As the Niagara IceDogs get prepared for a critical game four against the Barrie Colts, the team has a focus on being better – both on and off the ice.
The first two games of the series, both won by Barrie in Barrie, saw the IceDogs require each player on the roster to sit for at least one period as part of discipline handed down by the Ontario Hockey League related to an incident at a local movie theatre last week.
In a statement, OHL Director of Communications Josh Sweetland confirmed that the discipline included forwards, defense and goaltenders, and was decided upon and implemented by both the league and the hockey club.
Damon Racicot, a Senior Advisor with the IceDogs, says it’s important to the team to be good role models for the community.
Audio PlayerRacicot adds that being an OHL player is a privilege, as the league develops young men in a lot more ways than just hockey.
Audio PlayerOff the ice, Racicot adds that it’s important the organization itself strives to be active members of the community through public events and charity work – something that isn’t changing anytime soon.
As of the beginning of Tuesday’s game three between Niagara and Barrie, the disciplinary requirement had been fulfilled, meaning the team could ice their full roster without restriction. The IceDogs won that game 6-4.
Last month, TSN reported that the OHL had hired a Toronto law firm to conduct a cultural review of the franchise after complaints about team staff.
As part of that investigation, the OHL appointed their Director of Recruitment and Player Services Brodie Barrick to spend time with the team as a league representative, however he was not present when the movie theatre incident occurred.
OHL Commissioner Bryan Crawford told TSN that the nature of the concerns raised in the cultural review are not sexual or criminal in nature.
The IceDogs currently trail the best-of-seven series with the Barrie Colts 2-1, with Game 4 at the Meridian Centre on Thursday night at 7:00pm.
(Written by: Matt Latour)
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