Back on win track
IceDogs slam brakes on seven-game losing slide by rebounding from ‘rock bottom’ loss
The Niagara IceDogs lived up to their canine nickname with an A-1 effort Sunday afternoon in North Bay.
That’s where the Ontario Hockey League team, working together for a full 60 minutes as a determined pack of retrievers, rediscovered a part of a team identity that had been lost in the midst of a sevengame winless streak.
“We got back to that identity of wanting to be that pesky, hardworking, high-competitive team,” head coach Billy Burke said after the 4-2 victory.
“It was great to see. We got away from that the last couple of weeks, but certainly had it back today.”
You mean like getting back to being ’Dogs with a bit of a bite.
“Exactly, get those pesky dogs back,” he said in agreement.
Though the significance of one win over the course of a 68-game regular season can’t be blown out of proportion, Niagara’s first win since Oct. 19 nonetheless was right up there in terms of helping a struggling team get back on track.
“It was really important for the confidence of everybody, especially after being way too easy to play against the last two weekends,” Burke said.
“It’s just one game but there are a lot of positives that we can build on going forward.”
In the breakdown of film from Saturday night’s 6-1 loss to the Barrie Colts, also on the road, Niagara’s coaching staff identified 100 examples of missed assignments, defensive breakdowns and poor execution.
“Last night was a bit of a rock bottom,” Burke said.
The quick turnaround didn’t prevent the coaches from addressing the poor performance before the players hit the ice to battle the Battalion.
“We had a little bit of an uncomfortable team meeting this morning at the hotel, and the guys were able to respond,” Burke said. “It was great the guys were able to look at themselves in the mirror.
“They played more physical, they had some bite, it was nice to see the guys pull it out.”
At North Bay all three facets of the game — offence, defence, special teams — were working for the IceDogs like, well, a battalion in lockstep never straying for the game plan.
“It was actually nice we were able to win the 5-on-5 battle for the first time in a while,” Burke said. “Nothing’s going to be easy, we’re going to be in tight games a lot.
“We’ve got to make sure we play together as a group and that not one guy is going to lead us to victory.
“We definitely need our depth to get wins.”
On Sunday, Johnny Corneil found himself in front of the net behind a Battalion defenceman and beat Julian Sime stick side for his fourth goal of the season putting the IceDogs on the scoreboard 2:44 into the game.
On Niagara’s first power play four minutes later, Ben Jones deflected Liam Ham’s cannon through traffic from 55 feet out to put up by two.
Matthew Philip inflated the cushion to three as the IceDogs continued to apply pressure on Sime and the North Bay defence.
Battalion captain Riley Bruce closed out the scoring in the first period with a slapshot from 60 feet out that beat Stephen Dhillon on his blocker side while the Battalion were playing with a man advantage.
North Bay also was on the power play when Brett McKenzie made it a one-goal game 8:19 into the middle frame.
Philip’s second goal of the game gave the ’Dogs some much-needed breathing room at 12:27 of the second period.
That would stand as an insurance goal as Evan Chenier’s even-strength marker 14:39 into the final frame would be as close as the Battalion would get to snapping a three-game losing streak.
Bradey Johnson netted the first goal of his OHL career to account for Niagara scoring in the loss to the Colts.
Barrie outshot the IceDogs 32-27 and finished the game 2-for-5 on the power play. Niagara was 0-for-1 with a man advantage.
’Dog Biscuits: The Battalion wore special jerseys commemorating Military Appreciation Day … Niagara defenceman Zach Shankar was playing the Battalion for the first time since being acquired by the IceDogs after three seasons in
North Bay.