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Saturday, January 21, 2017

Clippers top Dogs 3-2 in OT



Tonight'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.

The Dogs once again started well, putting up a 4-0 lead in shots in the first 1:03 of play. They continued to get the puck to the net, and had a fantastic chance somehow stay out on a cross-crease rebound chance for Keith Anderson just three minutes in. The Dogs would draw the first power play of the game short of the midway point of the period and generated a great chance with a gorgeous double rink-wide set up but failed to connect on it at the side of an open net. After a Bulldog penalty evened it up, Brody Claeys was forced to come up with a huge glove save on a Jamie Collins breakaway chance on a steal at the Dogs line. The Clippers would carry some momentum from the power play, with the play being mostly even throughout the remainder of the period. Brody Claeys would come up with one more huge save on a wide-open net chance for Ben Solin on a beautiful back door pass that saw Claeys dive cross-ice to get the paddle of his stick on it it mid-air to keep it out. The Dogs would be penalized late in the period, with the advantage carrying over to the start of the second for the Clippers. Shots were even at 11 aside after one.

The Dogs effectively killed the Clipper advantage to start the second, and earned one of their own soon afterwards. They would move the puck around the attacking zone, but didn't do enough to attempt pucks on net. The action turned slightly in the Dogs favour short of the midway point of the period on a good extended attacking zone shift, but they were unable to parlay that into any good scoring chances as the game remained tied at 0-0 through the midway point of the second. It didn't take long for the first goal of the game though, as immediately after the media time out as a Bulldog defender knocked the puck down out of mid air in his zone. It would be found by a streaking Vincent Millette in the slot, who one-timed it far-side past the blocker of Claeys and inside the post to make 1-0 at 11:16 of the second, with assists going to Ben Solin and Jamie Collins. The Dogs received the extra penalty in a dust-up a minute later that saw Darren Rizzollo get whistled for boarding, but no retaliation called on a punch he received. Myles Cunningham would approach the pile at the tenth man in on the fray, and threw two shots to the back of Keith Anderson, that resulted in Anderson turning around and winning a decisive decision in a quick fight, however Cunningham also didn't receive anything extra for the shots on the pile. The Bulldogs would come up with a big kill against the momentum to keep it a one-goal game, and another penalty kill a minute afterwards when Brody Claeys was whistled for delay of game for playing the puck over the glass. While on the power play the Clippers thought they had scored, but both Referees immediately waved it off and called the Clippers for Goalie Interference. A subsequent unsportsmanlike conduct penalty saw the Dogs go to a four minute power play. They would tie the game in the first half of the double-minor, when Connor Welsh found the puck behind the Nanaimo net after failing to direct a back-door pass home. He would feed Jordan Sandhu on the right wing wall where he passed to Jake Witkowski at the top of the point. He would fire a high wrist shot past the glove of DeBrouwer through traffic to make it a 1-1 game at 18:31 of the second. The Dogs unfortunately weren't able to capitalize on the second half of the power play, as a slashing call resulted in four-on-four hockey to end the period. The Clippers out shot the Dogs 14-12 in the period, for a 40 minute adantage of 25-23.

After the four-on-four concluded, the Dogs killed off a short Nanaimo power play to keep it tied. They would take their first lead of the game just short of for  minutes in as Nicholas Rasovic broke up a play at the Dogs blue line and skated in on a breakaway. He was hooked, and a penalty shot was called. He would capitalize on it for his first as a Bulldog, walking into the left side of the slot with speed and then firing a quick release short-side off the post and in past DeBrouwer to make it 2-1 Dogs at 3:52 of the third. The Dogs would earn a lengthy two-man advantage minutes later, with a second penalty going to Sean Buchanan for a nasty hit from behind on Henry Marshall coming with the Dogs already on the power play. The Dogs would come close, with Connor Welsh ringing a shot off the post, short-side on DeBrouwer. Another post short-side was hit by Alex MacDonald soon afterwards after the Clippers had hit the post at the other end. The Dogs looked to have a 3-1 lead with less than five minutes to play, as Nicholas Rasovic walked down the right wing and put a puck on net low, far-side that saw DeBrouwer kick a rebound on right onto the tape of Cayden Kraus, who missed a wide open 6 by 4 with a one-timer that missed the post long side. That would prove huge as the Clippers got the equalizer with just over two minutes to play as Jake Harris made a great play to knock down an aerial pass at the attacking line. He then flew up the left wing over the Bulldogs line, and got a lucky break as a diving defender attempted to sweep the puck loose with a poke-check, but instead deflected it perfectly top corner short-side high under the crossbar on Claeys to make it 2-2 at 17:40 of the third, with Marcus Joseph drawing the only assist as the game went to overtime.

Third period shots favoured the Clippers 17-15, for a 60 minute advantage of 42-38 Clippers.

The Bulldogs didn't touch the puck for more than a few fleeting moments in overtime, and the Clippers didn't take long to win it as Jamie Collins stole the puck at the Bulldog line and raced into the slot up the right wing and put a shot on net that was stopped by a Bulldog defender, but found first by Collins who one-timed the loose puck through the legs of Claeys for the game winner and the 3-2 final.

Final shots favoured Nanaimo 43-38 with Evan DeBouwer picking up third star honours with the win while Brody Claeys earned 1st star honours while taking the loss. The Dogs went 1 for 6 on the power play while the Dogs went 0 for 6.

The Dogs are next in action Wednesday night when they host the Victoria Grizzlies as they continue a four game home stand.

Hammer  

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