to the Meridian Centre on Thursday, March 5, for Star Wars Night against the Saginaw Spirit.
Get your tickets here: https://blocktickets.xyz/venue/niagara-icedogs-hockey-club
Ontario Hockey League Stories from February 27, 2026
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- Generals End Road Stint with Loss to Bulldogs - Oshawa Generals
- Frontenacs Youth Leads Kingston to 6-3 Win - Kingston Frontenacs
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- Max Delisle Named OHL Midwest Division Academic Player of the Month for February - Owen Sound Attack
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- OHL Announces Academic Players of the Month for February - OHL
- Game Preview: Brampton Steelheads at Kitchener Rangers - February 27th, 2026 - Kitchener Rangers
- IceDogs Outlast Otters in Shootout Win - Niagara IceDogs
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