Doggone tough to get healthy
Getting 100% healthy seems to be an unattainable goal for the Niagara Icedogs.
Just when it looked like the redhot Icedogs were ready to empty their six bay, the winners of six straight games lost defencemen Brock Beukeboom and Milan Doudera to injuries last week. Beukeboom was injured on the first shift of last Saturday’s game in Barrie while Doudera was hurt in Sunday’s game in Oshawa. Icedogs head coach/gm Marty Williamson estimates Doudera is about a week away from returning to the fray while Beukeboom was to be reassessed after Tuesday’s practice.
“The back end has been in flux for quite awhile but we’ve got Dougie ( Hamilton) back,” Williamson said.
Mitch Bennett continues to battle mono and is still unable to play.
Lucky for Williamson, injuries on defence can be plugged by a talented defence that includes Hamilton, Jamie Oleksiak and Jesse Graham to name a few.
“Most of the season we haven’t had too many games where we’ve had six healthy guys so they’re pretty used to it and we’re very fortunate with the two big horses (Hamilton and Oleksiak) back there.”
The 6- f oot- 7, 252- pound Oleksiak has been particularly sharp of late with two goals, six points and a + 9 rating in five games in February. In 14 games since being acquired f rom Saginaw, the 19-year-old Toronto native has two goals, 10 points and a +13 rating.
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
This week’s schedule might be Niagara’s most challenging this season with a Wednesday road game in Erie followed by road games in Sudbury Friday and Sault Ste. Marie Saturday.
“It’s a weird week,” Williamson said. The Dogs will have a morning skate Thursday morning and then head to Sudbury. There will be a quick morning skate Friday and after playing Friday night they’ll hit the road to the Sault.
“Really the worst part of the trip
is the ride home,” Williamson said. “It’s a tough 10-hour bus ride home after playing in the Sault.”
ATTENDANCE UPDATE
Through 28 home games this year, the Niagara Icedogs have attracted 82,992 fans to the Jack Gatecliff Arena.
That represents an increase of 2,017 from last season or an average of 72 more fans per game. In terms of sellouts, the Icedogs have sold out nine games this season compared to five at this point last season.
ICEDOGS THIS WEEK
AT ERIE WEDNESDAY Erie Otters: Dead last in the OHL with a 7-40-3-2 record, including 2-52- 1 in last 10 games. Home record is 4- 18- 1- 2. Powerplay ranked ninth at 19.3%. Penalty kill 19th at 77.9%.
Local content: Thorold native Jake Evans (4-9-13 in 51 games).
Leading scorers: Dane Fox 20-23-43; Connor Brown 18-17-35; Stephen (not the PM) Harper 17-6-23; Sondre Olden 6-14-20.
Top goalie: Ramis Sadikov, 4-19-3-1, 4.22 GAA, .893 save percentage.
NHL picks: RW Olden, third round, 79th overall by Toronto in 2010.
Players in NHL mid- term North American rankings: C Fox, 48th-ranked skater; D Adam Pelech, 54th- ranked skater; RW Brown, 85th-ranked skater; D Troy Donnay; 115th-ranked skater; D Liam Maaskant, 134th-ranked skater
Previous meetings: lost 6- 4 to Niagara Oct. 26, 7-2 Dec. 1, 7-0 Dec. 15 and 3-2 Jan. 20.
Top Icedogs vs. Erie: Andrew Agozzino 8- 4- 12; David Pacan 4- 3- 7; Dougie Hamilton 1- 5- 6; Freddie Hamilton 2-2-4.
Top Otters vs. Niagara: Brown 2-2-4; Harper 2-0-2. AT SUDBURY FRIDAY Sudbury Wolves: Fourth in the Eastern Conference with a 29- 19- 3- 1 record, including 5- 4- 1 record in last 10 games. Home record is 13- 13- 1- 0. Powerplay ranked 11th at 18.6%. Penalty kill 18th at 78%. Local content: None. Leading scorers: Michael Sgarbossa 36- 35- 71; Andrey Kuchin 21- 3657; Joshua Leivo 22- 30- 52; Derek Schoenmakers 19-20-39.
Top goalie: Joel Vienneau, 11-6-1-1, .909 save percentage; 2.85 goals against average.
NHL draft picks:
LW Leivo,
third round, 86th overall by Toronto in 2011; D Justin Sefton, third round, 89th overall by San Jose in 2011; D Frankie Corrado, fifth round, 150th overall by Vancouver in 2011; G Johan Mattsson, seventh round, 211th overall by Chicago in 2011.
Players in NHL Central Scouting North American mid-term rankings: C Matthew Campagna, 120th-ranked skater; Charlie Dodero, 152nd-ranked skater.
Previous meetings: beat Niagara 5-4 Oct. 7 in a shootout and 2-1 Oct. 29 in a shootout, lost 3-1 Dec. 17 and 5-2 Jan. 13, and won 4-3 Jan. 21.
Top Icedogs vs. Wolves: Freddie Hamilton 4-4-8; Andrew Agozzino 3-4-7; Alex Friesen 2- 3- 5; Dougie Hamilton 1-4-5.
Top Wolves vs. Niagara: Leivo 2-7-9; Sgarbossa 3-4-7; Schoenmakers 2-3-5; Kuchin and Nathan Pancel 1-2-3. AT SAULT STE. MARIE SATURDAY Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds: Fifth in the Western Conference with a 22-262- 4 record, including 3- 5- 0- 2 in past 10 games. Home record is 12- 12- 0- 3. Powerplay ranked 12th at 18.4%. Penalty kill 13th at 80.2%.
Local content: former Icedogs Andrew Fritsch (8-12-20 in 21 games) and Mike Schwindt ( 0- 8- 8 and - 27 in 53 games); former St. Catharines minor player Gregory Jambrosich ( 0- 1- 1 in 9 games); St. Catharines native Nick Halagian (1-1-2 in 36 games).
Leading scorers: Nick Cousins 28-3967; Brett Findlay 16- 28- 44; Michael Schumacher 22- 20- 42; Ryan Sproul 14-24-38
Top goalie: Jack Campbell 16-12-3-4, 3.36 goals against average and .900 save percentage.
NHL draft picks: RW Fritsch, sixth round, 155th overall by Phoenix in 2011; G Campbell, first round, 11th overall by Dallas in 2010; LW David Broll, sixth round, 152nd overall by Toronto in 2011; RW David Eisner, seventh round, 194th overall by Nashville in 2010; LW Corey Durocher, sixth round, 153rd overall by Florida in 2010; C Cousins, third round, 68th overall by Philadelphia in 2011; D Joe Rogalski, sixth round, 152nd overall by Pittsburgh in 2010; D Sproul, second round, 55th overall by Detroit in 2011.