Dogs Agozzino Burns Spirit
September 14, 2008
Andrew Agozzino scores short-handed game winner in 4-3 victory over Saginaw
The Niagara IceDogs battled the Saginaw Spirit on Saturday night before 2,423 fans at the Gatorade Garden City Complex. With solid goaltending from John Cullen and a late goal from Andrew Agozzino, the IceDogs won 4-3 and ran their record to 5-1 in pre-season play.
The IceDogs took the lead when Andrew Shaw scored at 10:52 with assists from Mathew Sisca and Thomas Middup. The Spirit tied the game 1:12 into the second period, but the Dogs retook the lead 43 seconds later when Thomas Middup rifled a wrist shot into the top right-hand corner of the net. Saginaw's Richard Jarusek once again tied the game at 3:18, but the Dogs bounced right back with a goal from Mathew Piva on a pass from Marco Insam. Goaltender John Cullen kept the Dogs in front with a spectacular save in the last minute of the period. “I'm here to stop the puck,” said Cullen. “The puck squirted out to their player in the slot; I knew I couldn't get to his shot so I stacked my pads and put a leg on it.”
The visitors tied it 3-3 only 1:12 into the third period when Cody Sol scored on a 2-on-1. The IceDogs Agozzino scored the winner with a short-handed goal at 16:58. He intercepted the puck, broke in alone on the goalie and roofed a backhand shot over the Saginaw goaltender. “The goalie was shading to the one side so I tried to utilize it and go the opposite way and it worked out,” said Agozzino. “We are starting to roll going into the regular season.”
Niagara IceDogs Head Coach Mario Cicchillo added these post-game remarks; “Johnny (Cullen) did a pretty good job for us, I give him credit for a good game. All we ask is for the guys to give us a hundred percent from the drop of the puck to the last whistle, and all the guys in camp have been giving us a hundred percent all of the time.”
The Molson Three Stars-of-the-game: Cullen, Agozzino and Middup
The Niagara IceDogs travel to Saginaw tomorrow and open the season against the Ottawa 67's at the Gatorade Garden City Complex on Saturday, Sept. 20. Game time is 7:00 p.m., and all fans are reminded that tickets for the home opener and all regular season home games can be purchased at the Customer Service Desks at both the Seaway Mall in Welland and the Pen Centre in St.Catharines. Tickets are also available through the IceDogs office (35 Queen Street in St. Catharines) and via all ticketmaster sales locations (www.ticketmaster.ca). Get your tickets now and come out and cheer on your Dogs as they begin their 2008-09 season!
GO-DOGS-GO!!
Joseph Cassidy
Media Relations
The IceDogs took the lead when Andrew Shaw scored at 10:52 with assists from Mathew Sisca and Thomas Middup. The Spirit tied the game 1:12 into the second period, but the Dogs retook the lead 43 seconds later when Thomas Middup rifled a wrist shot into the top right-hand corner of the net. Saginaw's Richard Jarusek once again tied the game at 3:18, but the Dogs bounced right back with a goal from Mathew Piva on a pass from Marco Insam. Goaltender John Cullen kept the Dogs in front with a spectacular save in the last minute of the period. “I'm here to stop the puck,” said Cullen. “The puck squirted out to their player in the slot; I knew I couldn't get to his shot so I stacked my pads and put a leg on it.”
The visitors tied it 3-3 only 1:12 into the third period when Cody Sol scored on a 2-on-1. The IceDogs Agozzino scored the winner with a short-handed goal at 16:58. He intercepted the puck, broke in alone on the goalie and roofed a backhand shot over the Saginaw goaltender. “The goalie was shading to the one side so I tried to utilize it and go the opposite way and it worked out,” said Agozzino. “We are starting to roll going into the regular season.”
Niagara IceDogs Head Coach Mario Cicchillo added these post-game remarks; “Johnny (Cullen) did a pretty good job for us, I give him credit for a good game. All we ask is for the guys to give us a hundred percent from the drop of the puck to the last whistle, and all the guys in camp have been giving us a hundred percent all of the time.”
The Molson Three Stars-of-the-game: Cullen, Agozzino and Middup
The Niagara IceDogs travel to Saginaw tomorrow and open the season against the Ottawa 67's at the Gatorade Garden City Complex on Saturday, Sept. 20. Game time is 7:00 p.m., and all fans are reminded that tickets for the home opener and all regular season home games can be purchased at the Customer Service Desks at both the Seaway Mall in Welland and the Pen Centre in St.Catharines. Tickets are also available through the IceDogs office (35 Queen Street in St. Catharines) and via all ticketmaster sales locations (www.ticketmaster.ca). Get your tickets now and come out and cheer on your Dogs as they begin their 2008-09 season!
GO-DOGS-GO!!
Joseph Cassidy
Media Relations
