Haoxi Wang recorded a "Gordie Howe Hat-trick" in Brantford Sunday afternoon as the IceDogs battled the CHL's 7th ranked team for 60 minutes, falling 6-4.
Wang opened the scoring at 2:57 with his 5th of the season, a snap shot from the left side. In the third, he was involved in a spirited scrap at 1:33 and added an assist on the goal that made it a one goal game with 4:21 left.
Tied at one after one, Krys Barch's side held a 13-7 shots advantage. Charlie Robertson made a number of tough stops including a breakaway save with 1.5 seconds left in the first.
In the middle period, after the Bulldogs scored a pair, Grayson Tiller notched his 4th on a delayed penalty call at 8:22. After two more for Brantford, Ethan Czata took a great Riley Patterson feed and converted his 24th at 17:06. It would be the only period where the IceDogs would be outshot at 15-8.
Again in the third, the IceDogs kept coming with 12 of the 18 shots and were rewarded with Noah Read's 11th. With Robertson on the bench and six attackers looking for the equalizer, Brantford found the empty net.
Thursday night is now a playoff type matchup when Kingston comes to the Meridian Centre. The two teams are separated by a single point in the battle for the sixth seed in the OHL's Eastern Conference. New Country 89.1 will be there with all the action beginning with the pre-game at 6:45.
(photo courtesy Vivid Eye Photography)