SmartStop Post Game Recap – Steelheads Come Up Just Short in Tough Match Against IceDogs
BRAMPTON, ON – The Steelheads returned home Monday night hoping to bounce back after a tough road contest, welcoming the Niagara IceDogs to the CAA Centre. In a closely contested battle, Brampton came up just short, falling 4-3.
With Gabriel Chiarot traded earlier in the day and Joshua Avery sidelined with an injury, the Steelheads entered the game shorthanded.
It was a slow start for both teams, as just five minutes into the game there were only four combined shots on goal, with Niagara holding a slight 3-1 edge.
It wasn’t until 8:17 that the IceDogs broke the ice, as Blake Barnes beat Luke Johnson for his first career OHL goal, giving Niagara a 1–0 lead.
Shortly after the opening goal, Ethan Czata was called for boarding at 8:46, giving the Steelheads a chance to respond on the power play, though they couldn’t find the equalizer.
At 9:05, Julian Demiglio was assessed a penalty after colliding with Ethan Czata on a breakaway, awarding Niagara a penalty shot. Czata rang the shot off the post and was unable to capitalize.
The Steelheads were given another opportunity to respond on the power play at 12:46, as Grayson Tiller was sent to the penalty box for cross-checking. Brampton capitalized on the advantage at 13:32, with Mason Zebeski finding the back of the net off assists from Parker von Richter and Zach Nyman to tie the game.
Niagara didn’t take long to respond, as Ryan Roobroeck restored the IceDogs’ lead with a goal, assisted by Riley Patterson, making it 2-1.
At 15:57, Reed Gee was assessed an interference penalty, giving Niagara another chance to extend its lead, but the IceDogs couldn’t convert.
A physical and thrilling first period saw Brampton lead the shot total 13-9 despite trailing on the scoreboard. The Steelheads looked to capitalize on their opportunities heading into the second, while Niagara aimed to add some insurance to their lead.
Some aggression showed early in the second frame, as Grayson Tiller and Justin Bottineau were each assessed roughing penalties at 3:41, resulting in four-on-four action.
At 5:41, the IceDogs added to their tally as Ryerson Edgar capitalized on an unfortunate turnover by Kieran Witkowski caused by a broken stick, making it 3-1.
The Steelheads got a chance to claw back into the game at 6:42 when Noah Read was called for a delay of game penalty. Brampton didn’t waste the opportunity; Zach Nyman scored just seven seconds later, beating Vladislav Yermolenko at 6:49 to make it 3-2 and reignite the game.
The IceDogs responded with a goal of their own at 9:07, as Riley Patterson scored an insurance goal to make it 4-2.
Niagara had another chance to extend their lead at 9:58 when Reed Gee was sent to the box for roughing, giving them a power play, but they were unable to capitalize.
Brampton had a chance to cut the lead at 15:16 when they earned a power play due to a holding call on Ben Reisnecker. For the third time on the power play, the Steelheads capitalized, as Mason Zebeski scored his second goal of the game at 16:20 to make it 4-3.
It was a very impressive and tense second period, with back-and-forth scoring keeping the game competitive heading into the final frame. Brampton again led in shots on goal, 14-10, and looked to build momentum to match Niagara’s goal total.
The final period started with back-and-forth action, with Brampton leading the shot total 4-2 five minutes into the period.
At 5:37, the IceDogs got a golden opportunity with a power play after a hooking call on Justin Bottineau. However, they were unable to extend their lead, as Brampton remained close behind.
Luke Johnson held down the fort in the third period, making several game-saving stops after Niagara created multiple solid scoring chances.
The Steelheads earned a power-play opportunity to tie the game when Chase Hull was called for high sticking at 12:16. Despite their strong power-play performance earlier, they were unable to convert this time.
With under five minutes to go, the Trout were battling hard to tie the game, maintaining strong puck control and generating quality shots on net.
At 18:42, Brampton had one final power-play opportunity to tie the game after Ryan Roobroeck was called for slashing. Despite a few good chances, the Steelheads could not score, and Niagara held on for a 4-3 victory.
Brampton will look to finish the year on a high note when they face the Owen Sound Attack in the classic New Year’s Eve matchup at 2:00 p.m.
Shots
NIAG: 31
BRAM: 41
3 Stars of Game
- Mason Zebeski (2G, 1A)
- Riley Patterson (1G, 2A)
- Zach Nyman (1G, 2A)
