A lightning quick start to the game, as the Bulldogs missed on a 4 on 2 rush in the opening seconds, but connected on the next rush as Jackson Munro put an outlet pass to centre ice that was knocked down by Dawson Tritt. He would go to the net where he caught it and dropped it while cutting across the crease to tuck it in past the left toe of Cal Schell at the 57 second mark. The lead didn't last for long however, as Christophe Tellier gained the Bulldog blue line up the left wing where he bought time with a quick spin move before dumping it below the goal line. Holden Katzalay would find it, and then find Tellier driving the net un-checked where he fired a one-timer through the wickets of Jackson Glassford to make it 1-1 at 1:39 of period one. The scoring would slow, but the scoring chances didn't, as both teams had a plethora of opportunities. The Bulldogs had the better of them, but more often than not didn't get them on net as they appeared guilty of one pass too many. The Eagles had a couple good looks of their own, with Jackson Glassford being very good, and his defence doing a good job following the initial save to clear loose pucks from the paint. The Bulldogs looked good early in a power play opportunity, but couldn't generate much in the back half of it. In the final minute of the period the Eagles had a power play of their own, and a very good chance in the opening seconds on a give-and-go between Christian Tellier and Hudson Schandor, but Glassford made a solid save to keep it 1-1 after 20 minutes. Shots in the first were 12-11 Eagles.
The Eagles had 48 seconds of power play time to start the second, which quickly turned into a two-man advantage of 27 seconds when the Bulldogs were guilty again. The Bulldogs did a fantastic job in killing the penalties off, but one second after the second penalty elapsed the Eagles connected to take a 2-1 lead as Brandon Santa Juana made a perfect cross-ice pass on the tape of Cade Alami in the left circle where he ripped a perfectly placed one-timer short-side past the right pad of Glassford at 2:24 of the second, with Sean Ramsay also assisting. The Bulldogs responded and earned a power play chance of their own two minutes later, and while they threatened they couldn't find the equalizer. They continued to push and carried the better of the play, but the Eagles built a two goal cushion against the flow just short of the middle of the period as Adamo Santia did a good job to out fight two Bulldogs at neutral ice allowing Cody Schiavon to skate onto the loose puck and up the right wing and over the Bulldog line. He would drive wide and back of the net before just sneaking a wrap around past the toe of Glassford and the far post to make it 3-1 at 9:58 of the period, with Brandon Santa Juana also drawing an assist. The Eagles had a great chance on the next rush, with Glassford stopping Akash Bains on the doorstep to keep it a two-goal game. Another great chance in front later in the period was stymied by Glassford, as he stopped Hudson Schandor on the doorstep to keep it 3-1 Eagles after 40 minutes. The Eagles out shot the Bulldogs 8-7 in the period, for a 20-18 total in their favour after two.
The Bulldogs earned a power play early in the third, and finally made one count as Stephen Castagna found a dump in back of the net and walked out to the left side where he took a touch pass from Caige Sterzer that he fed onto the tape of Isaac Pascoal who made no mistake on a quick one-timer past the glove of Schell at 2:29. The Bulldogs kept pushing, and tied the game just short of the midway point of the period after solid boardwork in the Eagles zone by Ryan Doolin keeping the puck in his feet before it made it's way back to Carson Hemenway at the middle of the deep slot where he one-timed a slapper high past the glove of Schell to tie it at 3-3 at 9:11 of the third. The Bulldogs took the lead back with just under five minutes to play when Jackson Munro willed the puck from the left point past an Eagles defender and drove it down the left wing and in tight where he snapped a quick release five-hole on Schell to make it 4-3 Bulldogs at 15:04 of the third. Some insurance came with Jackson Doucet and Stephen Castagna drawing assists for doing a great job to win a battle and fight the puck out from behind the Eagles net. The Bulldogs would get some insurance with just 2:04 to play in regulation when Ryan Doolin willed the puck - bouncing, as it was all night - through a series of sticks and right to the lip of the crease where he jammed a shot through the five-hole of Schell to make it 5-3, un-assisted. The Eagles would gamble and pull their goalie, but couldn't generate a good chance before Josh Zary fought the puck from his zone all the way to centre ice before he hit he empty net to complete the scoring, with Jackson Munro drawing the lone assist at 19:32
Third period shots were 14-13 Bulldogs, for a game total of 33-32 Eagles. Jackson Glassford earned 3rd star honours with his first career win while Cal Schell took the loss. The Bulldogs went 1 for 3 on the power play while the Eagles went 0 for 4.
Hammer
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