’Dogs goalie endures trial by rubber

Rosenzweig sets a franchise record with 61 saves on 65 shots in loss to the Peterborough Petes

A goaltender’s No. 1 job in hockey is to give his team a chance to win by keeping it in games.

Josh Rosenzweig did that, and more, for the Niagara IceDogs on Thursday night in Peterborough. He made 61 saves, including 27 in the third period, and compiled a .938 save percentage, allowing four goals in a 5-3 loss to the host Petes.

Rosenzweig was named the game’s second star and one of his stops was recognized as the Real Canadian Superstore Save of the Night.

It was the sixth time in 24 starts this season the six-foot-three, 185pound native of Toronto has been peppered with at least 50 shots. Rosenzweig, who turns 20 later this month, faced between 40 and 50 four times in his third season in the Ontario Hockey League.

He has a 5.20 goals-against average and .876 save percentage so far this season. In 2021-22, Rosenzweig limited opponents to 4.35 goals per game as well as two shutouts in 40 games in his first full season in the OHL.

Despite the 66-29 disparity in shots on net, overtime was looming after Alex Assadourian, formerly with the Sudbury Wolves, tied the game at 3-3 on the power play midway into the third period with his fifth goal of the season as an IceDog.

Tucker Robertson netted the eventual game-winner with 2:31 remaining in regulation. He rounded out the scoring with an empty-net goal a little more than a minute later.

Brennan Othmann opened the scoring for the Petes with a natural hat trick. One-time North Bay Battalion player Michael Podolioukh, with his first as an IceDog, and Andrew LeBlanc, with his eighth of the campaign, found the back of the net for Niagara.

On the power play, the IceDogs went 1-for-4, while Peterborough finished 0-for-1.

Niagara opened a stretch of three games in three nights with only 11 forwards, five defencemen and no call-ups in an injury-depleted lineup. Forward Anthony Agostinelli, defenceman Landon Cato and goalie Owen Flores (lower body), and defenders Gerard Keane (wrist) and Andrew Wysick continue to recover from injuries.

Niagara lost its third game in a row to fall to 9-28-6-1, last in the Eastern Conference, as well as last in the league. Peterborough, currently fourth in the east, improved to 2815-1-2.

The IcDogs visited the Hamilton Bulldogs (21-20-4) on Friday night and host the Kitchener Rangers (19-22-2) on Saturday night at Meridian Centre in St. Catharines.

Tenth-place Niagara trails Sudbury (18-21-4-2) by 17 points for the eighth — and final — playoff berth in the Eastern Conference.

Two points off the pace and with two games in hand are the ninthplace Oshawa Generals (18-21-1-3).

The IceDogs qualified for the playoffs following the 2018-19 season.

Hamilton came into Friday night’s game leading the Canine Cup rivalry two games to none. The Bulldogs opened the six-game season series with a 6-2 victory at home and a 4-2 win at home.

The rivalry resumes Tuesday when Hamilton visits Meridian Centre for a 7 p.m. puck drop.

Niagara and Kitchener are only scheduled to play each other twice in league play. The Rangers skated to a 5-1 victory on their home ice on Dec. 5.

’Dog Biscuits The IceDogs noted in their official Twitter feed that Rosenzweig’s 61 saves set a franchise record … In 2013, Charlie Graham made 67 saves playing for the then Belleville Bulls, and Kitchener Rangers’ Luke Opilka stopped 64 shots in a playoff game in 2017 … The team has made Join the Rush the slogan for its bid to host the Memorial Cup in 2024.