The Bulldogs came out inspired in the first couple of shifts, but the game instantly changed when they were penalized in the attacking zone in the first minute and change of the game. It would take the Centennials 19 seconds to make the power play count, as Scott Bird made the first save on a deflection, and a follow up rebound stop, but the second rebound saw no support as it was banged home under his pad by Evan Benwell to make it 1-0 at 2:10 of the first, with assists going to Payton Matsui and Talon Zakall. The Bulldogs replied to tie it up five minutes later, as a quick turnover at centre saw Matthew Grouchy head-man it up the middle for Mitchel Deelstra over the Merritt line. He made a rink wide pass to Ryan Doolin in the right circle, and he walked in and put a quick release far-side past the blocker of Ryan Winter to make it 1-1 at 7:08 of the first. It wasn't tied for long, as just a minute and change later it was 2-1 Centennials, as they out-manned the Bulldogs in their zone to steal the puck up the left wing wall. Jerzey Orchard would find Jake McLean below the goal line, where he set up Thomas Manty at the top of the crease, where he one-timed it through Scott Bird at 8:13 of the first. Five minutes later, the Centennials went up 3-1 on a similar play that saw Chase Nameth win a battle below the goal line to set up Payton Matsui in tight, where he one-timed it high past the glove of Bird at 12:13 of the first. Scott Bird would be called upon to make a couple big saves over the following minutes, as the Centennials kept pushing the pace and the Bulldogs struggled to catch up. They would get a critical goal to get back within one late in the period on a hard working shift in the attacking zone by Chase Klassen, Caige Sterzer and Issac Pascoal. The shift ended when Klassen played the puck back to the left point for Jackson Munro. He went D-to-D across the line to the right point for Mattias Dal Monte. He would simply fire it at the net, where Isaac Pascoal deflected it home past the glove of Winter to make it 3-2 at 16:20 of the first. Shots after 20 minutes were 17-12 Bulldogs.
The Bulldogs had a fantastic start to the second period, but the Officials took over and a full on circus ensued for the better part of the next ten minutes. It all started with Mattias Dal Monte stepping up to finish a check on Jerzey Orchard. Orchard immediately got up - and several Centennials retaliated against him with punches to the head, ripping his helmet off. Dal Monte would receive the only penalty, a five minute major for a blow to the head. Seconds later, Mitchel Deelstra and Christian Buono got tied up at centre. The Referee would blow his whistle, and point at both players and say "you're both going" however, somehow only Deelstra was penalized, a double minor. The Centennials began a three plus minute 5 on 3 power play, which brought about yet another Bulldog penalty - which didn't start until the previous penalties elapsed. The Bulldogs did a good job to kill off the Major Penalty, and were into the final seconds of the double-minor, but it was just too much as Thomas Manty walked into the left side of the slot where he picked the top corner, far-side over the glove of Scott Bird to make it 4-2 at 13:45 of the second with Evan Benwell and Talon Zakall assisting. The Bulldogs incredibly earned a power play later in the period, and while they looked dangerous, they were also too cute and couldn't capitalize on it. Shots in the period were 16-10 Centennials, for a total of 28-27 Merritt.
The Bulldogs struggled to get going in the third, but earned a power play off a draw in the Merritt end six minutes into it. They would concede a short-handed goal on it, again being guilty perhaps of being too cute as they gained the zone, stick handled deep, and banked it back of the net where the bounce came to the slot and resulted in a 2 on 1 rush that saw Payton Matsui finish a perfect cross-ice pass from Thomas Manty inside the post, blocker side on Bird, who made a valiant effort to go post-to-post to stop it. The goal was shorthanded at 6:16 of the third. The Bulldogs answered on the power play 42 seconds later, as Austin Spiridakis potted a rebound in the paint, with assists going to Jimmy Rayhill and Jacob Bosse at 6:58 of the third to make it 5-3. They were unable to mount any comeback, before being penalized and allowing another power play goal with 7:30 to play as Evan Benwell re-rirected a Talon Zakall point shot low past the right pad of Scott Bird from the slot to make it 6-3, with an assist also going to Payton Matsui. The following minutes were fairly uneventful, until the Bulldogs made it a two-goal game with under a minute to play as Jacob Bosse drove the net off an Austin Spiridakis pass before putting a cross-crease feed onto the tape of Chase Klassen off the back post where he one-timed home his first career goal to make it 6-4 at 19:08 of the third. The Bulldogs would call time out and win the following faceoff, but misplayed the puck before the Centennials knocked it to centre ice where Payton Matsui skated onto it to hit the empty net for the 7-4 final score, with Chase Cooke also drawing an assist on it at 19:40.
Third period shots were 16-9 Centennials, for a game total of 44-36 Merritt. Scott Bird took the loss while Ryan Winter earned the win. The Bulldogs went 1 for 4 on the power play, while the Centennials went 3 for 5 while also scoring once while shorthanded.
With the loss, the Bulldogs have now dropped three straight games.
They will next see action Wednesday night at home, when the host the Nanaimo Clippers
Hammer
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