IceDogs Week in Review
October 30, 2023 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Niagara IceDogs News Release
It was a busy week for your IceDogs as they embarked on their first "3 in 3" (three games in three nights) of the 2023/24 season this past weekend, and picked up four out of a possible six points with all three games needing extra time to be decided. Don't look now, but the IceDogs have at least a point in five straight games, and eight of their last nine games overall!
The slate started on Friday night at home, when the defending OHL Champion Peterborough Petes came to town. The Petes arrived sporting a 5-2-2 record and seemingly picking up right where they left off after last season's Memorial Cup run, but it was the Dogs who came out firing on all cylinders as Zak Lavoie and Ryan Roobroeck both scored within the first five minutes of the game. The Petes then scored three unanswered to lead 3-2, but once again there was absolutely no quit in this team. Andrew Vermeulen scored his first career OHL goal with just under 7 minutes remaining in the third period to send the game to overtime and pick up a point for the IceDogs! Roobroeck finished with a goal and an assist, while Owen Flores stopped a whopping 49 of 53 shots in the loss.
No time to dwell on the disappointing loss however, as the team was on the road to Windsor the next day to take on a scrappy Spitfire team. Roobroeck stayed hot, scoring the fourth goal of his rookie season, and Vermeulen scored in his second straight game as well, but the spotlight was on newly acquired Mathieu Paris who SHOWED OUT with a magnificent five point effort! On the back of Paris' spectacular game, including a goal and two assists in the third period and overtime combined, the Dogs once again battled back from being down 6-4 in the final frame to tie the game! This time they would not be denied, and it was Gavin Bryant who danced in the offensive zone and drove the net to secure the win! Marcus Vandenberg got the start in this one and stopped 33 of 39 shots en route to the victory.
The weekend ended in Sarnia on Sunday afternoon, where the Dogs were looking for retribution against a Sting team who took a narrow OT victory in the first meeting this season. Paris picked up another goal, bringing his total to 4 on the season, and Vermeulen stayed RED HOT, scoring for the third straight game as the IceDogs once again overcame a two goal deficit to force extra time. This one needed a shootout, and unfortunately it was Sarnia who escaped with the extra point once again. Flores was back in the cage for this game and he put up his second 40+ save performance of the weekend, stopping 40 of 43 in the loss.
Its a 4 day break before another two game slate for the Dogs this upcoming weekend, as they travel to Sudbury to take on the Wolves on Friday night, and then are back home on Saturday November 4th to take on the North Bay Battalion! The boys are playing some great hockey and are starting to hit their stride, so be sure to grab your tickets for Saturday now and show them that the Niagara Region is behind them!
Ontario Hockey League Stories from October 30, 2023
- Hours of Operation Set for Front Office, Bulldogsshop & Box Office - Brantford Bulldogs
- Kudryavtsev and Hillebrandt Named OHL Top Performers of the Week - OHL
- IceDogs Week in Review - Niagara IceDogs
- Spitfires Acquire Connor Toms from the Soo Greyhounds - Windsor Spitfires
- Hounds Trade Connor Toms to Windsor - Soo Greyhounds
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