It’s Just Like Old Times for Ice Dogs--an Easy Win

It had been a long time since the Ice Dogs could go out and simply outscore other teams, but that’s what they did Saturday night.

Viktor Gordiouk and Patrik Augusta each scored two goals and Dan Lambert had four assists as the Ice Dogs beat the Peoria Riverman, 7-4, in front of an announced 3,658 Saturday night at the Sports Arena.

The seven goals were the most the team had scored since Oct. 26--their last game before star Hubie McDonough was traded to Orlando for future considerations. After that trade, the team changed from a high-scoring machine to what Coach John Van Boxmeer called a “lunch pail” team that would tug and push as much as score.

But with a new owner, television producer Barry Kemp, stepping up to secure finances, several players stepped up to keep the Ice Dogs competitive in the IHL’s toughest division: the Ice Dogs are 19-15-5 and in third place in the Southwest division.

Two of them, Lambert and Augusta, were recently selected by league coaches to play in the IHL All-Star game on Jan. 13.

Despite the margin of victory, there were several scares for the Ice Dogs.

One was when Augusta, who leads the team with 22 goals, suffered a hip injury and had to be helped from the ice with 35 seconds left in the first period. But he returned in the second period and showed no ill-affects.

Another was when Peoria (17-18-3) tied the score at 3-3 midway through the second period and had a five on three advantage shortly after that. But the Ice Dogs killed the penalties and went on to score four unanswered goals to clinch the victory.