Ice Dogs Tough Out a Victory

It may be too early for inspired play.

New ownership could bode well for all involved with the Ice Dogs, but Barry Kemp hasn’t arrived yet. And owner Fred Comrie hasn’t left yet.

So the team plays the way it has since Hubie McDonough and Dwayne Norris left more than a month ago: Tough as the times.

The Ice Dogs did indeed as John Byce scored twice in the third period for a 5-4 victory Friday night before an announced 4,123 at the Sports Arena.

“As players we just have to put these things out of our minds and be professional--like we have been doing probably since the fourth game of the season,” said player and assistant coach Mark Hardy.

Byce batted in Wayne Strachan’s shot only 39 seconds into the third period to give the Ice Dogs a 4-3 lead, but San Francisco’s John Purvis’ second goal tied the score, 4-4, at 5:48. But Byce scored the game-winner at 8:13 and the Ice Dogs improved to 16-10-3, good enough to pull three points ahead of San Francisco and stay in third place of the International Hockey League’s Southwest division.

Jozef Cierny, the Ice Dogs’ newest acquisition, also scored.