Dogs drop 1-0 decision in Trail

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A fairly energized start for the Bulldogs, as they pushed hard off the opening puck drop and ran up an early 7-2 advantage in shots before the game was eight minutes old but Bailey MacBurnie was solid when called upon in the Trail net. The Dogs had the best chance early in the game as Nathan Dingmann just missed the net on a partial breakaway when the game was three minutes old.  The Smoke Eaters would push back after drawing the first power play of the game just after the media time out and put lots of pucks on net through a power play to get into the game but Brody Claeys was equally solid. Neither team had much in the way of wide open glaring chances as the period ended 0-0 with the Smoke Eaters up in the shots 15-12.

The second period saw the Dogs have a fantastic chance early on a power play to open the scoring on a quick cross-crease pass, but Bailey MacBurnie went post to post to make a fantastic mid-air pad save on Paul Meyer. Just past the midway point of the period the Smoke Eaters had a promising looking chance on a 2 on 1 rush after a Bulldog defender stepped up and missed at neutral ice, but Nathan Dingmann made a fantastic defensive play back-checking to intercept the cross-ice pass. Neither team would find the net throughout the period, as it remained scoreless through 40 minutes. Shots favoured the Smoke Eaters 20-18 after two, with the Dogs out shooting them in the period 6-5. For what it's worth, the Smoke Eaters staff in the booth counting shots had the Dogs credited with 13 shots in the period to the Smoke Eaters 5.

The Bulldogs would earn two more power play chances to start the third period, but they never did much to threaten as they struggled to move the puck or get pucks on net. Credit has to go the Smoke Eaters penalty kill as well, as they forced the Dogs into making mistakes, and they certainly made a big one with eight minutes gone in the period as the Smokies attacked the Dogs zone while shorthanded as Max Newton put a perfect cross-ice pass onto the stick of Kienan Scott who beat Brody Claeys high, far-side to make it 1-0 8:34 into the third. The Dogs would have a couple of chances the rest of the way, but couldn't get a bounce to beat MacBurnie as the Smoke Eaters made the lead stand until the final buzzer.

Final shots favoured the Smoke Eaters 30-24 with Brody Claeys taking second star honours with the loss while Bailey MacBurnie picked up first star honours with the win and the shut out. The Dogs went 0 for 6 on the power play while the Smoke Eaters went 0 for 3 while also scoring the winner and only goal of the game while shorthanded.

The Dogs are in Penticton tomorrow to face the Vees, a 6:00pm puck drop.

Hammer