Lois
10-27-2008, 10:23 AM
The Standard
Monday October 27, 2008
Spirited win for IceDogs
Ice DogsVictory over Saginaw ends five game skid
Posted By JIM WALLACESTANDARD STAFF
Posted 4 hours ago
<TABLE><TBODY><TR><TD style="WIDTH: 521px"></TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: top"></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Chris DeSousa decided he'd had enough of this losing streak.
The Niagara IceDogs forward threw his body around (as he usually does), picked a fight with Kain Allicock (also not out of the ordinary) and then scored the winning goal with his new linemates.
The 5-4 win over the Saginaw Spirit Saturday night at Jack Gatecliff Arena not only ended the IceDogs' five-game Ontario Hockey League losing streak, but helped restore a little confidence to a team that had won just two of its last 12 games.
After a couple of early hits got the 2,818 fans going, DeSousa decided a little more was needed to spark his teammates.
"We were kind of getting outplayed in the beginning and I wanted to spark my team," the 18-year-old said.
So the 5-foot-10 Mississauga native took on a 6-foot-4 Spirit player -- and won the fight.
"I saw Allicock come on with me. He and I are good buddies, but on the ice.... I definitely wanted to go at him right there and spark the boys."
After each team traded (and lost) two-goal leads, DeSousa completed a pretty three-way passing play with new linemates Jeff Piva and Andrew Merrett early in the third period for what stood up as the winning goal.
"I've been in a mini-slump," said DeSousa, who had 23 goals and 36 points, along with 103 penalty minutes, last season. "I've been playing all right, but I haven't been putting up the numbers I'm expected to.
"The points will come, so I'm just trying to do all the other little things.... I knew it would come. We just have to keep working hard and stay positive as best we can."
DeSousa admitted there have been times over the slump staying positive has been tough, but he also noted the team has lost four shootouts and only once has lost by more than two goals (5-1 to the Erie Otters Thursday).
"For sure, it's frustrating, especially losing such close games, but it's also easy to stay positive with all the good things we've done this year. It's not like we're getting outplayed every game or blown out -- it's been close."
Head coach Mario Cicchillo gave DeSousa and his club full credit, especially after falling behind 2-0 by the 16-minute mark of the first period and then coming back with two goals 13 seconds apart in the final minute of the frame.
"Tonight, it looked like we got some bounces and the guys competed," he said. "I thought the guys dug deep and showed a lot of character on this hockey club."
Cicchillo was also pleased the team kept its composure in the final minutes and got some strong goaltending from rookie Mark Visentin. DeSousa's fight also caught his attention.
"This team will do anything to spark each other and that's why this is going to be a good hockey club. (DeSousa) leads by example and it's too bad you can only give out so many Cs (captain's letters) and As (associate captain's letters) because we have a lot of deserving guys."
Piva scored twice for the IceDogs and Andrew Agozzino and Alex Friesen netted singles.
Chris Chappell netted two for the Spirit and Joe Underwood and Adam Comrie rounded out the attack.
Dog biscuits: Reggie Traccitto is still a couple of weeks from returning to the IceDogs blue-line after a leg injury and fellow defenceman Mike Schwindt also didn't dress, along with forwards Johnson Andrews and Jamie Howard.... The IceDogs wore pink ribbons on their uniforms, along with pink skate laces and some had pink tape on their sticks to help raise awareness for breast cancer.... IceDogs defenceman Drew Schiestel and Saginaw rearguard Nick Crawford could be teammates in the Buffalo Sabres organization at some point -- both are Sabres draft picks.... The IceDogs had only one power play the whole game, that coming when Allicock was tagged with a five-minute checking-to-the-head- major and game misconduct for a scary hit on Alex Friesen, who returned to the game after being looked after by athletic therapist Pete Dobbin. The IceDogs took eight minors and the Spirit none.
