Power play outage
IceDogs go a combined 0-for-10 in regulation, OT loss on the weekend
There was no holiday from a February-long funk for the Niagara IceDogs, not even on Family Day.
The IceDogs, winless and, on more than a few occasions, snakebitten since Jan. 27, suffered their 10th straight loss Monday afternoon in Peterborough.
The sting of the 4-3 setback to the Petes was eased somewhat by earning a point for sending the game into overtime after trailing by two goals with less than a minute remaining in the second period.
Niagara head coach Billy Burke said there’s a lot to work to do before the team returns to action Thursday when it hosts the Saginaw Spirit in a 7 p.m. faceoff at Meridian Centre.
“I wish there was only one thing, we’re inconsistent all over the place,” he said when asked what’s the No. 1 thing that needs to be addressed in practice.
“Power play needs to be better, 5-on-5 needs to be better.”
Niagara finished Monday ’s game in Peterborough 0-for-6 on the power play after going 0-for-4 Saturday night in a 3-1 road loss to the Barrie Colts.
The IceDogs, Burke said, need to do more to challenge the opposition in defending as well as going to the net.
“Too many guys are way too easy to play against,” he said after the game in Peterborough.
Niagara had just finished killing a penalty when Akil Thomas beat Peterborough goaltender Dylan Wells glove side opening the scoring with his 17th goal of the season.
Brady Hinz found the back of the net behind Colton Incze to even the score at one-all less than two minutes later.
Shots on goal were 12-9 in favour of Peterborough in a first period in which the Petes, 0-for-3, and IceDogs, 0-for-2, went scoreless on the power play.
In the second period the Petes made the most of their first opportunity with a man advantage. Zach Gallant tipped in a cross-ice pass that beat Incze stick side to put the hosts up 2-1.
Gallant was almost in the same position when he completed a tictac-toe play to give Peterborough a two-goal lead.
With 24 seconds left in middle frame, Sam Miletic’s 13th goal as an IceDog — and 29th overall — brought the visitors to within one.
Thomas, in traffic in front of the Petes net, tipped in a rebound for his second goal of the game to tie the score a 3-3 with five minutes left in regulation.
Hinz rifled a shot into the top left corner of the net for the game-winning goal at the 1:48 mark of 3-on3 overtime.
The start against the Petes was the second in a row for Incze, who stopped 40 of 42 shots in the Barrie game.
Burke said the starter against Saginaw will be a game-time decision.
Neither Niagara nor Peterborough have enjoyed much success of late. Over their past 10 games, the IceDogs were 1-7-1-1 and the Petes 2-7-1-0.
Niagara opened the four-game season series with a 5-1 victory Sept. 30 in St. Catharines. Peterborough won 8-4 the following afternoon at home.
Head-to-head play in the Eastern Conference rivalry wraps up Sunday, March 4, in St. Catharines.
Monday’s matinee in Peterborough was the IceDogs’ second game of the Family Day weekend. Johnny Corneil replied for Niagara in a 3-1 road loss Saturday night to the Central Division-leading Barrie Colts.
’Dog Biscuits: St. Catharines native and Edmonton Oilers draft pick Dylan Wells, 20, has a 3.49 goals-against average and a .902 save percentage in 48 games in his fourth season tending goal for the Petes … There are six NHL prospects in the Peterborough lineup compared to two for Niagara: Kirill Maksimov, fifth round, Edmonton Oilers; Ben Jones, seventh round, Vegas Golden Knights … Niagara head coach Billy Burke didn’t make the trip to Barrie due to the flu.