Seventeen wins on the season already matches their total from all of last season. Photo Credit: Ice Dogs/Facebook
The Niagara IceDogs made their last home game before the holiday break a memorable one.
A 4-3 victory over the Brantford Bulldogs was the franchise’s 500th since the IceDogs moved from Mississauga to St. Catharines back in 2007.
Niagara’s seventeenth win of the season Sunday also matched their victory total from all of last season.
The IceDogs sit at (17-9-2) with 40 games left in the 2024-25 campaign.
“Seventeen wins in 28 games is such a big step forward compared to the 17 in 68 games we had last season,” said Head Coach Ben Boudreau.
“You could spot the similarities in our habits when you count our wins. It’s part of building a successful culture.”
Most so-called experts and pundits will say ‘defense wins championships’ and Boudreau admits goaltender Owen Flores has been the catalyst to their success thus far this season.
“Flores is a constant. He is the rock behind our success currently,” Boudreau said.
Flores is third in league wins with 14, and boasts a 3.64 goals against average, and .905 save-percentage.
Boudreau feels two players acquired in off-season trades, Jack Brauti and Noah Van Vliet, have bolstered Niagara’s improved defense.
“Brauti has brought an element of physical play combined with skill and speed. He has really elevated our powerplay.
Van Vliet has stabilized our defense with being a presence every game so far.”
Up front if you look at team stats, you would think that three players, captain and Winnipeg Jets draft pick Kevin He, Seattle Kraken pick Andrei Loshko, and future NHL drafted player Ryan Roobroeck – all of whom have over 30 points on the season, but second year forward Ethan Czata has also caught the eyes of scouts on many nights.
“Last week (against Brampton) there was a lot of people in the stands to watch three players that got selected to (Canada’s) World Junior Camp, but everybody ended up talking about Ethan Czata,” explained Boudreau.
“He is truly just scratching the surface of his potential and it’s great to see him get rewarded on the scoresheet.”
Czata is fourth in team scoring with nine goals and 24 points on the season.
As for the team as a whole, the IceDogs currently sit in fourth place in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) Eastern Conference standings, and if the playoffs started tomorrow would face the fifth ranked Sudbury Wolves.
Niagara will play five straight games on the road before the holiday break, and seven straight away from Meridian Centre before hosting the Peterborough Petes on New Years Eve. Puck drop is set for 6 pm, and the IceDogs are offering a free skate with the players after the game.
For more information visit niagaraicedogs.net
Rod Mawhood is a lifelong Niagara native who has had the pleasure of working in all three mediums – Radio, Print and TV – for over 20 years. His first announcing gig was with the then St. Catharines Stompers. Since then he’s worked in radio and TV in Toronto, and currently is the announcer for the Niagara IceDogs and Niagara River Lions.
Rod also covers the Buffalo Bills for FOX Sports and the Buffalo Sabres for NBC Sports.
