Hockey homecoming
Dylan Wells coming home to Niagara, this time as No. 1 goalie for Peterborough Petes
Dylan Wells has waited three years for the opportunity to be a starting goalie in the Ontario Hockey League playoffs and as a bonus it’s going to be against his hometown team.
After backing up Matt Mancina through two playoffs, not seeing one second of action, Wells will carry the load when the Peterborough Petes open the OHL Eastern Conference quarter-finals against the Niagara IceDogs. The first-place Petes will host the first two games 7:05 p.m. Thursday and Saturday at Memorial Centre. The eighth-place IceDogs will host Games 3 and 4 Tuesday, March 28, and Thursday, March 30, at Meridian Centre in St. Catharines. “It’s huge for me,” Wells said. “I grew up watching the IceDogs play. I remember going to playoff games all the time when they had guys like (Mark) Visentin and (Alex) Pietrangelo and all those big names. I’ve seen playoff hockey there and watched them last year when they went to the finals.”
“It’s a pretty wild atmosphere. I’m excited my friends and family are going to get to see some of our ride.”
Meridian Centre wasn’t built when Wells played his minor hockey in the Niagara region, but he’s played well there during his OHL career. He was a first star as a rookie and has a 2-1-0-1 record.
“It was brand new the first year I came to the league,” he said. “I really like it. I’m comfortable there. I do some of my summer training in there, so I’m pretty familiar with it.”
“Usually all my buddies and family are there so it’s a little extra motivation when you get out there to show your best. I’ve always had a fair amount of success there.”
Wells proved himself this year as an elite OHL goalie posting some of the league’s better statistics. He tied with Oshawa’s Jeremy Brodeur for third most wins at 33 and fourth=best save percentage at .916 and posted a 3.07 goals-against average.
While he’s never played in the playoffs, he’s not trying to do anything outside his norm.
“I’m just going to treat it like any other game,” Wells said. “Obviously, it’s pretty big, and every game matters, but all you can do is take it one game at a time and one win at a time and not think too far ahead.”
“You have to stay in the present and that’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to do the little things right leading up to it and prepare the right way and just go out and play my game. I’m not going to over-think it. I’m going to keep it simple.”
While 33 points separated the two teams in the standings, the IceDogs did win one of the regular-season meetings and all four games were decided by two or fewer goals. So the Petes aren’t going to go in overconfident.
“Coming from an eighth-place team two years ago, I know what their attitude is going to be,” Wells said. “They’re going to be playing like they have nothing to lose.”
“They’re a hard-working team and they have some skilled guys, a lot of young guys who are going to be ready to go, so it’s going to be a big test for us.”
“They’re going to work hard all game, no matter what the score is. They had a pretty solid season for how many new guys they had this year. It won’t be easy, but I think we can do it.”