’Dogs explode on offence in convincing win
It was open season on 'Birds Thursday night in St. Catharines, and the Niagara IceDogs bagged their limit.
They exceeded it, in fact.
Their goal total in an 8-2 domination of the visiting Flint Firebirds was their most of the Ontario Hockey League regular season, eclipsing the seven they scored on two occasions.
Seven players made a name for themselves on the scoresheet for the IceDogs, led by Matthew Philip, who had two goals and an assist to earn star of the game honours.
The 18-year-old from Ilderton, Ont., near London, called the convincing win a confidencebooster for the team as well as for himself after struggling through a 10-game losing streak not that long ago.
"It feels really good," he said. "We haven't had a blowout game like that.
"A lot of guys were gripping the sticks but a lot of those guys got some lucky bounces tonight.
"Hopefully, we can keep it going."
Philip, who found the back of the net for the first time in eight games, was glad to end the scoring drought.
"I was starting to lose confidence a little bit," he said. "It definitely felt good to get one."
The IceDogs, he said, weren't thinking about setting a seasonhigh for goals against the Firebirds.
"No, not at all, We were just trying not to make bad habits, and just kept game plan simple," Philip said. "We did all of our systems right."
Bradey Johnson opened the scoring with his 11th goal of the season to put the IceDogs on the scoreboard 8:02 into the first period.
William Lochead added his fifth of the campaign and Philip his 18th to give Niagara a 3-0 lead heading into the second period.
The IceDogs dominated play in the opening period outshooting their visitors 21-6.
That domination continued in the middle frame with shots 15-5 in favour of Niagara and three more goals - from Kirill Maksimov, Ian Martin and Liam Ham - to put the' Dogs up 6-0.
Ben Jones, his 23rd of the season, and Philip, his second of the night, gave Niagara an eight-goal lead before Jack Wismer and Maurizio Colella put the Firebirds on the scoreboard.
IceDogs head coach Billy Burke said the strong start set the pace for the game.
"Any time you can get a lead is good, especially against a younger team like this," he said of the Firebirds. "The longer you let them hang around, the more confident they feel.
"Pressure starts to tilt down to our side of things."
With the Hamilton Bulldogs, the top team in the Eastern Conference, looming on the schedule, Niagara isn't expected to take much, if anything, from the Flint game.
"Tomorrow our focus will shift right to Hamilton," Burke said. "Hopefully, the guys feel good, have confidence, you know have some swagger, but other than that, it's just a good job, we'll take the points.
"Let's turn the page and get ready for a big two games coming up."
After Saturday night's road game in Hamilton, the IceDogs are back home hosting the defending Memorial Cup champion Windsor Spitfires in a 2 p.m. matinee Sunday.
Two teams at opposite ends of the standings took the ice Thursday night. While the IceDogs want to enter the playoffs as the fourth seed in the east, the Firebirds are in a race with the Sudbury Wolves to finish last overall in the 20-team league.
Niagara opened the home-and-home series with a 6-4 victory Dec. 2 in Flint.
The Firebirds, 3-7 in their last 10 games, came into their final meeting of the season against the IceDogs seeking their victory in a row.
Niagara was hoping to extend its win streak to two after doubling the Peterborough Petes 4-2 last Sunday.
'Dog Biscuits: Andrew Bruder, C; Adrian Carbonara, F; and Johnathan Schaefer, D; were out of the IceDogs lineup … Flint and Niagara both have two NHL draft picks in their lineups … Forward Hunter Holmes, 18, of St. Davids has nine goals and nine assists in 36 games with the Firebirds this season … Former IceDogs head coach Marty Williamson and former IceDogs defenceman Shayne Rover were honoured when the Ontario University Athletics presented year-end awards: Williamson, now at Brock, was named West Division coach of the year; Rover, York University, most sportsmanlike player, Randy Gregg Award, community service … Brock's Clint Windsor, who saw action with four OHL teams, mostly with the Barrie Colts and Ottawa 67's, was honoured as top goaltender in the West … Start time for Niagara's final home game of the regular season Saturday, March 17, has been moved up to 3:30 p.m. from 7 p.m. as Sportsnet will broadcast the St. Patrick's Day game nationally. The IceDogs will wear special green jerseys … Beyond Montesorri School with Harmony Sound Music Studio performed the U.S. and Canadian national anthems.