Newcomer Night in Niagara

September 22, 2022 – Ontario Hockey League (OHL) – Niagara IceDogs News Release

Niagara, ON – The goaltending of Owen Flores plus the shootout heroics of Matthew Papais and Brice Cooke proved to be too much for Hamilton as the IceDogs closed out the preseason with a 4-3 victory.

Flores was outstanding all night, stopping 16 shots in the first, another 10 in the middle period and 12 more in the final twenty.

Kevin He scored his first in the OHL early in the game, with a helping hand from Anthony Agostinelli. The Bulldogs replied with the only goal of the second.

In the third, with less than six to go, Aiden Castle’s second exhibition goal made it 2-1 for the home side. Declan Waddick and Gabriel Runco, in his first OHL contest, notched assists.When first time IceDog William Stewart raced out of the penalty box and buried his first ever into an empty net, the game looked secured at 3-1 but two Hamilton goals in the final 32 seconds sent the game to a shootout.

With both Papais and Cooke scoring and Owen Flores stopping all but one, the IceDogs concluded the preseason at 3-3 with a 4-3 win over Hamilton.

Next up, the regular season opener next Thursday September 29th, when the CHL ranked Mississauga Steelheads come to the Meridian Centre. Game time is 7pm.

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