After a convincing 7-2 win over the Erie Otters on Thursday night, the IceDogs will now set their sights on Central Division rival Barrie.  Team captain Andrew Agozzino led the attack against Erie, recording the first three goals of the game for a natural hat trick.  The win was the fourth in a row for Niagara and moved them into first place in the Central Division. 

Barrie travels to St. Catharines on Saturday, attempting to bounce back from two straight losses at the hands of the Sudbury Wolves and Owen Sound Attack.  The Colts currently sit in third place in the division, only three points behind the IceDogs.  

A major reason for their success has been the play of the team’s Kitchener natives.  Named to the Hockey Canada world junior selection camp roster alongside teammate Mark Schiefiele, Tanner Pearson has been the Colts’ most dominant player thus far, with an outstanding 57 points in 26 games.  He leads the OHL in total points by ten, in assists by five, and is tied for the second-most goals in the league with 20.   Meanwhile, Schiefele, who started the year with the Winnipeg Jets, has recorded 9 goals and 17 assists in just 15 games played. 

The first-overall pick from the 2011 OHL Priority Selection, Aaron Ekblad has been on fire for the Colts recently, recording four points in the last three games.  With 15 points on the season so far, Ekblad has adjusted quickly to the OHL and has proven why he was granted exceptional status from the league. 

Newly-acquired forward Daniel Erlich, traded to Barrie from the Guelph Storm, will play the IceDogs for the first time this season after beginning his year with Salzburg EC in Austria. One of the smallest players in the league at 5’6, he already has four points in three games played with the Colts.  However, Erlich is Barrie’s fourth overage player, which has put a kink in the Colts plans for the January trade deadline.  Another overage player who is fighting for a spot on the team is former IceDog Victor Terreri, who leads his team in penalty minutes.