Icedogs end losing slide with important home win

Agostinelli scores in regulation and shootout to propel Niagara to victory

No. 3 in the lineup was No. 1 when the stars were asked to take a bow after the Niagara Icedogs snapped a three-game losing streak Tuesday night.

Anthony Agostinelli scored a goal in regulation and another in a sixround shootout as the Icedogs edged the North Bay Battalion 3-2 in their first home game in nearly three weeks.

Agostinelli, whose playing time in his sophomore season in the Ontario Hockey League has been limited by injuries, earned first-star honours, as well as praise from Niagara head coach Billy Burke.

“It’s tough for him to get his legs under him so far this season, but I thought he did a great job,” Burke said. “He’s skilled, he makes plays in traffic.”

Agostinelli’s linemates Ryan Struthers and Declan Waddick also stepped up on a night when a game misconduct sent Danil Gushchin, Niagara’s top scorer and a San Jose Sharks draft pick, to the dressing room.

“Waddick continues to get better every single game. The same with Struthers,” Burke said. “When you get three guys who can skate, make plays, play to their strengths, complement each other, it just gives us confidence. I have always had confidence in those guys and almost every one of their lines.”

Gushchin received a five-minute major and a game misconduct for a check to the head that knocked North Bay goaltender Dom Divincentiis out of the game at 19:47 of the second period.

“It was a huge turning point. Our best player goes down, then we

have a five-minute kill,” Burke said. “I’m really proud of the guys.”

While the Icedogs have earned the fewest points so far this season, they also have played the fewest games. Niagara leads the league in games in hand.

“If we run the table in all our games in hand, we’re right up almost in the middle of the conference. Obviously, it’s a hill and games in hand are nothing but games in hand unless you win them,” Burke said. “That’s why it’s going to be fast and furious, but we’re just one day at a time. We really feel like it’s been a brand new season.

“The first half? We don’t even worry about it. It is what it is.”

In the opening period, the Battalion outshot the Icedogs 14-10 and took a 1-0 lead into the first intermission on a goal from Owen Van Steensel.

Agostinelli, his second of the season, and Gushchin, No. 23 of the campaign, gave the hosts a shortlived lead before Mitchell Russell tied the game less than two minutes later.

Shots on net in the middle frame were 12-7 in favour of Niagara.

North Bay outshot the Icedogs 9-6 in the third period and 5-2 in overtime.

Niagara almost won the game in overtime, but a goal from Dakota Betts with 22 seconds remaining in extra time was waived off. Officials ruled following a video review that the net was off its moorings when the puck crossed the goal line.

Twenty-three points and six places in the Eastern Conference standings separated third-place North Bay (19-13-2-1) and 10th-place Niagara (9-18-1-1) coming into Tuesday night’s game.

It was the fourth meeting of the season series between the Central Division rivals. Niagara opened head-to-head play with a 7-6 overtime victory before losing 5-1 at home and 7-3 on the road.

Niagara is scheduled to play North Bay six times during the 2021-22 regular season.

Niagara was playing at home for the first time since defeating the Sudbury Wolves, 5-4, on Jan. 8. That was also the team’s last win before losses, both by 6-2 scores, to the Hamilton Bulldogs and Kingston Frontenacs.

The Icedogs are scheduled to play two more games without fans before beginning a stretch of three games when a maximum of 500 fans will be allowed at the 5,300capacity Meridian Centre.

’Dog Biscuits Liam Arnsby, C; Kyle Jackson, C; Kyle Mcdonald, RW; Matvey Petrov, LW; did not dress for North Bay. Juan Copeland, LW; Sami Douglas-najem, D; were the Niagara scratches

Niagara was playing at home for the first time since defeating the Sudbury Wolves, 5-4, on Jan. 8