The Niagara IceDogs are preparing for another busy weekend as they face two division rivals and a Western Conference opponent in efforts to maintain a playoff spot in the tight Eastern Conference playoff race.

The IceDogs will play host to Cody Hodgson and the Brampton Battalion on Thursday, February 18, with the puck drop set for 7:30 p.m. Brampton has improved upon Hodgson’s return, with a record of 5-3-1-1 in the past ten games. When these two Central Division rivals meet, fans can always count on a close, physical battle.

The IceDogs need as many wins as they can get to come up with a lead on both Sudbury and Oshawa in the Eastern Conference standings, and the “hot-Dogs” will look to continue their recent streak into the weekend.

Things will not get any easier for the IceDogs, as they travel to Northern Ontario on Friday night to face one of their main threats in the playoff race, the Sudbury Wolves, also with a start time of 7:30 p.m. The Wolves have really struggled lately, winning just two of their last ten games, and losing five straight. Niagara will have to keep their momentum rolling, and be ready to play a physical game against Sudbury to pick up a win and give the Wolves another loss.

The Dogs will cap off their weekend Saturday, February 20, at 7:30 p.m. in a dogfight, as they visit the Sault St. Marie Greyhounds. Led by St. Catharines native Jordan Nolan, the Greyhounds also play an exceptionally physical game. The IceDogs will be counting on big games from Alex Friesen, Johnson Andrews, and Matt Baldassarra, who have all been picking up their physical play as of late.

If the IceDogs can manage to tally some wins in these games, and both the Sudbury Wolves and Oshawa Generals continue to struggle in the points department, the IceDogs will come out of the weekend with a decent step on the 8th seed playoff spot.

Tickets for Thursday’s game against the Brampton Battalion are still available and can be purchased at any IceDogs ticketing location. For more information, please contact the IceDogs office at 905-687-DOG1 (3641).

- Jeff Blay, Media Relations