The game began somewhat passively - at least after the Bulldogs were penalized in the opening minutes of the game. They did a solid job of keeping the Grizzlies to the outside, with Luke Pearson looking sharp when tested. The Bulldogs had consecutive attacking zone shifts in the back half of the period resulting in the Grizzlies being forced to ice it, but they were unable to beat Liam Souliere to open the scoring. The Bulldogs earned a power play late in the period, but were quickly sent back to the penalty box resulting in a four-aside situation for over a minute that saw things open up for a short span. There would be no scoring in the first, with the Bulldogs out shooting the Grizzlies 10-8.
The second period saw a plethora of penalties throughout the first 7-8 minutes, with the Grizzlies having two power play chances, with a long stretch of four-on-four hockey in the middle as the Bulldogs were again subsequently penalized. At the end of the power play chances, Luke Pearson came up with a fantastic diving save across the crease on a rebound off his shoulder to keep it scoreless. The Bulldogs pressed at the middle of the period, but couldn't find the target to beat Souliere. The Bulldogs leaned on the Grizzlies in the back half of the period, and spent time in the attacking zone with each line continuing the momentum. They would finally be rewarded for it late in the period, as Josh Zary refused to lose a board battle against two Grizzlies against the end wall, before Jackson Doucet and Ryan Doolin arrived to support him and keep it below the goal line. Zary would kick it free for Ryan Doolin, who put a perfect pass to the deep slot for Tim Gould, who put a one-timer that appeared to change direction past the blocker of Souliere to open the scoring at 16:06 of the second. The Grizzlies had a great chance to tie it in the final 20 seconds of the period on an in-alone chance for Alex DiPaolo, but Pearson got his blocker arm on it, and a backchecking Jackson Munro helped clear the rebound to keep it 1-0 after 40 minutes. Shots in the period were 18-14 Bulldogs, for a 28-22 total in their favour heading into the third.
The Bulldogs earned their second power play of the game early in the third, and made it count, as Matthew Grouchy made a rink-wide pass through neutral ice to the Victoria line up the right wing where Ryan Doolin tipped it around a defender before chasing it down in the right corner. He would then throw it to the paint, where Mitchel Deelstra deflected it home far-side over the blocker of Souliere to make it 2-0 at 4:50 of the third. The Bulldogs would pad their lead four minutes later, as Jackson Munro drove the net and found a loose puck at the end of a rush that he jammed to the left half-wall for Tommy Bannister. He would put a pass to the top of the point for Jimmy Rayhill, who put a seeing eye wrist shot high past the blocker of a screened Souliere to make it 3-0 at 9:57 of the third. The Grizzlies pushed to try and get back in it, and had a dangerous chance on the rush that saw Luke Pearson make a shoulder save on Vincent Nardone. The Bulldogs would counter on the rush seconds later and make it 4-0, as Tommy Bannister led off a 3 on 1 rush with a cross-ice pass up the left wing for Matthew Grouchy. He would out-wait a defender before putting a perfect pass to the far post where Ryan Doolin deflected it home past the left toe of Souliere at 16:03 of the third. Two minutes later, it was a 5-0 game as Caige Sterzer retrieved a loose puck behind the net that he put onto the tape of Jackson Doucet, who put a pass to the front of the net that was one-timed top corner, far-side by Josh Zary at 17:56 of the third to complete the scoring.
Third period shots were 14-9 Bulldogs, for a 42-31 total in the Bulldogs favour. Luke Pearson earned the win and first star honours with the shut out while Liam Souliere took the loss. The Bulldogs went 1 for 3 on the power play while the Grizzlies went 0 for 5.
The teams meet again tomorrow night at the Q Centre.
Hammer
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