Niagara IceDogs forward Andrew Vermeulen (79) has scored a goal in each of the team's last three games after being held scoreless in the first 25 games of his Ontario Hockey League career.
Niagara IceDogs forward Andrew Vermeulen (79) has scored a goal in each of the team's last three games after being held scoreless in the first 25 games of his Ontario Hockey League career.
The Niagara IceDogs achieved several firsts on the weekend when the Ontario Hockey League team wrapped up October by playing three games in as many days.
They finally came back all the way from a third-period deficit for an overtime victory, winning their first in extra time after four losses.
Niagara also ended a three-in-three above .500 for the first time, taking four of six points in an overtime loss to the Peterborough Petes, 4-3; a win over the Windsor Spitfires, 7-6, also in overtime; and 4-3 setback to the Sarnia Sting in a shootout.
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After starting the 2023-24 season with three losses, the IceDogs (3-4-4-1) have earned at least a point in eight of their last nine games.
While Sunday afternoon’s road loss in Sarnia was their first shootout of the season, yet another first if you’re keeping score at home, there was something all-too-familiar about how the season series against the Sting – essentially, a home-and-home – ended. Scoring the game-winner with the final shot in a three-round shootout was none other than Andrew LeBlanc, a one-time IceDog whose twin brother Jacob netted the game-winner when Sarnia edged Niagara 3-2 on Oct. 20 at Meridian Centre in St. Catharines.
Remarkably, that already marked the third time this season in only five extra-time losses that the game-winner was scored by a former IceDog. Pano Finis scored the last goal in a 3-2 loss at home to the Erie Otters on Oct. 12.
Sarnia, which like all Western Conference teams except for Erie will only play the IceDogs twice during the regular season, outshot Niagara 44-32 and was up 3-1 before Michael Podolioukh and Andrew Vermeulen scored goals four minutes apart to force overtime for the third game in a right.
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The third goal of Vermeulen’s OHL career was also his third in as many games.
Mathieu Paris opened the scoring for the IceDogs with a shorthanded goal, his second in less than 24 hours. He also scored with his team down in a 7-6 overtime win the night before in Windsor.
Niagara goaltender Owen Flores stopped 40 of 43 shots and Sandis Vilmanis and Jacob LeBlanc in the first two rounds of the shootout.
Erie’s Karsen Chartier made 29 saves and in the shootout denied Kevin He, Ryan Roobroeck, and Alex Assadourian scoring opportunities.
Niagara went 0-for-2 on the power play; Sarnia, 1-for-2.
This Friday the IceDogs visit the Sudbury and are home to the North Bay Battalion on the following night.
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