The game started with great pace both ways, and a fantastic chance for the Capitals on a long 3 on 1 rush inside the first minute of the game, with John Hawthorne out-waiting Adam Conquest to make a big save in tight, followed by what looked like at least two rebound stops. The Bulldogs pushed throughout the next ten minutes of the period and controlled the play while building up a 9-2 edge in shots. The best of the chances early in the period saw Jack Grant came up big on a Keaton Mastrodonto one-timer from the slot set up by Ryan Moon. The Dogs kept pushing the pace, but couldn't beat Grant on a later chance on the rush followed a rebound in the paint. A minute later, Dawson Tritt tried to chase down what looked like a possible breakaway, but had his glove hooked right off of his hand. No arms went up, but they did seconds later as Tritt was sent to the box for roughing on a hit at centre ice. The Capitals would connect in the opening seconds of the power play to open the scoring, as Jordan Robert chased down a loose puck off a Bulldog stick and attempted a cross-ice pass that then hit another Bulldog stick and found the five-hole on Hawthorne to open the scoring at 13:33 of the first. The remainder of the period was played more even, with each team having their chances. Shots in the frame were 14-10 Bulldogs.
The Bulldogs killed off 1:55 of Capital power play time to begin the second, and tied the game soon afterwards as Keaton Mastrodonato intercepted a pass at centre and banked it ahead up the right wing for Ryan Moon for an odd-man rush. Moon would out wait the defender before putting a perfect cross-crease feed onto the tape of Mastrodonato, who made no mistake in one-timing it inside the far post before Grant could get over, making it 1-1 at 2:53 of the second. The Bulldogs had a couple of great chances later in the period, but couldn't cash in to take the lead. The Capitals countered in the final seconds of the period as the Bulldogs failed to get the puck out on the previous sequence and spent a long shift defending. John Hawthorne came up with a right toe save on a Dimitri Mikrogiannakis one-timer from the line, and then got some help on the rebound when Aaron Bohlinger out-fought Lucas Vanroboys to save what looked like a sure goal to keep it 1-1 heading into period three. Shots in the period were 13-10 Capitals, for a 24-23 Bulldog advantage after 40 minutes.
The Bulldogs struck quickly to open the third, as a long attacking zone shift ended up with the puck in the back of the net as Dawson Tritt chased down a loose puck and rimmed it to the right corner for Mitchel Deelstra. He would place a perfect pass to the deep slot to Grayson Valente, who put a quick release on goal that was stopped by Grant, but the rebound dropped at the back post for Ryan Miotto, who hammered it home to make it 2-1 Bulldogs at 1:03 of the third. The Bulldogs had two great chances with just over nine minutes to play, but Jack Grant robbed Keaton Mastrodonato and Mitchel Deelstra on back to back instances to keep it a one-goal game. The Capitals would then push hard over the next two or three minutes, with Hawthorne coming up with a handful of solid saves, with two of the highlight reel variety on one-time set ups to the door step on both Brady Lynn and Luc Wilson to protect the lead. The Bulldogs would get some insurance a minute later, with Hawthorne pucking a puck ahead with his blocker to Ryan Miotto up the right wing. He then perfectly placed a saucer pass to Mitchel Deelstra, who made no mistake on the breakaway picking the top corner high over the glove of Grant to make it 3-1 Bulldogs at 16:40 of the third. The Capitals would gamble and pull their goalie a minute later, but the Bulldogs sealed the deal immediately as Grayson Valente blocked a shot at the net and skated it all the way out of the zone up the left wing to just short of centre ice where he hit the empty net to make it 4-1 at 17:43 of the third, with Ryan Moon drawing the lone assist to complete the scoring.
Third period shots were 15-8 Capitals for a game total of 38-32 in their favour. John Hawthorne earned 1st star honours with the win, while Jack Grant took the loss while earning 3rd star honours. The Bulldogs went 0 for 3 on the power play, the Capitals went 1 for 2.
The Bulldogs are next in action Wednesday night when they visit the Clippers in Nanaimo.
Hammer
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