<!-- Updated by Sunjoyo on July 18, 2008, as per Mantis Bug Request on July 17, 2008-->
Monday October 27, 2008
Spirited win for IceDogs
Ice DogsVictory over Saginaw ends five game skid
Posted By JIM WALLACESTANDARD STAFF
Posted 4 hours ago
<TABLE><TBODY><TR><TD style="WIDTH: 521px"></TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: top"></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Chris DeSousa decided he'd had enough of this losing streak.
The Niagara IceDogs forward threw his body around (as he usually does), picked a fight with Kain Allicock (also not out of the ordinary) and then scored the winning goal with his new linemates.
The 5-4 win over the Saginaw Spirit Saturday night at Jack Gatecliff Arena not only ended the IceDogs' five-game Ontario Hockey League losing streak, but helped restore a little confidence to a team that had won just two of its last 12 games.
After a couple of early hits got the 2,818 fans going, DeSousa decided a little more was needed to spark his teammates.
"We were kind of getting outplayed in the beginning and I wanted to spark my team," the 18-year-old said.
So the 5-foot-10 Mississauga native took on a 6-foot-4 Spirit player -- and won the fight.
"I saw Allicock come on with me. He and I are good buddies, but on the ice.... I definitely wanted to go at him right there and spark the boys."
After each team traded (and lost) two-goal leads, DeSousa completed a pretty three-way passing play with new linemates Jeff Piva and Andrew Merrett early in the third period for what stood up as the winning goal.
"I've been in a mini-slump," said DeSousa, who had 23 goals and 36 points, along with 103 penalty minutes, last season. "I've been playing all right, but I haven't been putting up the numbers I'm expected to.
"The points will come, so I'm just trying to do all the other little things.... I knew it would come. We just have to keep working hard and stay positive as best we can."
DeSousa admitted there have been times over the slump staying positive has been tough, but he also noted the team has lost four shootouts and only once has lost by more than two goals (5-1 to the Erie Otters Thursday).
"For sure, it's frustrating, especially losing such close games, but it's also easy to stay positive with all the good things we've done this year. It's not like we're getting outplayed every game or blown out -- it's been close."
Head coach Mario Cicchillo gave DeSousa and his club full credit, especially after falling behind 2-0 by the 16-minute mark of the first period and then coming back with two goals 13 seconds apart in the final minute of the frame.
"Tonight, it looked like we got some bounces and the guys competed," he said. "I thought the guys dug deep and showed a lot of character on this hockey club."
Cicchillo was also pleased the team kept its composure in the final minutes and got some strong goaltending from rookie Mark Visentin. DeSousa's fight also caught his attention.
"This team will do anything to spark each other and that's why this is going to be a good hockey club. (DeSousa) leads by example and it's too bad you can only give out so many Cs (captain's letters) and As (associate captain's letters) because we have a lot of deserving guys."
Piva scored twice for the IceDogs and Andrew Agozzino and Alex Friesen netted singles.
Chris Chappell netted two for the Spirit and Joe Underwood and Adam Comrie rounded out the attack.
Dog biscuits: Reggie Traccitto is still a couple of weeks from returning to the IceDogs blue-line after a leg injury and fellow defenceman Mike Schwindt also didn't dress, along with forwards Johnson Andrews and Jamie Howard.... The IceDogs wore pink ribbons on their uniforms, along with pink skate laces and some had pink tape on their sticks to help raise awareness for breast cancer.... IceDogs defenceman Drew Schiestel and Saginaw rearguard Nick Crawford could be teammates in the Buffalo Sabres organization at some point -- both are Sabres draft picks.... The IceDogs had only one power play the whole game, that coming when Allicock was tagged with a five-minute checking-to-the-head- major and game misconduct for a scary hit on Alex Friesen, who returned to the game after being looked after by athletic therapist Pete Dobbin. The IceDogs took eight minors and the Spirit none.
<!-- Updated by Sunjoyo on July 18, 2008, as per Mantis Bug Request on July 17, 2008-->