The Bulldogs put the first good attacking zone push on two minutes into the game, but Adam Marcoux came up with a couple of saves to keep it scoreless. The Bulldogs kept pushing - but got caught with a tired group on the ice and spent too long in their zone that resulted in the Caps having some zone time, although the Dogs didn't give up much in the way of chances. The Bulldogs would have a couple of good looks on the rush in the first half of the period, but couldn't cash in on them. The Capitals would earn the first power play of the game 11 minutes in, but the Bulldog penalty killers were good as John Hawthorne only faced a single shot. After another good chance on the rush later in the period, the Bulldogs earned their first power play of the game. They had a couple of good looks, but couldn't capitalize on them as it remained scoreless through 20 minutes, with the shots being 9-7 Capitals.
The Bulldogs had a lightning quick start to the second, gaining the Capitals zone and buzzing around for a minute with a couple good pucks on net. The game remained scoreless near the midway point of the period, with a great save by Adam Marcoux on a Jackson Doucet chance set up by Cayden Kraus. The Capitals would open the scoring a minute later, on an extended scramble at the Dogs crease that saw John Hawhtorne appear to be body checked onto his rear end behind the goal line by Caleb Franklin allowing Alexandre Drapeau to put a wrister from the slot into the back of the net. Hawthorne appeared to be upset about it, but there wasn't much if any discussion between the Officials as the goal stood. Franklin would get the primary assist, with Landon Dziadyk drawing the second assist at 9:38 of the second. The game would take a drastic turn in the final six minutes of the period through a series of penalties. The first went to Isaac Tonkin-Palmer as he knocked a Capital down on a race to the net. Previously on the play Tonkin-Palmer had knocked a Capital down with a open ice hit that resulted in the Capital player jumping to his feet and throwing a series of head shots that went un-called. On the power play, Gregg Lee would finish his check on a Capital defender who was waiting for the puck to come to him on the boards. He didn't defend himself at all, and showed his back and then launched himself into the boards. Soon into the 5 on 3 Ryan Steele would shove a Capital from behind, who also didn't appear to think to defend himself on a race to the puck on the boards. Steele was also penalized, and ejected. All told, the Bulldogs would kill off 2:28 straight down two men, and the remainder down only one player. They gave up only two shots, and had a series of shot blocks. They also had a couple good looks while shorthanded, but they again couldn't beat Marcoux who was solid to keep it 1-0 Capitals after 40 minutes. Shots in the period were 14-13 Bulldogs, for a 22-21 Caps lead after two.
The Bulldogs would be the beneficiaries of penalties to start the third, with Nicholas Wilson dropping the gloves and fighting with Darren Rizzolo - who never dropped the gloves. Wilson got a handful of punches in, but wouldn't get called for a one-man-fight, but instead he was given a double-minor for roughing. The Bulldogs did everything BUT score on the advantage, putting nine shots on net but being unable to find the back of it. They continued to push through the period, and were finally rewarded for it with less than five minutes to play as Sami Pharaon broke the play up in the Bulldog zone before dishing off to Darren Rizzolo on the right side of the zone. He would fire a perfect cross-ice outlet pass onto the tape of Jackson Doucet, who in turn fed a perfect pass to a streaking Keaton Mastrodonato behind the Capitals defence, where he raced in alone on a breakaway and beat Marcoux with a quick release, low blocker side to make it 1-1 at 15:26 of the third to force overtime. Shots in the third were 14-10 Bulldogs, for a 60 minute total in their favor of 35-32.
The Dogs had the first initial push to open overtime, but couldn't generate a good chance. They would get the winner just over two minutes into the extra frame when Sami Pharaon put a pass ahead for Cole Poliziani, who streaked over the line up the right side and behind the net before putting a perfect pass to the lip of the crease for Isaac Tonkin-Palmer who one-timed it through Marcoux for the 2-1 final.
Final shots were 36-33 Bulldogs, with John Hawthorne picking up the win while Adam Marcoux earned 1st star honours while taking the loss. The Dogs went 0 for 3 on the power play while the Capitals went 0 for 4.
Hammer
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