Dogs fall 4-2 to Eagles, win streak snapped at three

I thought the Eagles carried the better of the play through the first 20 minutes of this one, but the Bulldogs did a good job to limit the scoring chances they gave up. At the same time, they generated some glorious ones that they capitalized on to lead 2-0 after 20 minutes. The first of which saw Darian Henry put a perfect bank pass to centre ice on the tape of Tryg Strand. He would make a slick backhand saucer pass onto the tape of Zak Bowles, who blew past the Eagles defence and in on the breakaway where he went top corner, far side on Devon Fordyce to make it 1-0, 8:49 into the first from Strand and Henry. Another breakway would make it 2-0 just over two minutes later when Rob Click found Garrett Halls at centre, who fed Josh Adkins up the middle over the Eagles line. Both of the Eagles D-men checked Adkins, who sent Zach Funk on the breakaway right up the middle where he ripped one top corner, blocker side on Fordyce to make it 2-0 at 11:33, with Adkins and Halls picking up the assists. The Dogs came that close to going up 3-0 on the next shift, but Hunter Stewart's shot hit the post and stayed out as it was 2-0 Dogs after one, with the Eagles leading in the shots 14-5. Tyger Howat was busy, and made a couple of solid saves.

The Eagles would get on the board to start the second period exactly two minutes in on the rush as Joe Drapluk dropped it back to the high slot for Danton Heinen who went top corner, far-side on Howat to make it 2-1. Phillipe Johannson also drew an assist at the 2:00 mark. That would do it for the scoring as neither team hit the net through the remainder of the period, with both goalies playing well, and getting a little luck as each team hit the cross-bar. Shots favoured the Eagles 16-14 in the period. 

The third period saw the Eagles continue to get the better of the chances, and they would eventually connect to tie the game on the power play when Danton Heinen blew past the Bulldogs defence on the rush down the left wing to skate in alone on the breakaway where he went top corner, glove side on the backhand on Howat. Assists on the play went to Michael Roberts and Phillipe Johannson at the 5:49 mark to make it 2-2. The score would stay that way until the late stages of the third when the Eagles took their first lead of the game with just over five minutes to play as Brett Mulcahy walked out from behind the net untouched where he fired a wrist shot past the glove of Howat from in tight to make it 3-2 from Danton Heinen and Michael Roberts with 5:12 to play in regulation. The Dogs would get a power play opportunity with 3:16 to play in the third and while they generated several good chances they couldn't convert to tie it up. The Eagles would seal the deal into an empty net from their own end in the final minute with Michael Roberts scoring it, unassisted, with 36 seconds to play for the 4-2 Final.

Shots favoured the Eagles 47-26 with Tyger Howat playing solid while getting tagged with the loss while Devon Fordyce picked up the win. The Dogs went 0 for 4 on the power play - although the box score incorrectly says 0 for 5 - while the Eagles went 1 for 5.

The Dogs finish their trip tomorrow evening in Chilliwack when they face the Cheifs for a 5pm puck drop.