Live Game Blog: NIA vs. ERIE- Dec. 19
The Niagara IceDogs are in Erie tonight to take on the Otters for the fourth time this season.
After dropping the first game against the Otters 8-4 at the First Niagara Centre in Buffalo, the IceDogs have won two straight against them. The first one was a big 5-2 win in front of a sell out crowd at the Meridian Centre. The IceDogs beat the Otters again just over a week later when Zach Wilkie scored the game winning goal in the second period, once again in front of a sell out crowd. It was also the first Friday Night Hockey broadcast of the year on Sportsnet.
After a wild 8-7 victory over the Owen Sound Attack last night, the IceDogs will look to continue their winning ways. They’ve won three of the last four games and sit just one point back of the Peterborough Petes for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Easter Conference. The Petes are also in action tonight against the Kingston Frontenacs so we’ll have to keep an eye on that game as well.
Brandon Hope gets the nod in goal for the IceDogs, while Daniel Dekoning is between the pipes for the Otters due to usual starter Devin Williams being out with an injury.
It should be a good one tonight, so let’s take a look at the lines!
NIAGARA ICEDOGS
PERLINI-VERHAEGHE-HO-SANG
JENKINS-MALETTA-PAYNE
GILLARD-KNOTT-DIFRUSCIA
WILKIE-PAQUETTE-CARON
DUNN-HAYDON
BROSNAN-SIEBENALER
MIKULOVICH-MANTHA
HOPE
MORAN
ERIE OTTERS
MURPHY-STROME-BETZ
FOX-PETTIT-FELLOWS
DEBRINCAT-BAPTISTE-RADDYSH
MARCHMENT-MAKSIMOVICH-BILY
MACDERMID-RADDYSH
DERMOTT-DONNAY
GENOVESE-SABAN
DEKONING
LAWR
FIRST PERIOD
0:51: Good opening shift for the Dogs. Couple of good chances for Ho-Sang right on the doorstep.
1:26: 1-0 Otters
Erie strikes first. Hope makes the first save but DeBrincat is there to put in the rebound. Tough break to start the game.
6:14: Nice hit by DiFruscia at the blueline. Trying to give his team some energy with that one.
7:27: Good chance for Betz but Brosnan does well to get in the shooting lane and redirect it over the net.
9:51: Knott with a great feed to Gillard on a two-on-one but he’s robbed by Dekoning. That’s a really good save on a grade-A chance.
11:21: Good save by Hope on a shot by Strome from the top of the slot.
11:37: 1-1 Tie
Maletta ties it! His snap shot from the top of the circles beats Dekoning and we’re back to where we started!
13:14: Another good save by Hope. This time on DeBincat.
15:14: 2-1 Otters
Dermott gives the Otters the lead back. His point shot goes through a screen and Hope’s legs.
16:21: Saban off for delay of game and the IceDogs get their first power play.
SECOND PERIOD
0:59: Hope absolutely robs Betz at the top of the crease. Oh my what a save.
2:18: 2-2 Tie
We’re tied again! Payne walks right in front and slides it past Dekoning! Nice goal.
3:16: 3-2 Otters
They take the lead right back. Marchment takes a quick shot off the rush and it beats Hope under the arm.
3:50: Caron bumps into Dekoning and then MacDermid takes him out. Both will take a seat in the box and we’ll play four-on-four.
4:36: Verhaeghe gets called for holding. Tough to tell who was holding whom, but regardless, the IceDogs will be shorthanded.
4:51: 4-2 Otters
Baptiste’s one-timer finds the back of the net on the power play and the Otters have a two goal lead.
7:05: DiFruscia called for roughing and the IceDogs will be shorthanded again.
11:25: 5-2 Otters
Betz shoots one over Hope’s shoulder to give the Otters a three goal lead. Looked like it went off the defenceman’s stick. Unfortunate bounce for the Dogs.
16:20: Knott throws it at the net and Gillard does well to get a stick on it and redirect it. Dekoning makes a nice save.
18:20: Great pass by Verhaeghe to a wide open Ho-Sang, but his shot just misses the top corner. He had Dekoning down and out.
19:41: 5-3 Otters
IceDogs are within two! Dunn’s point shot changes directions and gets past Dekoning! That’s a big goal right before the end of the period.
THIRD PERIOD
0:53: Good chance for Payne after he causes a turnover and rips a shot. It goes just over the net.
3:05: Haydon steps into Fellows with a big hit in the neutral zone. He timed that perfectly.
4:35: Raddysh and Mikulovich exchange words after the whistle. Not sure Miku is a guy you want to be messing with.
6:48: 5-4 Otters
Brosnan does well to get his point shot through and Knott is right there to put home the rebound! IceDogs are within a goal!
8:30: Ho-Sang flies up the middle and pulls off a couple of nice dekes.
9:34: Marchment hauls down Haydon and the IceDogs will have a great opportunity to tie this up on the power play.
11:34: A couple of really good chances with the man advantage, but the Dogs can’t convert.
12:12: 5-5 Tie
Paquette ties it! The IceDogs have come all the way back and we have ourselves a brand new hockey game!
The game has tightened up a bit since the Dogs tied it at 5-5. Both teams look a little more afraid to make a mistake as regulation time winds down.
15:13: Great chance for Strome. Won’t get many better than that, but he loses his balance as he goes to shoot it.
19:19: Mad scramble at the top of the IceDogs crease. Somehow, someway the puck stays out.
20:00: The IceDogs have come all the way back and get at least a point. They’ll try for one more as we had to overtime for the second night in a row.
OVERTIME
1:00: Perlini and Verhaeghe both get a couple of good chances to start off the extra frame.
2:55: Maletta tries to feed Haydon on a two-on-one but the pass is just a TAD behind him. Back and forth in this OT. Exciting hockey.
4:41: Hope with the old school two-pad stack to keep this game going! What a save.
5:00: To the shootout we go. Oh boy. What an overtime period that was. Wow.
SHOOTOUT
Strome and Donnay score for the Otters and Ho-Sang scores for the IceDogs. Erie takes it 6-5 in a shootout. Still a heck of a comeback by the Dogs tonight to get a point!
GAME SUMMARY
SCORING
FIRST PERIOD
ER DEBRINCAT (27) (RADDYSH) 1:26
NIA MALETTA (9) (MIKULOVICH) 11:37
ER DERMOTT (4) (BETZ, STROME) 15:14
SECOND PERIOD
NIA PAYNE (7) (JENKINS) 2:18
ER MARCHMENT (5) (FELLOWS, STROME) 3:16
ER BAPTISTE (9) (DERMOTT, DEBRINCAT) 4:51 PP
ER BETZ (15) (MURPHY) 11:25
NIA DUNN (6) (DIFRUSCIA, GILLARD) 19:40
THIRD PERIOD
NIA KNOTT (13) (BROSNAN, GILLARD) 6:38
NIA PAQUETTE (3) (SIEBENLAER, PAYNE) 12:12
SHOTS
NIA 11 – 9 – 12 – 3 = 35
ERIE 11 – 9 – 7 – 2 = 29
PPS
NIA 0-for-3
ERIE 1-for-2
