The Dogs were penalized just over a minute into the game, but didn't give up much as Colten Lancaster felt the puck but didn't face much in the way of glaring chances. Soon after the kill was over, the Dogs had the best chance of the game as Jackson Doucet sent Keaton Mastrodonato in alone on Nolan Hildebrand, who came up with a good save to keep it scoreless. The Dogs would find the net first, for the fifth straight game to open the season not long after that when Connor Welsh dished off to Keaton Mastrodonato and went to the net. Mastrodonato would pound a shot on net that was stopped, but Hildebrand couldn't control the rebound and was out of position as Welsh dug it loose to the front of the net where Jackson Doucet poked it home for his first career goal at 7:48 of the first. The Dogs would build their lead in the late stages of the first when Darren Rizzolo tied the puck up at the side of the Dogs net and kicked it to the corner. Christian Simeone would tie it up and battle it loose for Michael Sacco, who came down to support the pile. Sacco would go end-to-end up the left wing, and from the left half-wall in the Vees zone he threw a wrist shot on goal that snuck through the legs of Nolan Hildebrand and just over the line to make it 2-0 at 19:51 of the first, with Christian Simeone and Darren Rizzolo drawing the assists. Shots in the period favoured the Vees 10-7.
The second period began with the Vees being penalized when their goaltender Adam Scheel covered the puck outside of his crease. The Dogs were immediately penalized however, bringing about four-aside hockey. The Vees would get on the board almost immediately, as Johnny Tychonick found the puck behind the Dogs net and threw it to the slot where Ben Allen snapped a quick release through the legs of Lancaster to make it 2-1 at 2:43 of the period. The Vees pushed for the equalizer and had a great chance a few minutes later, but Lancaster came up with a great save on the doorstep on Chris Klack to protect the lead. The Vees would go to a power play to build the lead, but the Dogs killed it off efficiently. Another four-aside situation later in the frame ended when the Vees were penalized for too-many-men, bringing about a Dogs power play. They couldn't cash in on it, but threatened with a couple good looks. A follow up penalty put the Dogs on a 24 second 5 on 3, but they couldn't cash in on it. Two further Penticton penalties in the late stages of the period again saw the Dogs threaten in tight with a series of chances, but the score remained 2-1 after 40 minutes. Shots were 12-9 Dogs in the period, for a 19-19 total.
The Dogs began the third on the power play, but were again taken off of it due to a penalty. They would kill off the following Vees power play, but it was a 2-2 game before the four minute mark of the period as the Vees won a draw in their end and quickly attacked up ice with a crisp outlet pass that was knocked down by Jackson Keane. He would then feed a perfect cross-ice pass at the Bulldog blue line for Dakota Boutin, who walked in alone and snuck one under the arm of Lancaster to make it 2-2 at 3:42 of the third, with Ryan O'Connell also drawing an assist on it. The Dogs didn't respond well to the goal against, as they seemed to struggle to find any motivation to push back over the next couple of minutes. The Vees would make them pay, as a turnover at centre resulted in another in-alone chance off a cross-ice pass, this time from the opposite side of the ice as Jackson Keane set up Ben Allen walking to the net down the left wing where he picked the top corner, far-side, high over the glove of Lancaster to make it 3-2 at 7:49 of the third. The Bulldogs would hang on, and keep it a one-goal deficit into the back half of the third. The Vees would be awarded a power play to try for some insurance, but again the Dogs killers didn't give up much to keep in the game. The Bulldogs showed some signs of desperation into the final five minutes of the third to try and net the equalizer, but the Vees made the lead stand to the final buzzer for the 3-2 final.
Shots in the third favoured the Vees 11-7, for the game total of 30-26. Colten Lancaster took the loss in net, while Adam Scheel picked up first star honours and a relief shut out with the win in 40 minutes of work. I had the Dogs at 0 for 6 on the power play, while the Vees also went 0 for 6.
The Dogs are next in action Friday at home when they host the Clippers.
Hammer
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