61 save performance for Rosenzweig in IceDogs loss to Petes

PETERBOROUGH, ON – Tonight’s game marked the start of a three-in-three for both hockey clubs this week. Coming into tonight’s game the IceDogs are 4-16-2-0 on the road while Peterborough sits at 11-10-1-0 on home ice.

The road would not be as easy as Niagara visited a robust Eastern Conference opponent in the Peterborough Petes, who came into the contest sitting in 4th place for the Conference, 3 points ahead of the Steelheads and 4 points behind the Colts. The IceDogs came in 17 points back of the Sudbury Wolves for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

The IceDogs would play the game with 11 forwards and 5 defencemen with no APs in the lineup. Juan Copeland would be welcomed back to the lineup as he returns from an injury suffered in early January. Cato, Gerard Keane, Anthony Agostinelli, Andrew Wycisk, and Owen Flores still remained out of the lineup. The Petes in-actives would be Easton Rye, Braydon McCallum, Zack Lewis, Chase Lefebvre, and Chase Stillman (New Jersey Devils prospect).

Many NHL prospects dawned the white sweaters from Peterborough on Saturday Night including J.R Avon (Philidelphia Flyers FA signing), Owen Beck (Montreal Canadiens), Connor Lockhart (Vancouver Canucks), Tucker Robertson (Seattle Kraken), Brennan Othmann (New York Rangers), Gavin White (Dallas Stars), and Brian Zanetti (Philadelphia Flyers).

IceDogs Starters (2/02/23):

LW: Kevin He

C: Alex Assadourian

RW: Zakary Lavoie

LD: Nathan Ribau

RD: David Jesus

G: Josh Rosenzweig

Tale of the (Stick) Tape

Between the Pipes

1^st Period

At just 0:58, Brennan Othmann wasted no time in the opening period to get Petes on the board. Two minutes later, Evan Klein sent Michael Podolioukh a go-ahead pass to go upstairs on the backhand to get his first as an IceDog while skating in his 100th Ontario Hockey League game.

Just over halfway through the period, Avery Hayes set up Brennan Othmann once again and put Peterborough in the lead.

After 20 minutes of play, both teams managed to stay out of the penalty box. IceDogs goaltender, Josh Rosenzweig would stop 17/19 while Niagara registered 8 shots at the other end.

2^nd Period

At 6:49 into the second frame, Daniel Michaud would battle for the puck in the corner and come out with it to set up Andrew LeBlanc all alone and score top-shelf on the backhand to tie it up. The game-tying goal would extend Andrew LeBlanc’s point streak to 5 games while Daniel Michaud keeps his streak going with 5 goals and 5 assists for 10 points in 6 games.

Josh Rosenzweig single-handedly kept Niagara within one as shots after the middle period favoured Peterborough 38-19.

3^rd Period

After a slow start to the third period, the IceDogs were awarded a powerplay chance after Owen Beck would be called for boarding as he sent Jacob LeBlanc awkwardly into the boards. 50 seconds into the man advantage Alex Assadourian would fire a shot from the top of the circle and beat the Peterborough netminder to tie the game at 3-3. Declan Waddick and David Jesus were awarded the assists.

A late goal from Tucker Robertson and another empty net would put the game away at 5-3 for the home team. Josh Rosenzweig continued to impress all game long as he notched a career-high 61 saves in the tight loss.

Three Stars

1. Brennan Othmann
2. Josh Rosenzweig
3. Avery Hayes

Goal Scorers

First Period

• B. Othmann (19) (PBO) A: T. Robertson, A. Hayes – 0:57
• M. Podolioukh (2) (NIAG) A: E. Klein – 2:52
• B. Othmann (20) (PBO) A; A. Hayes, T. Robertson – 12:18

Second Period

• A. LeBlanc (8) (NIAG) A: D. Michaud – 6:49
• B. Othmann (21) (PBO) A: S. Mayer, O. Beck – 12:05

Third Period

• A. Assadourian (8) (NIAG) A: D. Waddick, D. Jesus – 11:50
• T. Robertson (26) (PBO) A: B. Zanetti, S. Spearing – 17:29
• T. Robertson (27) (PBO) A: S. Mayer – 18:39 (Empty net)