No comeback needed
IceDogs hold off 67’s after jumping out to 3-0 lead
Instead of needing to come back, the Niagara IceDogs were the team preserving a lead and preventing a comeback.
As a welcome change of pace, the IceDogs jumped out to a 3-0 lead on their way to a 3-2 victory over the Ottawa 67’s Friday night at Meridian Centre in St. Catharines.
“Whenever you can get off to a good start and score the first goal, it’s just great,” head coach Billy Burke said. “But in the OHL you really can’t take anyone for granted.
“It’s not over ’til it’s over, so it’s good to see the guys keep playing.”
Niagara killed two 5-on-3 penalties, the first lasting 1:38 and the second 1:02.
“I thought our (penalty) kill did a great job, I thought they were prepared,” Burke said. “Special teams are a big focus of the team.
“I thought the kill was amazing.”
Kirill Maksimov, the game’s first star after scoring a goal and collecting an assist, extended his goal-scoring streak to five games.
Burke is happy to see the Edmonton Oilers draft pick adding his name to the scoresheet night in and night out.
“You need your big guys scoring and contributing,” Burke said. “When he’s not scoring, he still plays hard the right way
“He’s dangerous, he’s a dangerous player in this league. He’s consistent with his effort.
“He does a lot of things, plays the right way.”
Maksimov said he unaware of his personal point streak.
“I don’t even think about it, I just want the team to win,” he said.
Maksimov couldn’t pinpoint why pucks have been going into the net lately for him.
“My partners helping me a lot,” he said. “And I’m just using my shot pretty good.”
Drew Hunter opened the scoring with an even-strength goal 3:07 into the game to give Niagara an early lead.
Ottawa outshot the IceDogs 11-8 in the first period, with several of them in a 5-on-3 power play that last 1:38.
Maksimov, with a rocket from the top of the right faceoff circle, scored on the power play at 13:17 of the second period to put the hosts up 2-0.
Philip Tomasino, Niagara’s top pick in this year’s draft, beat Olivier Tremblay on the breakaway before losing his balance for his third goal of the campaign.
Mathieu Foget broke Stephen Dhillon’s shutout bid with 6:17 remaining in regulation.
Graeme Clarke scored four minutes later to narrow Niagara’s lead to one as the IceDogs held on for the win.
Niagara and Ottawa, both members of the Ontario Hockey League’s Eastern Conference, will play each other four times this season. Ottawa won the opening game in head-to-head play taking a 1-0 decision in overtime Oct. 21 in St. Catharines.
The IceDogs were coming off a 3-2 shootout loss to the Attack Wednesday night in Owen Sound, while the 67’s lost 5-4 to the Erie Otters, also in a shootout and also on the road.
Niagara is 8-7-2-0 overall and 5-3-1-0 at home versus Ottawa dating back to the beginning of the 2013-14 regular season.
’Dog Biscuits: Adrian Carbonara, Joshua Dame, Kyle Langdon and Zach Shankar did not dress for the IceDogs .... Niagara head coach Billy Burke and wife Jamie are expecting their first child .... Dave Gorman, Diane Hilko, Mark Johnston and Tim Twaddle, the 2017 St. Catharines Sports Hall of Fame inductees, took part in the ceremonial faceoff on Hall of Fame Night. Family members presented the late brother Hank Ciesla, who died at age 41 in 1976 and was inducted posthumously. Ciesla won a Memorial Cup with the St. Catharines Teepees in 1954 .... IceDogs sophomore forward Oliver Castleman is from Gloucester, a part of Ottawa .... No one on the 67’s roster is from Niagara .... Performing the national anthem was the elementary choir from College Street Public School in Smithville .... Forward Philip Tomasino, the IceDogs’ first pick in this year’s draft, was honoured as the team’s academic player of the month in a ceremony before the game. He is averaging 90.5 per cent in his Grade 11 studies at Governor Simcoe Secondary School.