Bulldogs host Grizzlies tonight for Game Four

It's Game four of this best of seven Island Division Semi Final series, as the Alberni Valley Bulldogs host the Victoria Grizzlies looking to advance to the Island Finals, holding a 3-0 series lead.


These teams met last night in a fantastic atmosphere at the Dog Pound, and played to overtime for a third straight game, with the Bulldogs winning their third straight 3-2


It's the first instance in the series where either side faces the prospect of advancing to the next round, or their season and/or career coming to and end, which always brings about a plethora of emotions and challenges. The Bulldogs showed great perseverance last night, down three Defenceman to still find a way to win. The Grizzlies certainly showed the same, coming up with a shorthanded equalizer - in the end all for naught - and bending and not breaking considering all the penalties they were handed in the final ten minutes. I'm not sure the status of the Bulldogs D-core, as the answer from Matt Hughes on the post game show was that there would be game time decisions. It's certainly a possibility that the Bulldogs will be moving different personnel into their line up.


Much like the Bulldogs focused on what they needed to do to win last night, as opposed to what winning last night meant - they need to do the same today in preparation of tonight's challenge. The Grizzlies will be at a new level of desperation and urgency which the Bulldogs need to match, and better.

If you're unable to get yourself to the rink, we'll bring the rink to you, on Van Isle Ford Bulldogs Hockey on 93.3 The Peak FM. Dan Tisserand tabulates and provides player and team stats, Bruce MacDonald takes care of the analysis and adds colour commentary and I call the play-by-play.

Tonight's 2nd Intermission guest is former Bulldog Harry Zolnierczyk, currently with the American Hockey League's Milwaukee Admirals. 

Harry's story has been a very fun one to watch, as he broke into the NHL with the Philadelphia Flyers after four years at Brown and became the first Bulldog to play in - and score in - the National Hockey League in the 2011 season and was along for the ride as the Flyers were a part of the HBO 24/7 Road to the Winter Classic season. He played part of the next season with the Flyers, before being traded to the Penguins where he got to play with some Crosby guy. He spent time in the Anaheim Ducks and New York Islander organizations over the following two years in 2014-2016, and only played three NHL games over those two seasons and it looked like his career might have been drawing to a close. He signed with the Nashville Predators in advance of the 2016-2017 season last year, and suddenly he's playing in the Stanley Cup Finals with the Preds, becoming the first former Bulldog to play in - and score in - the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

If you aren't in listening range of 93.3 The Peak FM you can listen/watch the game by:

Listening Live on your computer: www.933thepeak.com
Listening Live on your SmartPhone : www.tunein.com/mobile/
Watching Live on your computer/SmartPhone www.hockeytv.com

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