IceDogs set to battle Colts on TSN+
Published
The Niagara IceDogs look to defend home ice as they take on the Barrie Colts in an Ontario Hockey League divisional battle on TSN+.
You can watch the game Friday night at 7pm ET/4pm PT on TSN+.
Niagara leads the Central Division with a 10-3-0 record and have the third-best record in the league behind the Kitchener Rangers and Windsor Spitfires.
Both teams enter Friday's action having won four of their last five games with the Colts sitting four points behind the IceDogs for top spot in the division.
The IceDogs are coming off a narrow 2-1 shootout victory over the Peterborough Petes on Tuesday night. Forward Ethan Czata scored the lone goal for Niagara while winger Ryan Roobroeck recorded the lone goal in the shootout.
Owen Flores was the hero for the IceDogs, stopping 37 of 38 shots in regulation then stymieing all three Petes shooters in the shootout.
The 6-foot-2 netminder has been one of the OHL's best goalies to start the season with a 7-1-0 record while leading the league with a .935 save percentage to go along with a 2.26 goals-against average.
Niagara has been a high-flying offensive team early in the 2024-25 campaign, recording 53 goals which is fourth in the OHL. They have been led by Winnipeg Jets prospect Kevin He who leads the team with 11 goals and 21 points followed by Seattle Kraken prospect Andrei Loshko with eight goals and 17 points.
The IceDogs are looking to return to the playoffs after finishing last in the OHL the last three seasons.
Barrie is coming off a 6-1 rout of the Guelph Storm on Saturday evening that saw Dallas Stars prospect Brad Gardiner record two goals and an assist.
Rookie Parker Vaughan and Stars prospect Tristan Bertucci also added a goal and an assist while captain Beau Jelsma and winger Bode Stewart each recorded two assists.
Sam Hillebrandt got the win in net by stopping 34 of 35 shots. The 6-foot-1 netminder has a 5-4-0 record with a .914 save percentage and 2.57 GAA this season.
Gardiner leads the Colts this season with eight goals and 13 points in 12 games followed by Stewart with 10 assists.
Fans of the NHL Draft will also get a look at defenceman Kashawn Aitcheson, who leads all Colts defencemen with three goals and 10 points this season to go along with 20 penalty minutes.
The 6-foot-1 left shot defenceman is ranked No. 18 on TSN's Director of Scouting Craig Button's September draft list and he will be representing Team CHL at the CHL/USA Prospects Showcase in November.
The IceDogs return to the CHL on TSN on Nov. 7 when they take on the Erie Otters, which can be seen LIVE at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT with a subscription to TSN+.