Each team had a chance in the opening 60 seconds, with the pace again being high from the outset. The Bulldogs would draw a penalty, and take their first lead of the season on their third power play goal in four periods as Mitchel Deelstra ripped a perfectly placed shot high, short-side over the glove of Matteo Paler-Chow at 4:37 of the first, with assists to Jimmy Rayhill and Isaac Pascoal. The Kings would equalize seconds after a power play elapsed, as an end-board bounce snuck out near-side where it was one-timed home by Jack Long, with assists going to Christian Buono and Dylan Finlay at 10:49 of the first. The Bulldogs would respond to take their lead back five minutes later, as Josh Zary played the puck back to Moe Acee who half missed on a one-timer that end up to the slot where Caige Sterzer spun and fired a quick backhand past the left toe of Paler-Chow to make it 2-1 at 15:06 of the first to complete the scoring in the period.
Shots were 19-8 Kings.
The second period saw the Bulldogs press from the outset, and they went up 3-1 when Ethan Jones played the puck to the slot where Tommy Bannister fired a quick release five hole on Paler-Chow, with Carson Hemenway assisting at 3:37. The Bulldogs continued to push the pace, and made it 4-1 as Ryan Doolin made a pretty pass across the crease on an in-alone chance that was tapped in off the far post by Mitchel Deelstra for his second of the game at 6:01. The Bulldogs couldn't build on it, as the Kings got one back four minutes later when Riley Moran made it 4-2 at 10:21 with PJ Garrett assisting. The Bulldogs had opportunities on attacking zone sequences to answer, but before they could a full on Officiating circus took control of the game. It began with the Bulldogs on the attack, and Tommy Bannister taking a shot while getting knocked down from behind. A King player would step on his stick, and Bannister would be penalized. The Kings capitalized to make it 4-3 on an Ethan Schmunk deflection from the slot - that was credited to Levi Glasman, with assists given to Dylan Finlay and Davis Pennington at 17:18. Off the following faceoff the Kings were awarded a penalty shot on a bang-bang cross-ice centering chance on the rush that saw Pearson barrelled into. Certainly not a penalty shot going on the standard I've been accustomed to, but perhaps rules have changed. At any length, Nolan Krogfoss hit the post and it stayed out. A minute later a tie up at the Bulldog net saw Levi Glasman cross-check Grayson Valente in the neck from behind. Valente would be given a diving penalty. Certainly not a vicious cross-check, but a penalty if anything? The following sequence a Tim Gould check, with a King going down curiously as easily as Valente would be - not a dive, but, you guessed it - a cross-check to Tim Gould. The Kings would score at the side of the net on the subsequent 5 on 3 with Ethan Schmunk scoring with assists to Glasman and Pennington at 19:44 of the second for a 5-5 tie after 40 minutes.
Shots in the period were 15-14 Kings, for a 34-22 edge after two.
The third period saw the whistles seemingly swallowed, with end to end hockey that was exciting to watch mixed with partial instances of full on rodeo breaking out. The Bulldogs would take the lead back six minutes into the frame as Moe Acee cleared the puck from the slot to Dawson Tritt, who head-manned it up the left wing for Jackson Doucet. He in turn made a perfect pass onto the tape of Tyler Kostelecky, who raced in over the line into the left circle where he snapped a perfectly placed shot long-side past the blocker of Alex Rolfe to make it 5-4 at 6:22 of the third. The Bulldogs again pushed for more, but got caught at the end of a long attacking zone shift and couldn't change before getting caught in their zone. Two near-misses stayed out but the Dogs couldn't get the puck out before it was 5-5 as Dylan Finlay beat a screened Pearson low from the right point, with assists to Christian Buono and Ben Wozney at 11:35 of the third. The teams would trade chances throughout the remainder of regulation, before the Bulldogs would give up the winner in heartbreaking fashion with seven seconds left as a turnover in their zone ended up at the front of the net where the first chance stayed out, but Dawson McKay found the loose puck and slid it home five hole to make it a 6-5 final at 19:53 of the third. Assists went to Ethan Schmunk and Christian Buono.
Shots in the third were 18-12 Kings, for a game total in their favour of 52-34. Luke Pearson took the loss, while Alex Rolfe earned the win in relief of Matteo Paler-Chow. The Bulldogs went 1 for 2 on the power play, while the Kings went 2 for 5 while also missing on a penalty shot.
The Bulldogs are next in action Friday in Nanaimo, and finally at home Saturday night when they host the Clippers.
Hammer
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