Clippers score twice late to top Dogs 4-0, tie series at 1-1

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After a high paced start to game one, game two was a little slower from the outset but the Clippers put on an obvious push as the period got going that the Bulldogs did a good job to hold off and then push back against. The game was somewhat nasty with numerous multiple player skirmishes breaking out at a couple of instances through the first half of the first. Brody Claeys would make a great defensive play with his stick to block a centering pass on what would have been a glorious chance. At the other end Evan Johnson would come up with a huge save on a Nathan Dingmann drive to the net on a beautiful set up by Quinn Syrydiuk. Later in the period Syrydiuk would throw what appeared to be a good check on Gavin Gould, who did a good job to sell it and draw a penalty. The Clippers would take advantage, going up 1-0 on a backdoor set up that was one-timed home by Will Reilly past a sliding Brody Claeys who read it well but just couldn't get a piece of it. Sheldon Rempal and Matt Hoover also drew the assists on it at 13:38 of the first. The Clippers pushed to try and build the lead, but the Dogs again did a good job to withstand the pressure and push back, with Dingmann having another great chance set up by Ryan Finnegan that Johnson made a good blocker save on to keep it 1-0 Clippers after one, with the shots in Nanaimio favouring the Clippers 13-7.

The second period brought about from the outset more of the chippy play that was prevalent in the first in the early stages. A Bulldog power play generated chances, but failed to connect before Nathan Dingmann was sent to the box bringing about half a minute of four-aside hockey before a successful Bulldog penalty kill. The Clippers would however go up 2-0 on the rush when a Bulldog defender appeared to make a great play to break up a rink-wide pass, only to have it go off his stick and right back onto the stick of Chris Dodero who potted it into the open side at 7:30 of the second. The goal was unassisted. The Bulldogs showed good resolve to again push back after the goal, and generated a series of chances to gain some momentum, the best of which that saw Chris Sarault be stopped by Evan Johnson who went post to post to rob him on an empty net after giving up a juicy rebound. The Bulldogs pushed through the latter stages of the period, but were unable to get on the board before taking an after the whistle penalty that they killed off to keep within two after two periods. The Dogs out shot the Clippers 14-7 in the period, for a 21-20 lead after 40 minutes.

The Bulldogs were unable to muster much of a push through the first half of the third period, with Brody Claeys coming up with a couple big saves on both Matt Hoover in tight and Gavin Gould from the slot wide open to keep it a 2-0 score through the midway point of the period. The Bulldogs would push hard out of the media time out and have two great chances at the net, first on a 2 on 1 rush where a backdoor pass went over a stick. On the following sequence Eric Margo would walk behind the net and have Evan Johnson swimming out of position before putting it back to the line where Garrett Halls one-timed it either off Johnson or a Clipper defender as it stayed out. The Bulldogs would earn a power play on a high stick on Ryan Finnegan at centre ice with just under six minutes to play, but unfortunately missed out on getting a 5 on 3 power play when off the following faceoff a Clipper defender high sticked Finnegan again, this time drawing blood which was undetected by all four officials. The Dogs couldn`t generate a Grade A chance on the power play, and the Clippers would seal the deal soon afterwards when a long pass by Kale Bennett was knocked down at the right wing at the Bulldog line by Sheldon Rempal, who fought it by a Bulldog defender and over the line up the right wing where he snapped a shot low, short-side past the glove of Claeys to make it 3-0 with 2:44 to play. The Bulldogs would pull their goalie for the extra attacker with a minute to go, but were unable to gain the zone and get set up. Garrett Halls would intercept the puck in his own zone, but unfortunately put it on the tape of Matt Hoover who snapped it immediately into the empty net. It appeared that it should have been an unassisted goal with Bulldog possession immediately to the goal scorer, but both Sheldon Rempal and Devin Brosseau were given helpers on it at 19:23 of the third for the eventual 4-0 final.

Third period shots favoured the Clippers 15-5 for a game total favouring Nanaimo of 35-26. Brody Claeys took the loss but was solid in earning second star of the game honours while Evan Johnson took first star honours with the win. The Dogs went 0 for 3 on the power play while the Clippers went 1 for 4.

The series is now tied at 1-1, with Games 3 and 4 at the Dog Pound on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Hammer