‘This group needs everybody on every night’

Tomasino, the IceDogs’ top draft pick, has played in all nine games. He is still looking for his first goal and has four assists. Bruder has played in five games and has one goal and two assists. Martin has one goal in three games. Constantinou has played in three games and has an assist.

The IceDogs special teams are one of the reasons for the solid start.

Going into Thursday’s game against the Mississauga Steelheads, the IceDogs’ power-player was third in the league at 26.1 per cent, having scored 12 goals in 46 opportunities. Owen Sound leads the league at 30 per cent, having scored 13 goals in 43 attempts. The London Knights’ power-play is the worst in the league at 10 per cent, having scored five goals in 50 attempts.

The IceDogs are second overall in killing penalties. They have killed off 90 per cent of their penalties, having given up four goals in 40 attempts. Sarnia leads the league at 91 per cent. Oshawa brings up the rear with 64 per cent. Burke is following a trend in coaching where he delegates the special teams to his assists. Ted Dent handles the penalty kill. Kris Sparre runs the power play.

“The players have bought into the special teams we have in place,” Burke said. “Special teams are a big part of this league.

“We have a good dynamic behind the bench this year. Ted is a real pro. Kris is passionate. He is an ex-player and puts a ton of work into the power-play. Kris is always watching NHL clips and cutting NHL clips for the guys. He can relate to the players. He was in their shoes not too long ago.”

The team has shown resiliency. It was on display during back-to-back road games in Guelph and Erie last weekend.

Friday, the IceDogs nursed a 1-0 lead into the third period before Guelph tied the scored 2:40 into the third period. The Guelph fans were on their feet. The decibel level in the arena when through the roof.

The IceDogs responded when Ondrej Machala tucked a feed from behind the net past Guelph goalie Anthony Popovich for the game-winner with 3:15 left.

Saturday night, the IceDogs trailed 4-1 after one period. It looked like it might be a long night.

Rather than fold, Niagara answered with three unanswered goals in the second period and salvaged a point when Erie won in overtime.

“I’ve been around teams that when things are going badly, the guys turn on each other,” Burke said. “These guys are helping each other out when they make mistakes. We are only nine games in, but we have a very tight team.

“This group needs everybody on every night. We don’t have any superstars. We are just a solid team.

“When Guelph tied it up early in the third, and the crowd was going, it was loud. It could have slipped there, but Stephen (Dhillon) made some big saves, and the guys kept to the game plan.

“After the first period in Erie, we went into the locker room and told them there were two periods left. They had a choice. They could feel sorry for ourselves and have a horrible night — or they could dig in and try to make a memory that will last all season.”

While the IceDogs are off to a hot start, two of last year’s best teams, Mississauga and London, have struggled early and have just two wins between them.

Burke, however, said not to put much stock in their early season struggles. Mississauga is 1-7-0-0. London is 1-8-1.

“I watched London’s game Sunday,” Burke said. “They played pretty well against a really strong team in Owen Sound. It’s just a matter of time until London turns it around.

“Mississauga is struggling as well. Having guys away at NHL camps can be a big distraction. We have gone through that here. You are waiting in limbo for your top players to come back, and everybody else is rocking and rolling.

“Mississauga has a lot of holdovers from the team that won the East last season. With Mississauga and London, you can throw their records out the window. They are way better than that.”