The Bulldogs came out inspired to start the game, pushing the pace, moving their feet, and getting lots of pucks on net early. They would score first for the third straight game on this road trip when Justin Georgeson walked the puck over the Chiefs line down the right wing before dishing off to Darian Henry, who had joined the rush. Henry would put a low, hard shot on net that was stopped by Lyndon Stanwood, but resulted in a big rebound that Tryg Strand deposited into the open net from the top of the crease to make it 1-0 at 4:03 of the first. The Dogs would build the lead less than five minutes later when Brodie Clowes kept the puck in at the right point before feeding it down to the right corner to Garrett Halls, who threw a bullet pass to the slot where Zach Funk one-timed it home past the blocker of Stanwood for his second goal in as many games to make it 2-0, 9:41 in. The Dogs went to the power play shortly afterwards, and showed great urgency and had a couple great chances to build the lead, but they couldn't connect. The 2-0 lead has been a deadly one for the Dogs, and this game was no different as the Chiefs would all of a sudden have a handful of great chances to get back into it, including three breakaways in what felt like less than two minutes but Connor LaCouvee came up huge on Mathieu Tibbet (twice) and Andrew Silard to keep it 2-0 Dogs after one.
The Dogs built the lead before the second period was a minute old when Hunter Stewart worked the puck loose behind the Chiefs net. Ryan Buse would keep it in at the right point and fire a slapper on goal that was stopped by Stanwood. Tryg Strand was again right at the net to deposit the rebound, making it 3-0, with Buse and Stewart assisting at :52 seconds of the second. The Chiefs would get on the board less than a minute later on the rush with the Dogs falling asleep as Austin Plevy drove the net un-checked where he one-timed a cross-ice pass into the open net. Assists went to Blake Gober and Zach Diamantoni at the 1:36 mark. Less than two minutes later it was a 3-2 game when Ben Butcher threw a puck from the left circle on net that was initially stopped by Connor LaCouvee. He wouldn't be able to get a whistle with the puck underneath him and the Chiefs pitchforked it home Jake Hand getting credit for it, and Butcher getting the only assist at 3:23 of the second. The Bulldogs would restore the two goal lead late in the period on the power play after failing on two earlier chances in the period as Tryg Strand fed the puck back to the point for Brodie Clowes. He put a low slap shot on goal that was stopped by Standwood, but the rebound bounced in off the shinpad of Hunter Stewart at the side of the net to make it 4-2 at 16:35 of the period. The Chiefs would get one back in controversial fashion late in the period when Brett Stewart carried the puck out of the Dogs zone up the left wing, where he was hauled down by Zak Diamantoni who reached across Stewart's body with his left arm and threw him down to the ice. The puck would turn the other way and Diamantoni sent Austin Plevy in on the breakaway where he went low stick-side on LaCouvee off the post and in to make it 4-3 Dogs with :29 seconds to play in the period.
The Bulldogs would get the insurance back early in the third when the Chiefs had trouble with the puck in their zone as Tryg Strand sent it deep behind the Chiefs net where Hunter Stewart retrieved it and put it on the tape of Justin Georgeson out front where he ripped it past the blocker of Stanwood to make it 5-3 Dogs 3:14 into the third. The insurance would prove huge five minutes later when the Chiefs again made it a one-goal game on the power play as the Dogs all got caught up high in the zone and failed to get the puck out as Cooper Rush threw it to the front of the Dogs net where a wide open Austin Plevy deflected it off the post and then found his own rebound and deposited it to make it 5-4. Blake Gober also drew an assist on the play at 8:34 of the third. The Dogs would push right back and take the two goal lead back a minute and a half later after they won several battles to keep the puck in the Chiefs end as Scott Clark fed the puck down the boards behind the net for Harlan Orr who put it out front for Zak Bowles who showed good patience and walked around Stanwood before sliding it home to make it 6-4 Dogs at the 10:02 mark. The insurance marker was again a big one, as the Chiefs pulled back within one with 6:30 to play (the boxscore says 3:30 to play, but is incorrect) when they connected on the rush as Mathieu Tibbet walked down the right wing and fired a wrist shot on net that was stopped by LaCouvee, but he couldn't control the rebound as Carter Cochrane drove the net and chipped it home to make it 6-5. The Dogs would seal the deal with just over two minutes to play when Zak Bowles won a faceoff in his own end and then chased the loose puck down and chipped it past the Chiefs defence onto the tape of Harlan Orr who raced down the left wing on a 2 on 1 and kept the puck and fired a wrister through Stanwood to make it 7-5 with 2:10 to play. The Dogs would seal the deal into an empty net when Rob Click worked the puck loose for Tryg Strand in the Dogs zone, who hoisted it high through the air and into the Chiefs zone where Hunter Stewart chased it down and scored from the right wing boards into the empty net to erase all doubt and make it 8-5 with 1:35 to play.
The Dogs out shot the Chiefs 37-33 with Connor LaCouvee picking up the win in net to run his win streak to four, while Lyndon Stanwood took the loss. The Dogs went 1 for 5 on the power play while the Chiefs went 1 for 2.
The Dogs are next in action Friday in Nanaimo, before hosting Penticton Sunday at 5:30pm.
Hammer
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