A spirited start both ways to this game, as each team looked ready to go from the opening puck drop. The Silverbacks got a great chance just five minutes in when Shane Danyluk was sent in alone on Christopoulos where he deked to the backhand only to have Christopoulos kick out the right toe to keep it out. Both teams pushed the pace hard, and it was wildly entertaining despite just 5 total shots through the first 12 minutes of the game. There would be no scoring through the first 20 minutes, with the Bulldogs failing to generate on a late-period power play but earning a couple in-tight looks in the final minute, most notably a Tyler Povelofskie net drive that Angus Redmond made two good saves on to keep it scoreless after one with the Dogs up in the shots 8-5.
The Dogs would open the scoring just a minute into the second when Mitch Makin picked off a Chase Priskie pass deep in the Silverbacks zone and raced in on a breakaway where he cut across the crease and slid it home through the five-hole of Redmond for the un-assisted marker 1:15 into the second. The Dogs had a fantastic chance to build the lead on the next shift when Drake Brown dropped the puck at the line for Brett Stewart, but his wrister hit the post and hit Redmond and fell between his feet and stayed out. The Dogs would be penalized it appeared for digging at the puck, as the Silverbacks went to a power play off the scramble, but they couldn't capitalize as the Dogs killed it off. Just two minutes later it was a 1-1 game though as the Dogs were applying pressure in the Salmon Arm zone and got burned on a football-esque play as Bryden Marsh flipped the puck high in the air to the Bulldog line where Nick Hutchinson had it bounce off his shoulder and down to his feet where he skated in on a breakaway where he snapped it top corner, far-side over the blocker of Christopoulos to make it 1-1 at 5:59 of the second, with Marsh picking up the only assist. There would be no scoring over the rest of the period with the goalies again standing tall and both teams not giving up much in the way of glaring offensive chances. Shots favoured the Dogs 13-8 for a two period total of 21-13.
The Dogs struck again early in the third period to take a 2-1 lead as they took a penalty to take themselves off the power play, resulting in a short four-on-four situation. Drew Weich would find the puck at centre and feed it up the right wing for Mitch Makin, who fought hard past a check to create a 2 on 1 rush where he put a perfect pass onto the tape of Scottie Clark who tapped it into the open side at 2:58 of the third. The Silverbacks would strike back to make it a 2-2 game just past the eight minute mark on a quick regroup at centre ice that saw Andrew Farny and Jordan Burns sent Ross Heidt over the Dogs line and up the right wing where he walked into the circle and ripped a perfect top corner, short-side shot under the bar and over the glove of Christopoulos to make it 2-2 at 8:13 of the third. The game wasn't tied for long though, as the Bulldogs took the lead right back 20 seconds later as Scottie Clark fed the puck back to the right point for Brett Stewart. He would throw a quick snapper on goal that bounced off a pair of skates before Mitch Makin found it and jammed it home through Redmond to make it 3-2 Dogs at 8:33. The Dogs did a good job to hold the lead until the late stages when the Silverbacks would get a great chance on the power play as Angus Redmond put a perfect pass ahead after a Bulldogs clear to catch them changing to send Chase Priskie in alone on a breakaway where Billy Christopoulos made a fantastic glove save to preserve the lead. The Silverbacks would push hard with the goalie out for the extra attacker to look for the equalizer, but the Dogs would seal the deal into an empty net when Eric Therrien made an unselfish play to feed Tyler Povelofskie on a 3 on 1 rush where he snapped it into the empty net at 19:25 of the third for the 4-2 final.
Final shots favoured the Bulldogs 29-19 with Billy Christopoulos picking up the win while Angus Redmond took the loss. The Dogs went 1 for 4 on the power play and also scored once shorthanded while the Silverbacks went 0 for 4.
The Bulldogs are next in action Wednesday night in Victoria.
Hammer
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