Just two games to go in the Regular Season this weekend before the Playoffs begin a week from tonight in Nanaimo. Nothing will change in the standings over the next two games with the Bulldogs (27-20-2-5, 3rd Island) trailing the Clippers (32-19-0-3, 2nd Island) by six points. The Clippers are eight points back of the Grizzlies for 1st place, while the Bulldogs lead the Kings by 11 points for 3rd.
The last time these teams met at the Frank Crane Arena was a fun one for the Bulldogs, a 7-1 win a couple weeks back. Of course the last time the teams met at the Dog Pound on Sunday was a fun 20 minutes for the Dogs, up 2-0 in the first half of the first and dominating...and then everyone knows what happened next, but at the time no one would have seen it coming - it was a fun final 40 minutes for the Clippers as they dug out of the hole and then led by two with four unanswered goals to lead 4-2 in the third. While the Dogs fought hard to make it 4-3, two power play goals in the final two minutes including one into an empty net gave the Clippers a 6-3 win.
It's a pretty interesting game tonight, with the name of the game being....gamesmanship . Do you go all out in an attempt to win it, to get an edge in the mental game? Is there nothing to win and everything to lose tonight, with the Playoffs and the real season beginning a week tonight, so do you call up a pack of AP's if they are available with the goal of resting and protecting guys for when it really matters? It's not my first BBQ, I've seen plenty of "Playoff Preview" games across plenty of leagues to know there is potential for lots to come out of this one. In the end the Bulldogs need to play smart, don't get suspended, don't get hurt.
Tonight's 1st Intermission guest is Bulldogs Trainer/Equipment Manager James McDonald. He will also be tomorrow's night's guest after 20 minutes as it ended up being too long of a chit chat to fit into one intermission.
It's a tradition of mine for a long time now to interview some of the unheralded but vitally important support staff over the final games of the season, whenever they should choose to accept my invitation.
I know the fans/parents/supporters of the team have always loved the different prospective and they have found it interesting to see a usually under-appreciated side of the business of running a team get some limelight!
Tonight's 2nd intermission guest is former Bulldog Adam Baldassarre, now playing at Westfield State.
MAKE SOME NOISE down at the Crane Bulldog fans!
Hammer
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