Niagara IceDogs forward has himself a night while the top goalie prospect for the upcoming NHL draft gets involved in goalie fight
The undefeated Brampton Steelheads rolled into the Meridian Centre to face off against the much-improved Niagara IceDogs.
This game had a bit of everything. The two highly potent offensive teams combined for 10 goals, with the home dogs coming out on top 7-3 and handing the Steelheads their first loss of the season.
What you probably didn't expect to see out of this game was a goalie fight.
Brampton's netminder Jack Ivankovic, the top goalie prospect for the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, is known for his athleticism and incredible goaltending between the pipes. What he isn't known for is dropping the gloves.
After Porter Martone opened the scoring with his fifth of the season, the IceDogs scored five unanswered goals. The game started to get testy and the temperature heated up after Steelheads forward Mason Zebeski hit IceDogs defenseman Jack Brauti from behind into the boards dangerously.
On the ensuing powerplay, Winnipeg Jets prospect Kevin He — who we'll get to his game in a second — took a nasty crosscheck in the midsection from Minnesota Wild defense prospect Stevie Leskovar and left the game momentarily.
Niagara defenseman Callum Cheynowski and Seattle Kraken defense prospect Jakub Fibigr each got their stick and hands up in each other's faces, which sparked the fireworks. A scrum immediately broke out. That's when Ivankovic and IceDogs goalie Owen Flores met each other at center ice.
Ivankovic wasn't even Brampton's starting goaltender for this game. He took over in net for Jacob Gibbons who was pulled after allowing four goals on 13 shots in the first period.
Flores and Ivankovic have had excellent starts to the season. It seems like they wanted to demonstrate to the scouts, fans, and their teammates that they are not afraid to engage in physical play. Both goaltenders have a 4-0 record and are ranked second and third in save percentage, with Ivankovic at .936 and Flores at .935.
The rare goalie fight may have taken the spotlight away from Kevin He, who absolutely torched the Steelheads with a hat trick and six points.
He was picked 109th overall in the fourth round of the most recent NHL Draft after scoring 31 goals in Niagara last year. Prior to his six-point performance, he had scored three goals and five points in his first three games. After scoring three more goals on Sunday afternoon, he now ranks second in the league with six goals, trailing only Michael Misa.
The third-year IceDogs forward dominated in this contest. He started with three primary assists in the first period. Two assists showcased his vision as a passer to spot his teammate sliding behind coverage into a scoring opportunity.
The other assist was a more physical one. Kevin intercepted Brampton's breakout by flattening his man to take away the puck and create a scoring chance for himself. The puck didn't get fully covered by Gibbons and the rookie Max Crete potted home his first of two in the game. Funny enough, He thought he had scored on his initial shot and started celebrating prematurely.
Now it was time for Kevin to showcase his speed and finishing ability.
The Jets prospect used his separation speed to dart behind the defense, steal the puck, and quickly snap the puck under the blocker for his first tally.
If it worked once, why not try it again? Nearly six minutes later while on the penalty kill, Kevin sprung up ice through the middle lane, skillfully knocked down the pass, and tucked it in for his second breakaway goal of the second period.
His third and sixth point of the night was another goal in transition after keeping the puck on a 2-on-1 and sniping it into the bottom left corner of the net.
Kevin's a highly competitive forward but two of his greatest attributes were on display yesterday afternoon: His above-average north/south speed to attack and create chances in transition, and his finishing ability, which showcased his quick, snappy release.
Bookmark The Hockey News OHL site to never miss news, interviews, and any updates around the league.