Back to the Drawing Board
Niagara, ON – The Steelheads pushed late, but the IceDogs hung on to a 5-4 victory.
The IceDogs came out flying, as they took the lead just over a minute and a half in. Callum Cheynowski sent a breakout pass for Sean Doherty, who one-touched the puck for Alex Assadourian. The speedster broke down the wing and fired a shot by Jack Ivankovic.
The Steelheads top line pressed for an equalizer when Porter Martone faked a pass before rifling a shot on goal, but his bid was snatched by Owen Flores.
At the halfway point in the frame the Trout came inches from tying the game. Luke Misa sprung up the wing before he slowed down and slipped a pass to the slot for Finn Harding. The defenceman looked shot before he slid a pass to the backdoor for Troy Patton, but the rookie had his stick lifted before he could get a piece.
With just over six minutes to play, Brampton found their equalizer. Porter Martone forced a turnover in the neutral zone, where Luke Misa picked up the loose puck in stride. The Calgary Flames prospect flew into the zone and sauced a pass over for Carson Rehkopf. The sniper corralled the pass and ripped a shot by Flores to tie the game.
The first period ended with a skirmish after Noah Van Vliet ran into Ivankovic. The scrum resulted in some 4-on-4 action.
The penalties carried into the second period, so the teams started the frame short a man. Fresh out of the box, Noah Van Vliet jumped onto the ice and snuck behind the Trout’s defence. The speedy defender was sprung on a breakaway. His first chance was stopped but the veteran did not give up, as he jammed home the rebound to put the IceDogs back in front.
The Steelheads pressed to tie the game around the halfway mark in the second when they found themselves on back-to-back power plays. Brampton had no trouble getting the power play set up, but they were unable to capitalize on the opportunity.
Niagara looked to double their lead when Blake Arrowsmith broke down the wing. The recent acquisition wired a shot on goal, but Ivankovic got his shoulder on it to keep the Trout within one.
The IceDogs doubled their lead in the final minutes of the frame, after a Steelheads turnover. Finn Harding looked to spring Jack Van Volsen in the Trout zone, but the puck bounced off his stick. Ethan Czata picked up the loose puck, where he played catch with Mike Levin before burying the return feed.
The Steelheads would answer back before the end of the period after they found themselves on the man advantage. Carson Rehkopf slung a pass across the ice to Porter Martone. The captain quickly tapped the puck to the backdoor for Luke Misa, who had no trouble slipping the puck into the empty cage.
Brampton kept the pressure on to start the third period, and it did not take long to find the equalizer. After Kieran Witkowski’s pass could not connect with Jack Van Volsen in front, the puck bounced off the boards. Parker Von Richter walked in and blasted a slap shot on goal which flew past a screened Flores to tie the game.
The tie game was short-lived, as just six minutes later the IceDogs would regain the lead on the power play. After the puck was played to the line Andrew Wysick faked a shot, and hit Ryan Roobroeck. The London native wasted no time before wiring a shot through Ivankovic to put Niagara back in front.
The teams exchanged chances with five minutes to play. First, it was Finn Harding who activated from the point and fired a shot on goal, but it rang off the post. Then it was Kevin He with a pair of chances. After an IceDogs clear, He raced down the ice towards the puck, but Jack Ivankovic burst from his net to beat the speedy winger to the loose puck. Just seconds later, He broke in on an odd-man rush where he fired a shot on goal, but it too was turned aside by Ivankovic.
The IceDogs added to their lead with just under four minutes to play. Andrew Wysick fired a pass to the side of the goal, where Ethan Czata deflected the puck past as stretched Ivankovic. Czata’s second of the night proved to be a key one.
With just over a minute remaining, the Steelheads clawed back at the Niagara lead. Spencer Sova one-timed a shot on goal which was tipped in the slot by Luke Misa. The deflection fooled Owen Flores to bring the Trout within one.
Brampton pressed with the net empty once again, but a cross-ice pass from Misa bounced by Rehkopf to reach a final score of 5-4 Niagara.
The Steelheads are back in action this Sunday for the Teddy Bear Toss game, grab your tickets here, and do not forget a Teddy Bear!
