Thursday Highlights: IceDogs, Wolves stay hot atop Central

 

NIAGARA 4, HAMILTON 3
The Niagara IceDogs extended their current winning streak to six games, climbing ahead of the visiting Hamilton Bulldogs 4-1 before holding off a late comeback attempt to win 4-3. Minnesota Wild prospect Ivan Lodnia (10, 11) scored a pair of goals while Ben Jones (13) and Philip Tomasino (12) also found the back of the net. Edmonton Oilers prospect Kirill Maksimov picked up a pair of assists while Jason Robertson stretched his current point streak to 16 games with an assist of his own. Navrin Mutter (4) scored a first period goal for the Bulldogs before Matthew Strome (13) and Tim Fleischer (5) scored a pair of third period power play goals in a comeback attempt that came up just short. Nicolas Mattinen picked up two assists while Nick Donofrio made 36 saves in the loss. Niagara’s Stephen Dhillon turned aside 33 shots as Niagara outshot Hamilton 40-36, improving to 3-1 against the Bulldogs this season. Niagara remains tied atop the Central with Sudbury, sporting a 19-7-4-0 record. The Bulldogs fall to 15-15-2-0.
GAME CENTRE

 

SUDBURY 6, BARRIE 3
The Sudbury Wolves extended their winning streak to seven, the club’s longest since the 2000-01 season as rookie sensation Quinton Byfield (11, 12) enjoyed a career-high four point night. Byfield extended his point streak to five games with two goals and two assists while Peter Stratis (4), Blake Murray (13), Ryan O’Bonsawin (1) and Owen Robinson (3) also tallied, helping the Wolves beat the rival Colts for the third time this season. Owen Gilhula had three assists while goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen turned aside 32 shots. Jacob Tortora (8), Mathew Hill (2) and Jason Willms (8) all scored for Barrie, with Willms finishing with a goal and two assists. The Wolves were outshot 35-31 but went 2-for-4 on the power play, improving to 20-8-1-1 to remain tied with Niagara atop the Central Division. Barrie falls to 15-15-1-0.
GAME CENTRE

 

NORTH BAY 8, KITCHENER 5
Justin Brazeau (27, 28), Brad Chenier (13, 14) and Daniel Walker (5, 6) all scored twice as the North Bay Battalion broke out of a seven-game funk, defeating the visiting Kitchener Rangers 8-5. Adam McMaster (13) and Matthew Struthers (15) also scored for the Troops, who overcame an early 2-0 deficit and climbed ahead 3-2, only to relinquish the lead as Kitchener led 5-3 prior to the midway point of the game. North Bay finished things off with five unanswered goals as defenceman Nick King collected three assists. The visiting Rangers saw Jonathan Yantsis (21, 22, 23) scored his first OHL hat-trick while Rickard Hugg (16) and Joseph Garreffa (9) also lit the lamp. The Battalion improves to 12-18-1-1 while the Rangers suffer  a third straight loss, falling to 13-16-3-0.
GAME CENTRE

 

ERIE 7, WINDSOR 4
Maxim Golod (3, 4), Kyle Maksimovich (14, 15) and Danial Singer (5, 6) all scored twice as the Erie Otters took a 7-4 victory in Windsor. Rookie forward Elias Cohen (1) also picked up his first OHL goal as the Otters defeated the Spitfires despite being outshot 33-26. Erie netminder Daniel Murphy turned aside 29 shots including all 20 he faced in the third period. Windsor goals came from Cole Purboo (12), Luke Boka (4), Lev Starikov (2) and Tyler Angle (7). Erie improves to 13-17-1-0 having now won three of their last four on the road. The Spitfires have dropped three in a row and fall to 14-15-2-1.
GAME CENTRE

 

PETERBOROUGH 5, FLINT 2
The Flint Firebirds led 2-1 after one but the Peterborough Petes came back with four unanswered in a 5-2 win on home ice. Chris Paquette (14) scored the game winner 3:47 into the third period while Shawn Spearing (1), Nick Robertson (10), Brady Hinz (10) and Liam Kirk (9) also found the scoresheet. Overage forward Adam Timleck had three assists on the night while goaltender Hunter Jones made 31 saves. Ethan Keppen (8) and Evan Vierling (1) scored first period goals for the Firebirds who suffered their eighth straight loss, falling to 3-28-2-0. The Petes improve to 18-13-0-0, good for third place in the East Division.
GAME CENTRE