Rivalry already in playoff form
Niagara wraps up busy stretch picking up five of six points
The two Ontario Hockey League teams from centres with General Motors plants were, fittingly enough, firing on all cylinders when they played each other Sunday night.
From the opening whistle to Matt Brassard’s winning goal in overtime, the Oshawa Generals’ home game against the Niagara IceDogs had a playoff feel to it. Shots on net were 42-38 in favour of Niagara and all but two goals in Oshawa’s 4-3 victory were scored on the power play.
The Gens, who have faced the ’Dogs in the playoffs five times in the past eight years, went up 2-0 after one period of play.
“I just think it showed a great resolve from the guys, a real
strong effort,” Niagara head coach Billy Burke said. “To be down 2-0 after one and come all the way back, win the second, win the third, and grind out a big point at the end of the weekend.”
Each team was playing its third game in four nights and seeking their third win in a row.
“It certainly had that playoff-intensity feel at times,” Burke said. “Guys were ready to go right from the start of the game but, unfortunately, we have to be better on the PK (penalty kill), to be honest.”
The coach was pleased with his team’s play in a four-day stretch that included 6-3 victories over the Hamilton Bulldogs, at home; and the Erie Otters, on the road.
“You want to win every game, when it gets to overtime, you get greedy and everyone wants to get that extra point,” Burke said. “But you sit back and you look at things, five out of six, a long day in Erie yesterday (Saturday), a travel day today and Oshawa is sitting at home waiting for us.”
Stephen Dhillon kept the IceDogs in Sunday night’s game with several big saves, including a stop when the Generals had a power-play opportunity early in 3-on-3 overtime.
“He’s a proven No. 1 who can handle the big workloads,” Burke said. “Huge save in overtime to give us a chance to go down and have a huge chance of our own, and their goalie made a huge save.
“I’m definitely thrilled with Stevie, he certainly did his job tonight to give us a chance.”
Niagara and Oshawa both play in the Eastern Conference, but only face each other twice during the regular season. The homeand-home series wraps up Saturday, Dec. 15, at Meridian Centre in St. Catharines.
Burke suggested seeds for the rivalry were sown in the postseason rather than during the regular season.
“When you’re constantly battling in the playoffs against each other, our cycles are always matching up,” he said. “I think that’s where the rivalry really comes from. It’s weird we only play twice, but this group of players
‘‘ I’m definitely thrilled with Stevie, he certainly did his job tonight to give us a chance.” BILLY BURKE Niagara head coach
inherits the rivalry from the past group who inherited it from the group before them.”
Oshawa outshot Niagara 14-11 and took a 2-0 lead into the first intermission on power-play goals from Giovanni Vallati and Allan McShane.
Special teams likewise dominated play in the second period with Niagara’s Oliver Castleman and Brassard trading power-play goals before Philip Tomasino scored the first even-strength marker to make it 3-2 Generals.
Ben Jones tied the game 7:19 into the third on a controversial power-play goal that was allowed following a lengthy video review.
Dhillon and his Generals counterpart, Kyle Keyser, matched each other save-for-save the rest of the way to send the game into overtime.
The back-and-forth thriller was 1:02 away from going into a shootout when Brassard netted the game-winner.
’Dog Biscuits: Niagara forward and Kings second-round draft pick Akil Thomas is listed as “day-to-day” with an upperbody injury after he was flown to Los Angeles for evaluation …
The IceDogs and Generals have faced each other in the playoffs five times in the past eight years, with Niagara leading with three series wins … Oshawa is loaded with NHL draft picks: Matt Brassard, D, Vancouver; Nico Gross, D, N.Y. Rangers; Serron Noel, F, Florida; Allan McShane, F, Montreal; Jack Studnicka, C, Boston; Giovanni Vallati, D, Winnipeg. Goaltender Kyle Keyser has signed with Boston as a free agent … Daniel Bukac, D, Boston; Ben Jones, C, Vegas; Ivan Lodnia, F, Minnesota; Kirill Maksimov, F, Edmonton; Thomas, F, Los Angeles; are the NHL prospects on the IceDogs roster.