IceDogs let Petes feast on turnovers in road loss
Ontario Hockey League schedule makers did the Niagara IceDogs a favour by making the team play three games in as many nights this week.
Head coach Billy Burke is especially thankful for a short turnaround after the IceDogs dropped a 5-2 decision to the Peterborough Petes on the road Thursday night.
“I think we’re all very happy that we have a quick turn-around. I’m glad we don’t have to sit and wait another week, we can get right back at this thing tomorrow (Friday).”
“I think the important thing is for us as a staff to go over all the positives and the negatives from today, and really try to find our identity.”
Two games into the season the IceDogs are playing more like a collection of individuals than a cohesive unit.
“I think we’re way too individual, we aren’t playing a very strong team game,” Burke said. “When you’re like that, you’re hanging your teammates out to dry.
“Right now, we’re not playing well enough as a team, and this league is too good to try and rely on one guy or one guy think that he can do it all himself.”
The No. 1 positive the coaching staff took from a night when there weren’t that many positives is that the team never quit.
“When things aren’t going well, they’re able to at least try to have a bit of a push-back,” the head coach said. “There weren’t a ton of positives from tonight to be totally honest, but I’m sure we’ll be able to go through the tape and find some things that maybe weren’t as bad as we thought they were or find a couple of good clips that we can build on.”
Burke thought there were “flashes” in the third period when his team did look a lot better.
“We had 21 turnovers after two periods, that’s way too much for the course of a game, let alone after two periods.”
Peterborough was playing its third game, while Niagara was taking the ice for only the second time this season.
“The early season is weird,” he said. “There’s still a feeling-out process with linemates and what not, but I think the important thing is for us to just focus on ourselves, focus on our own game, polish things up a bit and play better as a team.”
The IceDogs boarded the bus for the ride home looking forward to Friday’s home opener against the Kingston Frontenacs at Meridian Centre. Niagara is also home Saturday when the North Bay Battalion provide the opposition.
“It’s nice to be coming home in front of our fans,” Burke said. “We have a great opportunity with two home games to still make this a great weekend here.
Peterborough became the first OHL team to start the season 3-0, while the IceDogs evened their record at 1-1.
Matthew Philip was down on one knee when he opened the scoring on a one-timer from the left faceoff circle 3:04 into the game with his first goal of the season for the IceDogs.
A little more than four minutes later Peterborough got on the scoreboard when Brady Hinz deflected the puck past Colton Incze.
Despite being outshot 13-10 in the first period Niagara took a one-goal lead into the break on Ben Jones’ second of the season. The ’Dogs captain and Vegas Golden Knights prospect was in exactly the right place, at exactly the right time, redirecting a cross-crease pass into the back of the net behind Hunter Jones.
That goal, at the 13:32 mark, would be the last one Niagara was able to get past the CHL’s goaltender of the week and the
‘‘ “Right now, we’re not playing well enough as a team, and this league is too good to try and rely on one guy or one guy think that he can do it all himself.” BILLY BURKE Niagara IceDogs head coach
Peterborough defence.
In the second period the Petes outshot their visitors 10-8 and went up by one on goals from Chad Danault and Liam Kirk.
Cole Fraser got credit for the goal at the 14:57 mark of the third after a shot bounced off a skate and into the Niagara net to give Peterborough a 4-2 lead.
Former IceDog Chris Paquette rounded out the scoring with an empty-net goal with 38 seconds remaining in regulation.
Results from the home opener versus Kingston were unavailable at press time, but a summary is posted online at stcatharinesstandard.ca, niagarafallsreview.ca and wellandtribune.ca.
’Dog Biscuits: Jody Hull, Niagara’s new associate coach, found himself in unfamiliar territory when the IceDogs visited Peterborough for the first time this season.
After 11 seasons with the Petes organization, including 5-plus as head coach, the former NHLer was behind the visitors bench at
Peterborough Memorial Arena … Third-year IceDog and onetime Welland Jr. Canadian Bradey Johnson is from Lindsay, Ont., about 45 kilometres west of Peterborough.