‘Negativity’ shouldn’t cloud over bright spots
Coach Boudreau praises He’s play, team’s effort in loss to 67s
The Ottawa 67s didn’t have their first shot on net until 11:11 into the first period when they faced the Niagara IceDogs in Ontario Hockey League play at Meridian Centre in St. Catharines on Thursday night.
But they didn’t have too much trouble finding the back of the Niagara net after that. They jumped out to a 5-0 lead on Leap Day on their way to an 8-2 victory.
The IceDogs’ fifth loss in a row was almost a carbon copy of an 8-1 setback to the Kingston Frontenacs in their last games, though not in the eyes of the struggling team’s head coach.
“I felt our effort level through 60 minutes — albeit, almost the same result — was a night and day change from last weekend,” Ben Boudreau said. “They didn’t give up when they easily could have. As a coach, I am extremely proud of that.”
Boudreau likewise was proud of the play of sophomore forward Kevin He who scored Niagara’s second goal on a penalty shot and led the team in scoring in his drafteligible season with 29 goals.
“He’s had a helluva year on a 20thplace team. You put him on a team that is ready to compete, and his stock level will be through the roof,” Boudreau said. “His attitude hasn’t wavered, he’s had the same approach day in and day out.
“He’s going to be an unbelievable professional. His character is going to carry him further in life than his talent ever will, and he’s someone you want to fight for as a coach, both on the ice and off the ice.”
Boudreau said, although “there is negativity clouding this team at times,” He is one of the bright spots “that you want to shine a light on because the kid deserves so much attention for what he’s been able to do.”
“Twenty-nine goals after tying a record last year is nothing short of amazing. We should all be extremely proud to have Kevin as a Niagara IceDog and, if you ask him, he’s proud to be an IceDog.”
The coach suggested battling through adversity can only help He in the long run
“He’s going to be a future leader on this team. There’s no question, if he isn’t already,” Boudreau said. “He’s going to help the next young crop of guys when we’re having success as a group and we’re ready to compete.
“When everybody starts to mature, he’s going to help our young guys understand what it takes to get through the dark days.”
Boudreau conceded these are “dark days” for a franchise that hasn’t made the playoffs since 2019.
“It’s been one of the clichés that I’ve used this year, more often than I’d like to admit, but, ‘If you want the sunshine, you’ve got to put up with the rain.’
“And right now it’s been raining, so he’s going to remember those rainy days when it’s nice and sunny in a couple of years for us here.”
Boudreau said it’s up to coaches to make sure slumps don’t take on a life of their own.
“It sucks to lose, it sucks when you can’t keep your head up and don’t have belief, but you don’t give up. You try to find ways to keep going, and I thought that was pretty evident with the effort tonight.”
Ryan Roobroeck, who broke the rookie scoring record of 21 goals that He shared with one-time IceDogs captain Akil Thomas, opened the scoring for Niagara with his 23rd of the season.
Ottawa outshot Niagara 35-26 before an announced crowd of 4,010 at Meridian Centre.
IceDogs starter Owen Flores allowed five goals on 15 shots before being replaced by Charlie Robertson, who stopped 17 of 20 shots the rest of the way.
Niagara went 0-for-2 on the power play, while Ottawa was 0-for-1 with the man advantage.
It was the IceDogs’ first leap day game since they dropped a 5-2 decision to the host Owen Sound Attack on Feb. 29, 2016, and only the second in the history of a franchise that dates back to 1997.
The IceDogs spent nine seasons in Mississauga and never played on leap day before relocating to St. Catharines at the beginning of the 2007-08 season.
Niagara came into the third of four games against Ottawa this season seeking to end a four-game losing streak and win for the first time since beating the Oshawa Generals, 4-3 in overtime, on the road Feb. 16.
The IceDogs defeated the 67s, 7-5, at home Dec. 14 and lost the first rematch, 6-4, in the nation’s capital Jan. 27.
Up next for the IceDogs are backto-back road games this weekend.
Up next for the IceDogs are back-to-back road games this weekend. They are at the Barrie Colts on Saturday and visit the North Bay Battalion the following afternoon
They are at the Barrie Colts on Saturday and visit the North Bay Battalion the following afternoon.
Niagara came into the game 10th in the Eastern Conference with a 16-34-6-1 record and trailing sixthplace Ottawa (29-19-5-2) by 26 points and eighth-place Barrie (2429-3) by 12 points for the final playoff berth. The IceDogs last qualified for post-season play in 2019.
’Dog Biscuits centre Michael Podolioukh and Andrew Wycisk ,D, did not dress for Niagara … Cooper Foster, C, Pittsburgh; Brad Gardiner, C, Dallas; Braeden Kressler ,C, Toronto; Matthew Mayich, D, St. Louis; Brady Stonehouse, RW, Edmonton; and Tuomas Uronen, RW, Vegas, are the NHL prospects on Ottawa’s roster … The choir from Prince of Wales Public School in Thorold sang the national anthem