Same ole same ole for the Dogs, as they are once again in a must win situation to keep their season alive after three heart breakers in a row, two straight by a 3-2 OT score, to trail 3-0 in the Coastal Conference Final series.
Incredible game, incredible atmosphere.
Great job by the Dogs to get it to overtime, considering that they were down 2-0 with less than 10 minutes to play in the third period.
Nice to see the Officials made the correct call on the game tying goal by Teal Burns. I actually thought it was drama that wasn't even necessary as it never looked anywhere close to a high stick to me by Mitch Makin. The puck went in and the Eagles and their Coaching Staff claimed a high stick - you sure can't blame them for trying especially how the calls at the time were going against them - which brought about a conference with the four Officials that eventually ended with a goal being awarded. Watching the replay afterwards it looks like Mitch Makin's stick is never higher than his waist.
Back to the atmosphere. Wow, as from the second the 'Dogs entered the playing surface, it was just plain humming in there. Both goalies were great, and like I said on the broadcast no one in the building feels worse than Jay Deo. And that's life as a goalie, speaking as a former one. As Mr. Plante once said about the profession - it's the only one in the world where if you make a mistake, a big red light goes on above your head, and thousands of people boo or cheer. One minute you are stopping a penalty shot and getting a standing O, and the next you are wearing the horns. I can't imagine how Jay and the rest of the team feels finding themselves in a hole, but if it's anything less than the positive approach of that they are lucky that they get to play another day, then their season might end.
It's nothing more than a repeat of a repeat of a repeat now, but I have always said that Playoffs is always about nothing more but what is next and what you need to do. The Dogs have shown an amazing ability to do just that, and are still playing as a result of it.
No matter what, they have just kept fighting and clawing and biting and scratching, being resilient, as Bruce says. The amount of times that this run could have ended earlier is crazy. Basically any of the games against Nanaimo after the Dogs came home down 0-2. On the road in Game 5 down a goal late in the second and down one man for 4 minutes and down two men for 2 minutes. Down 2 games to 1 to the Grizzlies and down 2-1 with 2 minutes left in the game, only to tie it, and then fight off all the sudden death before Sabo's winner. My worry at that point was that the team might have had enough, and thought they had done enough, staving off elimination again with their team decimated by injuries, giving the home crowd that amazing win. Yet they went down to Victoria and found away again to win, to give them a chance to fight and play another day.
The Dogs are 5 and 0 when facing elimination in these Playoffs. So it should be no problem for these guys to win four in a row to get another chance to start anew and fight another day and open the LEAGUE FINALS on home ice.
It starts with just forgetting this one and focusing on what they need to do tomorrow to make it a 3-1 series and then looking at the next one and heading back to Surrey. The only previous experience for the Dogs in the Conference Final was in 2009-10. For those that didn't follow the team then, here's a quick refresher - the Dogs hearts were broken when they lost Game 7 at home to Powell River. The Kings won the series after trailing 3-1 after the Bulldogs dropped the opening game of the series at home before winning the next three in row. The Kings responded by picking up three straight wins including at the Dog Pound in Games 5 and 7, before going all to the BCHL Finals where they lost in Game 7.
The Dogs should have nothing to hang their heads about, they should be proud of how they battled. I'm looking forward to another great game at the Dog Pound tomorrow, just another ho hum must win!
How good was Jared Wilson tonight? Led in shots, hits, blocks, points...we were joking that he should have maybe taken a couple of draws just to lead the team in another category. And how dynamic was Matt Hansen? What a shame the Dogs went without him on that big Surrey ice for Games 1 and 2. He has an ability to create a lot of stuff by himself, and anything like that just brings a building to the edge of their seat and is pretty fun to watch! Maybe the two game break was a nice rest for him. I would love to see him shoot more still.
A fantastic hockey game to watch with two great hockey teams and I can't wait to see lots more!
Full Recap on the Dogs website here
Hammer
2 comments:
Yeah, the Dogs have a lot of scrap in them but I think this time, they've met their match and imagining them winning 4 straight now? Just don't see it. In fact, I suspect Surrey will find an extra gear Tuesday night and end this series.
No shame in the Bulldogs bowing out, they exceeded expectations. The Eagles are a deeper team and as good as Jay Deo has been, "Santa" is arguably the best goalie still playing in the BCHL.
I would love to see the Bulldogs win Game 4, to give the fans something to cheer about. Then if they lose back in Surrey, so be it. I just don't want to see the Eagles sweep. That being said, I guarantee you the Eagles would never consider a sweep an easy series. AV has given them more of a series than Langley or Chilliwack did!
I suggest you go listen to Journey's Don't Stop Believin' because you obviously have.
I also wonder if you are the same Bulldogs Game Day volunteer who said before Game 3 against Nanaimo "did you tell those guys that's the last time you'll be talking to them this season"
And here we are 10 or 11 games later.
Wouldn't have thought they would have dug out of a 0-2 hole against the Clippers, or a 2-1 hole against the Grizzlies, or that they would lose three straight by one goal to the Eagles.
Always believe, and a four game winning streak is nothing.
It's an unsurmountable hurdle with an attitude like yours, it's just a molehill provided the right attitude from top to bottom through the roster, and through the FANS, billets, coaches, supporters, etc.
The more I read the comment, the more I think it's from an Eagle fan, because anyone that has watched the Dogs through the playoffs knows they don't have one single ounce of quit, or this run would have ended long ago.
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