The Niagara IceDogs were defeated 5-4 in overtime by the Ottawa 67's in a tough battle in game three of the best of seven series at the Gatorade Garden City Complex Tuesday night.

The IceDogs struck first in game three jus as Andrew Fritsch buried a rebound after both Andrew Agozzino and Alex Friesen took turns trying to whack it in, and the IceDogs took an important early lead.

Freddie Hamilton would follow up with a similar goal at the 11:55 mark of the period, and just like that, the Dogs were up 2-0.

Ottawa’s Marc Anthony Zanetti laid a brutal hit from behind on IceDogs captain Andrew Agozzino late in the period and received a 4 minute check from behind penalty. Niagara produced a few quality scoring chances on the power play, and they were left with 58 seconds of power play to start the second period.

The score would remain at 2-0 after the first period of play; shots 17-13 in favour of the IceDogs.

The lone goal in the second period would be scored by the very man who hit Agozzino in the first, Marc Zanetti, who potted his first of the playoffs, unassisted.

The goal was the only bit of action in the second, and the IceDogs held onto their 2-1 lead going into the second intermission.

Alex Friesen regained the IceDogs 2-goal lead as a 67’s defender gave the puck away in his own zone, and Friesen made no mistake by intercepting the pass and wristing it past Chris Perugini.

Ottawa came right back just moments later as Dalton Smith took the puck off the back of the IceDogs net and proceeded to jam it past Visentin to make the score 3-2.

Agozzino must not have been happy with a one goal lead, as the captain scored his team leading third goal of the playoffs for the IceDogs 8 seconds later, giving Niagara a 4-2 lead.

The 67’s came back once again as Tyler Toffoli netted a one-timer off of a Julien Demers pass to give the game a score of 4-3 midway through the third.

After the IceDogs killed off a 2 minute penalty, Anthony Nigro scored for the 67’s at the 1:18 mark of the third to tie the game 4-4. The last minute was scoreless, and the game would head into overtime.

The 67’s would score in overtime as Ryan Martindale netted one to pick up the win, and give Ottawa a 3-0 series lead.

The IceDogs will host the 67’s in game four of the series this Thursday, March 25, at 7:30 p.m. Fans are encouraged to purchase their tickets early, and bring some friends along to cheer on the Dogs in a MUST WIN game. Tickets can be purchased at any IceDogs ticketing location. For more information, please contact the IceDogs head office at 905-687-DOG1 (3641).

- Jeff Blay, Media Relations


Scoreboard:
1. NIAG Fritsch, (1) (Friesen), 0:34   
1. NIAG Hamilton, (1) (Strome, Moes), 11:55   
2. OTT Zanetti, (1) , 6:35   
3. NIAG Friesen, (1) (Agozzino), 1:14   
3. OTT Smith, (2) (Toffoli), 1:33   
3. NIAG Agozzino, (3) (Friesen), 1:41   
3. OTT Toffoli, (3) (Demers, Lindsay), 9:37   
3. OTT Nigro, (2) (Nesbitt, Demers), 18:42   
OT. OTT Martindale, (1) (Merrett, Cuma), 5:04

Three Stars:
1. NIAG - 8 Alex Friesen
2. NIAG - 9 Andrew Agozzino
3. OTT - 10 Marc Zanetti