Dogs top Chiefs 4-2

A fantastic, hard hitting start to the game as both sides looked everything like a couple of teams trying to atone for losses the night before as just 6:58 into the game the hits were 12-11 Bulldogs. There wasn't much in the way of offense to speak of, with both Billy Christopoulos and Aidan Pelino only having to make a solid save or two each through 20 minutes with the shots favouring the Bulldogs 9-7 and hits an incredible 19 aside.

The Bulldogs came out with a great start to the second period, killing off a carry over power play for the Chiefs and dominating the play, hemming the Chiefs in their zone for extended periods. Despite a 13-1 advantage in shots through the first 12 minutes of the period the game remained scoreless. It didn't stay that way for long though, as the Chiefs capitalized on a Bulldogs mistake and scored on just their second shot of the period, albeit a quality one as they worked a 2 on 1 rush to perfection as Rory Bell out-waited the Bulldog defender and put a perfect cross-ice pass onto the tape of Craig Puffer who put it into the open side past Christopoulos at 12:17 of the second with Eric Roberts also drawing an assist on the play. The Chiefs all of a sudden would have all the momentum, and they had a series of solid chances to build on their lead around the Bulldog net but Christopoulos came up with a series of good saves to keep it 1-0. The Bulldogs would answer back to tie it up on the rush late in the period as Drake Brown made a great pass at centre ice to Mitch Makin who walked in on goal and put a shot on goal that was stopped by Pelino, but he couldn't control the rebound as Chris Schutz drove the net and backhanded it home before Pelino could recover to make it 1-1 at 16:44 of the second period. Shots favoured the Bulldogs 17-13 for a two period 26-20 after 40 minutes.

The Bulldogs would take their first lead of the game just short of four minutes into the third when Mitch Makin put a perfect pass at centre ice ahead for Drew Blackmun who drove past the Chiefs defender and in alone on goal where he slid one low through Pelino to make it 2-1. Drew Weich also picked up an assist on the play at 3:50 of the third. Just four minutes later it was 3-1 as Justin Marreck puck the puck up the left wing boards where Zak Bowles fought it out of the zone and then raced away with blazing speed up the left wing through centre and over the Chilliwack line around the Chiefs defender and in on goal where he one-handed one through Pelino. Kurt Gosselin also drew an assist on the play at 7:28 of the third. The Dogs would be caught up ice several times in the ensuing minutes, allowing a partial breakaway that Christopoulos stopped but the Chiefs drew a penalty on. The Dogs would kill it off to protect the lead, but the Chiefs didn't quit, finding the net with 6:16 to go as Jordan Kawaguchi picked up a perfect pass from Jake Hand walking in on the back door where he roofed a top corner far-side wrist shot under the crossbar over the glove of Christopoulos to make it 3-2. The game would stay that way until the late stages of regulation when the Dogs iced it with the teams playing four aside hockey as Kurt Gosselin cleared it out of the Dogs end and Dylan Haugen raced onto a loose puck in the Chiefs zone and fired it home for a 4-2 lead with 10 seconds to go.

Final shots favoured the Bulldogs 36-28 with Billy Christopoulos picking up the win while Aidan Pelino took the loss while earning 3rd star honours. I had both teams at 0 for 3 on the power play.

Next up for the Bulldogs is a three-in-three roadie starting next Friday in Prince George.

Hammer