Music: {allcanada} HAMILTON SCORES WINNER IN DOUBLE-OT; ICEDOGS BEAT KNIGHTS

Thursday, May 3, 2012

{allcanada} HAMILTON SCORES WINNER IN DOUBLE-OT; ICEDOGS BEAT KNIGHTS

LONDON, Ont. -- Defenceman Dougie Hamilton scored 9:03 into the second overtime Thursday as the Niagara IceDogs took Game 1 of the Ontario Hockey League final, 3-2 over the London Knights.

Hamilton scored on a long point shot that found its way through a maze of players and past London goaltender Michael Houser. Freddie Hamilton and Tom Kuhnhackl were awarded assists on Dougie Hamilton's fifth goal of the post-season.

"It was a shot through traffic, that found the goal," said London head coach Mark Hunter, who saw his club's seven-game post-season win streak come to a halt.

"Our kids worked hard, but we will have to do more next game to push the issue."

Dougie Hamilton, who also had two assists, was named the league's top blue-liner and recipient of the Max Kaminsky Trophy just a few days ago.

Mitchell Theoret gave Niagara a 1-0 lead in the opening five minutes of the first, but Max Domi scored the game-tying goal before the period was over. Domi used Greg McKegg as a decoy on a 2-on-1, beating Mark Visentin to the far blocker side.

Andrew Agozzino put the IceDogs up in the second period, but overtime was forced exactly three minutes into the third on Seth Griffith's ninth of the playoffs.

London failed to get a shot on goal in the second overtime. Niagara outshot London 54-43 overall in a goaltending battle between the IceDogs' Visentin and London's Houser.

"Every game is going to be a battle," said IceDogs coach and general manager Marty Williamson, who lost in the OHL final as Barrie's head coach just two years ago.

Both clubs were 0-for-4 on the power play, including Niagara going 0-for-2 in overtime.

"We're expecting this series to be exactly like this, we just have to find ways to win," said London's Austin Watson, who won an OHL title with Windsor in 2009.

Game 2 is Saturday in St. Catharines, Ont.