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Sunday, December 06, 2015

Dogs unbeaten in two after 5-4 win over Express in double OT

Today's Game Report is brought to you courtesy of the Best Western Plus Barclay Hotel 






The BEST WESTERN PLUS Barclay Hotel, the largest full facility hotel in Port Alberni, BC. When staying with us there is no need to give up conveniences you are used to. You can discover treasures to take home at the Alberni Harbour Quay, and then browse our onsite Cold Beer, Wine Store and liquor store or retreat to our Stamps Cafe or Pastimes Sports Bar and Grill to enjoy a snack or to watch the game on our big screen TV. Then, relax in our sauna or pool before settling in our luxurious accommodations to enjoy the vintage wine picked up earlier. That's when you will truly understand why the tranquil setting of our hotel has been called the perfect place to call home. If traveling on business, our Port Alberni Hotel boasts over 4500 square feet of meeting space in four rooms that are perfect for small conventions, banquets, parties, meetings and weddings. AV equipment and catering are also available.





A very fast start again for the Bulldogs as they had two good looks in the opening minute of the game, including a Josh Adkins rebound off a Dominic Thom point shot that hit the post and stayed out. The Dogs continued to push the pace, and found the net first for the first time in eight games as Ryan Finnegan broke up a play at the Dogs net and raced up ice up the right wing and over the line before feeding Nathan Dingmann. He would snap one on net that hit the post and stayed out, but it took a Bulldog bounce and came right to him in the hash marks where he wasted no time in firing home low past the glove of Tyger Howat. Quinn Syrydiuk also drew an assist on the play at 4:37 of the first. It was a 1-1 game exactly five minutes later as the Express connected in the first half minute of a power play chance when Colton Kerfoot put a cross-ice pass onto the tape of Charlie Barrow at the top of the left circle where he blasted a one-timer off the pad of Brody Claeys and in. Owen Stout also drew an assist on the play at 9:37 of the first. The Bulldogs would respond almost immediately, as just 17 seconds later they took the lead right back when Josh Adkins fed the puck down the left wing boards behind the net for Chris Schutz, who wasted no time in one-timing one home from the slot to make it 2-1 at 9:54 of the first. Shots would favour the Dogs 15-9 after 20 minutes.

The Dogs looked like a team posessed to start the second, with each line applying pressure on the Express zone. It was 3-1 Dogs just 1:35 into the period when Ryan Finnegan put the puck on net on the rush where it was stopped by Howat, but Nathan Dingmann poked the rebound home for his second of the game. Quinn Syrydiuk also drew an assist on the play. The Dogs kept up the pressure and went up 4-1 just over a minute later when Chris Sarault worked the puck down the boards behind the net for Tristan Bukovec, who put it out front for Kyle Kaufmann. His initial chance was stopped, but he stuck with it and banged his own rebound home for his first career goal at 2:57 of the period. The Dogs poured on the pressure, but couldn't further build their lead and it would come back to bit them as the Express made it a 4-2 game on the rush when Owen Stout put a shot on net from the right faceoff dot top corner, far-side off the bar and in past the blocker of Claeys. Taylor Green drew the only assist at 6:55 of the second. Just 1:02 later it was a one-goal game as the Express were awarded a power play immediately following the goal and connected on it when Charlie Barrow put  puck at the net from the top of the point that was deflected up and over Claeys by Taylor Green. Owen Stout also drew an assist on it at 7:57 of the second. The Dogs responded well to seeing their three goal lead become one, as they pushed back to try and get back on the offense. It looked as it the Dogs went up 5-3 later in the period when Adam Donnelly worked the puck over the line up the right wing for Quinn Syrydiuk, who walked to the goal and picked the top corner, short-side high on Howat. It was clearly in from my angle, but Referee Jeff Eden waved it off. Shots favoured the Dogs 16-9 in the period, for a 40 minute advantage of 31-18.

The Dogs did anything but sit back on a lead to start the third, as they peppered Howat with 10 shots through the first half of the period. Chris Schutz would have a fantastic chance to build the lead just 10 seconds into the period when Josh Adkins set him up in the hash marks, but his one-timer hit the post and stayed out. Later in the frame, the Dogs appeared to once again take a 5-3 lead when Liam Conrad ripped a shot off the far post and in behind Howat before it spit back between his legs. Once again Referee Jeff Eden would wave it off. The COQUITLAM goal judge turned the light on immediately, and left it on apparently deliberately until he got the Refs attention, but it didn't appear to matter and it generate much of a second thought or a even discussion. Unsurprisingly the Dogs were immediately penalized softly immediately after the second no goal call, and the Express connected on it to tie the game when Austin McIlmurray found a loose puck in the top of the crease that he lifted top corner, far-side over the blocker of Claeys to make it 4-4 at 14:14 of the third period, with assists to Taylor Green and Owen Stout. The Dogs again didn't let the lost lead deflate them, as they played hard to the final buzzer to earn a single point and force overtime, with again having a great chance at the buzzer where Eric Margo had a one-timer chance from the slot only to have his stick slashed out of his hands as time expired.

Each team had a couple of chances through the first overtime, but both goalies stood tall as the five minutes of four-aside hockey settled nothing. It took less than a minute of double OT for the Dogs to win it as Paul Meyer gambled and won when he pinched up the left wing and got a rimmed puck past a defender to walk into the left circle where he fired a wrister through the legs of Howat for the 5-4 Dogs win. There was no assists on the play at 41 seconds of overtime. 

With the win the Dogs snap a five game winless slide, and are now unbeaten in two. They next see action Tuesday night in Victoria to finish off this crazy stretch of nine straight road games. 

Hammer

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