Once again a fantastic start to the game for the Dogs, as they entered the attacking zone in the opening seconds and came a millimeter away from opening the scoring when Scottie Clark rang a shot off the bar that stayed out. The Bulldogs remained in the Grizzlies zone for what felt like a minute, getting some momentum going. The period would be fast-paced and entertaining early, as either side had their fair share of chances. The best chance early went to the Grizzlies when Corey Iapalucci raced in on a breakaway while shorthanded, but Chris Tai came up with a big glove save to keep it scoreless. The Grizzlies would find the net shortly afterwards when they won an extended battle in the Dogs zone and got the puck loose back to the left point for Cody Van Lierop. He would put a quick shot on goal that was deflected and stopped by Tai, but he couldn't find the rebound as Nick Guiney slid it home. Joseph Visconti also drew an assist on the play at 8:51 of the first. The Dogs responded well, and tied the game at 1-1 just over two minutes later when Paul Meyer picked up a loose puck and skated from his zone up the left wing and over the Grizzlies line. He then chipped it past a Grizzlies defender and raced onto the puck and walked deep where he snapped one from a sharp angle top corner, short-side over the blocker shoulder of Mitchell Benson. Adam Donnelly also drew an assist on the play at 11:06 of the first. The Dogs came out flying on the next shift, going up 2-1 just 57 seconds later as Jordan Sandhu found a second rebound in front after a Nathan Dingmann wrap around was stopped, and a Josh Adkins rebound was kept out. Sandhu would make no mistake for his first career goal, firing it into the open side before Benson could get over, to make it 2-1 Dogs 12:03 into the first. Another breakaway save by Chris Tai protected the lead later in the period, as he came up with a pad save on a Braden Gelsinger partial break as it stayed 2-1 Dogs after one, with the Bulldogs leading the shots 15-10.
The second period saw a slower pace initially, with penalties both ways slowing the flow. A spirited scrap between Adam Donnelly and Sage Fleming would inject some emotion into the building and both teams in the first half of the frame. The Grizzlies had a great chance immediately after the media time out as Tai made a breakaway save with his stick on a giveaway up the middle. The Dogs would turn around and race up ice and make it 3-1 seconds later, as Quinn Syrydiuk went wide down the left wing before dropping it back for Eric Margo. He in turn would find Scott Clark trailing the play, where he knocked the pass down and got it on his forehand before snapping it past the blocker of Benson to make it 3-1 Bulldogs at 10:38 of the second. Immediately after the goal, the Dogs would again cough the puck up behind their net and Tai came up with a huge right toe save when he was down and out on the wrong side of the net to rob Mitchell Barker to preserve the lead. Late in the period the Dogs built their lead when Jordan Sandhu dropped the puck off the boards back to the right point for Paul Meyer, who walked to the middle before ripping a quick release wrister top corner, short-side over the glove of Benson. Shots favoured the Grizzlies 12-10 in the period for a 25-22 Dogs advantage after 40.
The Bulldogs continued to carry the play throughout the early stages of the third period, as they spent the better of the play in the attacking zone getting lots of chances. Matthew Galajda was good in the Victoria net, entering the game to start the third in relief. He would keep the Grizzlies in it until the back-half of the period when they would earn a power play chance, with the Dogs unable to buy a call throughout all their attack zone time and what looked like several infractions. The Grizzlies would make good on the chance, on a goal that pretty in it's simplicity as Chuck Bennis put a low hard one-timer on net from the left point that was deflected through the five-hole of Tai by Nick Guiney on a goal very similar to his first that made it 1-0. Kevin Massy also drew an assist on the play at 11:02 of the third to make it 4-2. The Dogs wouldn't let the goal against get to them, as they continued to push and didn't sit back. The Grizzlies would yet again earn another power play chance with five minutes and change to go but the Dogs killers stood tall and blocked shots to keep it 4-2 for the eventual final score.
Third period shots favoured the Dogs 36-29, with Chris Tai picking up the win while Mitchell Benson took the loss. The Dogs went 0 for 2 on the power play while the Grizzlies went 1 for 6.
With the win the Dogs climb over the Grizzlies into 4th place in the Island Division. The Dogs visit the Kings in Powell River tomorrow afternoon, a 5pm start.
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