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Sean Doherty has become a valuable contributor for the Niagara IceDogs. Photo: OHL IMAGES.

Sean Doherty has become a valuable piece of the forward puzzle for the Niagara IceDogs.

Acquired from the Sarnia Sting for a 2025 fifth-round draft pick before the start of the 2024/25 Ontario Hockey League season, the 18-year-old forward has done a solid job in a variety of roles.

Lately, Doherty has seen time on the club鈥檚 top two lines and has responded with six goals and eight points in his last five games, including a hat-trick at Barrie.

鈥淚t feels great to be honest,鈥� Doherty said of his recent success around the net. 鈥淚t was a little bit of a slow start for the year for me.

鈥淥bviously, I was trying to improve from last year. I think that鈥檚 happening. I鈥檓 getting chances and I鈥檓 capitalizing, which feels good.鈥�

IceDogs coach Ben Boudreau loves Doherty鈥檚 versatility.

鈥淚 think it鈥檚 like every contractor wants to have a utility tool in his bag to take care of any situation they may come across and I think Doherty has been that,鈥� Boudreau said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 been on the penalty kill, power play, first line, second line, third line, fourth line. He鈥檚 had some good hits, good energy. He has the ability to play up in the lineup.

鈥淣ow that we put him on the top lines because he鈥檚 earned eight points in the last five games, and you were looking for one of those depth guys to step up and he raised his hand. As a coach, you want to give somebody that opportunity that steps up in those moments.鈥�

Doherty collected six goals and 17 assists in 61 games in his rookie season last year with the Sting.

鈥淗e just surpassed his career total so far. As far as projections, you want to see somebody getting better every single year, and that鈥檚 what Sean has done,鈥� Boudreau said. 鈥淪o that鈥檚 what you want to see is a natural progression, and that鈥檚 what he鈥檚 done.鈥�

Doherty, who has graduated high school and is working on completing his real estate license, said he feels much more comfortable this season.

鈥淚 feel a lot more confident now, and a lot more stronger,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 think I can hold my own a lot more now than I could two, three years ago coming into the league. And I鈥檓 just more confident with the puck and making plays, trying to be myself.鈥�

Doherty, who played a year of junior B with the Sarnia Legionnaires before cracking the Sting鈥檚 lineup full time last season, admitted it can be a daunting task to make the jump from minor hockey to the Ontario Hockey League.

鈥淵eah, when a new player in the league, they鈥檙e a little bit harder on you,鈥� he said. 鈥淚n the first year, if you make a mistake, you鈥檙e sitting on the bench the rest of the game. You know that. It kind of sucks to not have any leeway but I think I get a little bit more now since I鈥檓 older so I can try and make plays more often but you still gotta manage the puck and not do anything too crazy.鈥�

The IceDogs, who have dropped four straight and are 2-5-1-2 in their last 10, are in Erie Wednesday and Brantford Friday before coming home to host the Bulldogs Sunday at 2 p.m.

鈥淭omorrow is a huge game against Erie,鈥� Doherty said. 鈥淭ry and get the ball rolling again in the right direction. Every team has their ups and downs and I think we鈥檙e in our downs right now.听

鈥淚 think we鈥檙e a great team. I think we have the ability to win a lot of games and do well in the playoffs so I think if we just get back to how we were playing before we should be alright.鈥�

Boudreau said the team has been working overtime on the defensive aspect of their game.

鈥淲e almost did it like a questionnaire as far as details and what their expectations are,鈥� he said. 鈥淭here wasn鈥檛 one person that doesn鈥檛 know how we play. So as a coach, it kind of reinforces they get the details and now how do we execute the details?听

鈥淚 think the only way you execute the details out there is by holding everybody accountable. If they’re not willing to buy in, if they鈥檙e on their own page, they can鈥檛 play. That鈥檚 what we鈥檙e looking for here, a buy in. Everybody knows the way we should play, but as far as holding them accountable, that鈥檚 something that I think I need to step up in that area and make sure that they鈥檙e playing the right way.鈥�

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