Here's the highlights....
Hammer
The Smoke Eaters had an early edge in the play, as the Bulldogs appeared a step behind throughout the opening minutes of the game. The Bulldogs would get into the game, and get pucks on net themselves but the Smoke Eaters found the net to open the scoring on a broken play that ended up at the line where a point shot was blocked before bouncing across the line where Diarmad DiMurro threw it at the net where it caromed off of a Bulldog defender and in through the legs of Jackson Glassford. Powell Connor drew the lone assist at 6:25 of the first. In the back half of the period an unfortunate collision at the Smoke Eater line that appeared to be incidental contact saw Austin Spiridakis and Chase Dafoe run into each other. Dafoe would get the worst of it, and Spiridakis would be given a five minute major for a blow to the head. The Smoke Eaters would make good on the major, going up 2-0 as Kent Johnston walked behind the net from left to right before dishing a pass back out the left post against the grain onto the tape of Tyler Ghiradosi who one-timed it home inside the post short-side at 15:07 of the first. The Bulldogs would kill off the remainder of the penalty to only give up a single goal. Shots were 14-10 Smoke Eaters after 20 minutes.
The Bulldogs started the second period with a noticable edge, and it paid off as they pushed hard in the offensive zone and drew a penalty. While they didn't score on it, they earned momentum and just thirty seconds after the power play elapsed they found the net to make it 2-1 as Jacob Bosse set up Moe Acee in the deep slot where he blew a slap shot post and in past the blocker of Logan Terness. Jimmy Rayhill drew an assist on it at 6:39 of the second. The Bulldogs were penalized in the back half of the period, and the Smoke Eaters threatened on several instances in front but Jackson Glassford was fantastic to keep it a one-goal game. Shots in the period were 14-10 Bulldogs, for a 24-24 total after 40 minutes.
The third period began with an inspired opening minute by the Deelstra-Tritt-Doolin trio, who pushed and earned several great chances in the opening minute. The momentum continued for the following minutes, and the Bulldogs capitalized on it to tie the game after two great defensive plays in the zone to defend a 2 on 1 by Jimmy Rayhill saw the puck knocked loose by Moe Acee. Mitchel Deelstra would collect it and take off out of the Bulldog zone and fight all the way to the Smoke Eaters net where he found a way to get it by Terness to make it 2-2 at 5:48 of the third, with Tim Gould and Grayson Valente drawing the assists. Despite the game being in Campbell River, it felt like the Dog Pound when Deelstra made it 3-2 just 17 seconds later as he walked in to the left circle after a great effort by Dawson Tritt to snap it by Terness at 6:05 of the third. The Bulldogs had several chances to build their lead, but Terness was fantastic to keep the Smoke Eaters in it. Late in the third period Dawson Tritt fought hard on the backcheck to throw a hit, and earned a shot in the back in retaliation to draw a penalty. A Grayson Valente net drive would draw another penalty, to lead to a 5 on 3 power play for 21 seconds. They would need just 8 seconds to make it 4-2, as a faceoff win was put on net from the left circle by Mitchel Deelstra. Terness made the save, but Stephen Castagna potted the rebound in the paint at 15:23 of the third, with Tim Gould also drawing an assist. Another Smoke Eater penalty saw the Bulldogs complete the scoring, as they defended in their zone on a Smoke Eater push as Josh Zary headmanned it to centre ice for Jackson Doucet, who gained the line and then found Isaac Pascoal on the left wing where he was allowed to walk in tight through the circle where he snapped it home short-side inside the post and past the blocker of Terness to make it 5-2 at 17:40 of the third, with Grayson Valente also picking up an assist.
Shots in the third were 19-8 Bulldogs, for a 43-32 total in the Bulldogs favour. Jackson Glassford earned 2nd star honours with the win, while Logan Terness took the loss. The Bulldogs went 2 for 4 on the power play, while the Smoke Eaters went 1 for 4.
The Bulldogs are next in action Tuesday night, when they host the Prince George Spruce Kings at Oceanside Arena in Parksville.
Hammer
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