IceDogs fall short to Battalion on home ice
NIAGARA, ON – The IceDogs welcomed a division opponent in the North Bay Battalion for one final meeting this season, in their final weekend of the 2022-23 season. Niagara held a pregame ceremony on the ice honouring this season’s billet families; a yearly tradition at the Meridian Centre.
Starting Goaltenders: Owen Flores (NIAG), Charlie Robertson (NB)
No scoring in the opening period between the two clubs but the Battalion came out in the middle period after killing off a penalty and would bury on the odd-man rush to open the scoring.
The IceDogs would hit a bar on a few occasions in the middle period but no score on either side. The Battalion would get an early goal to start the final period as Owen Van Steensel would redirect in the point shot to extend the visitors lead.
The Battalion would extend their lead on a man advantage after the IceDogs weren’t able to capitalize on a glorious odd-man rush shorthanded. Niagara would get on the board as rookie Kevin He would bury his 21st of the season, picking up the loose puck after Andrew LeBlanc was hit entering the zone and lifting the Meridian Centre crowd to their feet.
Niagara would be awarded a penalty shot near the midway mark of the final period after Michael Podolioukh would use his speed to get behind the North Bay defenders. On the penalty shot the former Battalion forward would go to the backhand and beat Robertson but the puck sailed just over the crossbar to keep the score at 3-1.
The visitors extended their lead before Zak Lavoie would get the IceDogs second goal of the game as Zak Lavoie would go to the backhand and beat Robertson five hole to make it a two-goal game late in regulation. The closest that they would come.
Niagara will finish their 2022-23 season tomorrow afternoon on home ice versus the Sarnia Sting in a cross-conference matchup. Owen Flores stopped 32 shots in defeat.
Three Stars
- NB Josh Bloom (1 goal, 1 assist)
- NIAG Kevin He (1 goal)
- NB A. Lukin (1 goal)
Team Stats
Powerplay: NIAG: 0/4 , NB: 1/1
Shots: NIAG: 30, NB: 37
Goal Scorers
- NB J. Ertel (14) A: J. Bloom, W. Kennedy
- NB O. Steensel (10) A: N. Tarasevich
- NB A. Lukin (5) A: M. Petrov, D. Wakely
- NIAG K. He (21) A: A. LeBlanc, A. Assadourian
- NB Lirim Amidovski (1)
- NIAG Z. Lavoie (28) A: A. Vermeulen, R. VanNetten
- NB J. Bloom (25) A: J. Ertel, A. Lukin – Empty Net