IceDogs find Bulldogs tough to curb
The Hamilton Bulldogs played the percentages. The Niagara IceDogs played defence.
Far too much defence.
The Bulldogs outshot their visitors 50-23, including by a 9-4 margin in overtime, and their determination to keep putting pucks on the net — from here, there and everywhere — was rewarded with a 3-2 victory, and a 2-0 lead in a best-of-seven Ontario Hockey League Eastern Conference semifinal.
“It’s frustrating a bit, but we have to keep fighting. We’re hanging around with these guys, and Stevie is giving us a chance,” head coach Billy Burke said in praising the play of goaltender Stephen Dhillon.
“We have to find a way to get a few more shots going toward that net.”
Curbing the Bulldogs when action in the second-round series shifts to Meridian Centre Monday night will be easier said than done. Hamilton’s veteran defence and strong system of play in the defensive zone are a big reason for the wide discrepancy in shots — 97-57 — two games into the second-round series.
“It’s not going to be easy,” Burke conceded. “We have to find a way to start throwing some pucks from bad angles.
“I know the guys are trying, it’s no lack of trying, but they’re (the Bulldogs) are doing a good job of clogging it up.”
Burke would like to see the IceDogs come out more physical in Game 3 and force Hamilton to turn over the puck.
“When we get this thing back home, and we get a little bit of extra jump in our step, we’ll be able to play a bit more in the offensive zone,” he said. “I think the big thing for us is making it a little bit more physical, and we have to find ways to get more shots on this goalie.
“We’ve showed that when we do shot the puck, it’s finding its way in.
Despite the final numbers on the shot clock Saturday night, Burke was pleased with the team’s compete level in Game 2. It was a marked improvement, he said, over slow start in the series opener.
“I think we competed way harder for much more of the game,” the coach said. “You can’t really just use the shot clock as a gauge on how things are going.
“I think we’re right there with these guys.
“We just have to find a way to create a few more bounces, get a few more shots and a little bit more traffic.”
Ryan Moore earned first-star honours for ending the drama with his fourth goal of the playoffs, but the player of the game was Dhillon.
He stopped 47 shots in all and three in rapid-fire fashion before tapped in a rebound in a goalmouth scramble for the gamewinning goal.
“He’s playing outstanding, he’s doing absolutely everything that he can to give us an opportunity to stay in these games,” Burke said of the third-year goaltender.
“I can’t say enough about Stevie and his battle level, his second-effort level. He’s a fantastic leader and an amazing goalie.”
All but Moore’s game winner 6:25 into extra time was scored with a man advantage as the teams combined for 16 powerplay opportunities. Top-seeded Hamilton finished Saturday night’s game 2-for-7 with the man advantage; No. 4 seed Niagara, 2-for-9.
Whistles got a workout in the
first period with the teams combining for eight penalties — Hamilton, five; Niagara, three — and not surprisingly all the scoring came on the power play.
Hamilton’s Matthew Strome opened the scoring 1:15 into the game on a 5-on-4, with Sam Miletic’s fourth of the playoffs for Niagara coming on a 5-on-3 advantage.
Shots on net were 16-7 in favour of the Bulldogs.
Grimsby native Brandon Saigeon’s eighth goal of the postseason, with Niagara a man down, gave Hamilton a 2-1 lead heading into third period.
The Bulldogs felt they should have been up by two, but a goal was waived off after the net was knocked off its moorings on the play by Akil Thomas.
Matthew Philips forced overtime with his third goal of the playoff 5:16 into the third period.
’Dog Biscuits: A minute of silence for the Humboldt Broncos, the city of Humboldt and the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League was observed before the game … Kyle Langdon, serving the final game of a six-game blindside hit, right winger Ian Martin, defenceman Johnathon Schaefer did not play for Niagara … Six fan buses accompanied the IceDogs to Game 2 in Hamilton.