A very energetic start for the Bulldogs, as they had a great jump in the opening minutes and earned a few good chances as a result. They earned a power play a minute later, and looked very dangerous on it but couldn't beat Michael Corson. The Caps earned a power play almost immediately afterwards, but the Bulldogs came up with a solid penalty kill and didn't concede a shot. Another Bulldog power play later in the period didn't look as good, and another immediate penalty call the other way put the Capitals on the power play. The Caps would open the scoring - not really, but in the Referee's eyes they did, and that's all that matters, as Nicholas Wilson walked out from behind the goal line from the left side and attempted to go high, short-side. He would beat John Hawthorne, but hit the crossbar. The Referee at the side of the net instantly sounded his whistle, and said it was a goal. A discussion would ensue with all four Officials, and the call stood. No assists were given on the play, at 15:36 of the first. The Bulldogs earned another immediate power play, but while they again threatened they couldn't cash in. Shots in the first were 13-9 Bulldogs.
A high paced start to the second again by the Bulldogs failed to yield a goal, as Corson came up with a big save on Paul Selleck on the door step, and a shot a second later hit the bar on a deflection at the side of the net. The Dogs kept pushing, and tied the game before the period was four minutes old as Paul Selleck hustled on the forecheck to throw a hit and force a bad pass. Cole Poliziani would pick it off on the left wing wall, and throw a cross ice pass to the middle for Luc Salem. He slid across the slot, and fired a low shot that appeared to change direction before beating Corson five-hole for his first career goal to make it 1-1 at 4:24 of the second. Frantic action played out throughout the next few minutes, with each team having chances. The Capitals would earn a power play after a long shift on the defence in their zone, and while the Bulldogs killed it off they couldn't clear the zone, and it ended up in the back of their net as Andrew McCann found an errant pass off the side-board bounce and walked into the top of the left circle where he walked in and put a wrist shot under the glove and over the pad of Hawthorne, long-side. Tate Coughlin drew the only assist on the play at 13:46 of the second. The Bulldogs pushed back, and had a couple great shifts and good chances - the best of which saw Mitch Oliver set up Tyler Vanuden at the side of the net, where he beat Corson but hit the post and crossbar and it stayed out. The Capitals would get a big insurance goal late in the period as Tate Coughlin protected the puck across the blue line before dropping it for Marshall Skapski. He put a puck on net and found a wide-open Ty Pochipinski, who stopped the shot and had no one around him and Hawthorne down and out as he pulled it around him and lifted it home to make it 3-1 at 18:48 of the second. Shots in the period were 11-8 Capitals, for a 21-20 Dogs edge after 40 minutes.
The Bulldogs earned a power play a minute into the third, but weren't able to generate much on it. They earned yet another call at it's conclusion on a great steal and net drive by Jackson Doucet. Instead of pulling within a goal, the Dogs fell into a deeper hole as Ethan Scardina got a step on the Dogs defence and chased down a clear into the Dogs zone and tight to the goal where he snapped a shot off a defender's stick and in through the legs of Hawthorne to make it 4-1, shorthanded. Assists on the play went to Tate Coughlin and Simon Chen at 5:17 of the third. The Bulldogs were again penalized a minute later, and much like the 2-1 goal they killed the penalty off but couldn't clear the zone. John Hawthorne would make at least two saves in tight, and appeared to maybe have it covered for a fleeting second before taking contact. The puck would bounce to the hashmarks where Ty Pochipinski spun and fired one home long side. Ethan Scardina drew the lone assist at 8:18 of the third. The Dogs didn't quit, and got back within three just 90 seconds later as Julian Benner drove down the left wing with speed and dropped to Michael Sacco. His shot was blocked, but Benner found it behind the goal line and put it out to the slot where Keaton Mastrodonato one-timed it home to make it 5-2 at 9:48 of the third. The Dogs did earn a short 5 on 3 late in the third, but took a penalty before they could try to make it count. The Capitals would add one more late in the third with a single second remaining on the power play as Andrew Mccann kept a clearing attempt in at the line at the right point, and snapped a wrister home short-side past the glove of Brock Lefevbre - who entered the game in relief after the fifth Capital goal. The time of the goal was 18:24 of the third.
Shots in the third were 14-12 Capitals, for a game total in their favour of 34-33, as Michael Corson picked up 2nd star honours with the win while John Hawthorne took the loss. The Dogs went 0 for 7 on the power play, while the Capitals went 2 for 6 while also scoring once while shorthanded.
The teams meet again Friday night at the Dog Pound.
Hammer
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