A great start for the second night in a row for the Dogs, as they drew a penalty on the opening shift of the game and then scored off the ensuing faceoff when Mitch Makin won it back to Hunter Stewart, who then fed Darian Henry at the point where he beat Adam Clark with a shot from the line low blocker side just 46 seconds into the game. The only assist would be given to Hunter Stewart, but Makin will certainly get one for winning the draw. The Silverbacks would get their feet under them shortly afterwards, going to the power play where they connected quickly as Mitchell Ferguson and Andrew Farny went D-to-D on a switch before Farny threw a shot on net that was deflected home by Landon Smith. The only assist on the play went to Evan Anderson at 3:15 of the first. The period went back and forth after that with neither team able to find the net the rest of the way. The Silverbacks led 14-9 in shots.
The second period saw the Silverbacks carry the bulk of the play for the first half as the Dogs appeared a step behind. The Dogs had a great chance against the flow of play to take the lead when Jake Kauppila sent Tryg Strand in on a breakaway, but Adam Clark came up with a pad save. Just seconds later it was Connor LaCouvee coming up with a big stop on the leagues leading scorer in Landon Smith. The Silverbacks would continue to hold the momentum, as they ran up a 22-12 advantage in shots by the midway point of the period. The Bulldogs would go to a power play later in the period and gained some momentum back with a solid effort on the power play, but they weren't able to find the net. The score remained 1-1 after 40 minutes with the Silverbacks out-shooting the Dogs 17-9 through the period.
The third period was played tight for the first half, with neither team dominating the play. Just short of the midway point of the frame, and just seconds after the Bulldog fans started a "Go Dogs Go" chant, the Dogs rewarded them with a goal as Justin Georgeson kept the puck in and set up Scott Clark in the deep slot where he beat Adam Clark with a quick release, far side to make it 2-1 Dogs at 9:25 of the third. The Silverbacks would answer back quickly on a scramble at the side of the net as a blocked shot ended up on the tape of Evan Anderson who one-timed it home into the open side at 11:07 with assists on the play going to Landon Smith and Cole McCaskill. The Silverbacks would take a penalty on the next shift, and the Dogs again made them pay on the power play on a pretty set up as Hunter Stewart found Justin Georgeson at the top of the point, who then put a perfect pass on the back post for Mitch Owsley who deflected it home for his first as a Bulldog to make it 3-2 Dogs with 7:32 to play in the third again just after the Bulldog fans had started chanting. That would do it for the scoring until the Dogs sealed the deal into an empty net when Kurt Gosselin made a great play to clear the puck from the side of the net up the left wing for Jake Kauppila who chipped it out of the zone past the Silverbacks defence to race to centre to score into the empty net at 19:29 with Darian Henry also drawing an assist to make it a 4-2 Final.
Shots favoured the Silverbacks 43-30 with Connor LaCouvee picking 1st star honours with the win while Adam Clark took the loss. Special teams were again a big factor, as the Dogs went 2 for 4 on the power play while the Silverbacks went 1 for 3.
With the win, the Dogs are just a single point back of the Capitals for the final Playoff spot. The Silverbacks are in Duncan tomorrow to face the Caps to try and salvage some points on this road trip and do the Bulldogs a favour.
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