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| Mitchell Theoret (OHL Images) |
Marty Williamson the coach of the Niagara IceDogs is looking like a genius these days after putting Mitchell Theoret (NYI 2011 7th) on the same line as Ryan Strome (NYI 2011 1st). In the 4 games since the duo were put together they have produced 7-6-13 for the IceDogs.
Thursday night it was the IceDogs hosting the Brampton Battalion and the dynamic duo played a huge part in the IceDogs 3-2 overtime win. The IceDogs would strike first as Theoret hit Strome with a nice setup that Strome converted for his 8th goal of the season and a 1-0 IceDog lead just 1:59 into the game.
In the second period it was Strome returning the favor as he hit Theoret right on the stick as Theoret had a partial breakaway and scored his 4th goal of the season at 2:03 and a 2-0 IceDog lead.
The Battalion would rally to tie the game and it went into overtime where Theoret would pick up his 3rd point of the evening when Dougie Hamilton picked up Theoret's rebound and cashed it in for the game winner at 2:41 of overtime.
Theoret finishes with a 1-2-3 +2 evening extending his goal scoring streak to 4 games as he improves to 4-4-8. When you watch the highlights on the gamewinner, Theoret also gets away with a pick preventing a Battalion defender from getting to Hamilton.
Strome was the game's "first star" on a 1-1-2 evening +1 but Strome also took 2 minor penalties that gave the Battalion their only 2 power play chances. The 3rd member of the Islander IceDog prospects defenseman Jesse Graham (NYI 2012 6th) was scoreless with a +1.
Niagara now has a 3 game unbeaten streak going (2-0-1-0).
In Peterborough, Peter Ceresnak (NYR 2011 6th) registered his 1st goal of the season but it wasn't enough as the Plymouth Whalers defeated the Petes 2-1. The Petes are now winless in their last 4 games and are 9th in the OHL's Eastern Conference.
Ceresnak's goal came in the first period while the Petes had a power play going. Ceresnak pinched in from the left point and one timed the shot in for the goal. It tied the game but it wasn't enough.
If you watched the tape then you would see why I expect more out of Ceresnak than he has produced. His goal was a thing of beauty so how come he doesn't make plays like that more often?
In Windsor, defenseman Adam Pelech (NYI 2012 3rd) might be getting a call from the OHL offices after Pelech was ejected for a fight he instigated during Erie's 2-1 loss to the Windsor Spitfires.
In this case I will show the tape and then explain why I think what Pelech did was wrong.
Let's get something straight right up front, I never have a problem with a player who is standing up for a teammate. What I do have a problem with is the trend these days when a clean hit causes a fight.
Pelech saw the entire hit right in front of him; he doesn't even give Patrick Sieloff a chance to get up and is throwing punches while Sieloff was down.
For the record Sieloff was not called for any penalty on this play and it was the right call. Pelech hurt his team by getting ejected causing them to lose their best defender and they might lose him for a couple of games.
The resulting power play also led the Spitfires to both of their goals (stick tap to Neate Sager)
Pelech winds up with an instigator which will count towards a future suspension. And before people get upset; the goal is not to take hitting out of the game but rather to take people getting hurt out.
One game on the college hockey scoreboard as 13th ranked Minnesota-Duluth traveled to South Bend, Indiana to face 10th ranked Notre Dame. It was the home opener for Notre Dame and they would come away 3-1 losers.
Penalties ruled the day as the Irish were called for 7 power plays and received 6 of their own. The 3 prospects NYI Anders Lee and Robbie Russo, NYR Steven Fogarty) playing in this game were held scoreless and each was a -1 for the night.
An ugly effort by Notre Dame who will play Minnesota-Duluth again on Friday evening. The one bright spot was Steven Fogarty going 7-1 on his face offs.
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