Dogs top Caps 7-6 in wild double OT thriller *UPDATED with Audio highlights*

Accept my apologies that there were problems with the video broadcast tonight - it's 100% not my department....but there were a handful of people that all tried their best to rectify the problems, but a solution couldn't be found. 

I hope you still can appreciate the audio highlights, like back in the good 'ole days huddled around the transistor radio! 

Click here to listen - Bulldogs 7 Capials 6 

After a late start to the game to honour the Bulldog Billet families, the Bulldogs opened the scoring before the game was a minute old as the puck was held in at the attacking line and thrown to the side of the net where Julian Benner put a sharp angle shot on goal that was stopped by Michael Corson. He couldn't control the rebound though, as Paul Selleck fired it off the post and in, far-side to make it 1-0 at 51 seconds of the first. The Capitals didn't sag at all, and almost immediately tied it at 1-1 as Andrew Jackson threw the puck at the net from the right half wall. John Hawthorne made the first save, but couldn't find the rebound as it sat between his feet. Brendan Cherwalk would find it, and poke it home. Assists on the play went to Marshall Skapski and Andrew Jackson at :51 seconds of the first. The Bulldogs would be penalized soon afterwards when a player slashed a Capital stick out of their hands. The Capitals would make quick work of the advantage, as a point shot by Andrew Mccann from the top of the point was deflected home by Troy MacTavish at the top of the crease, making it 2-1 Capitals at 5:09 of the first, with Tate Coughlin also drawing an assist. There would be no scoring the rest of the period, with the Bulldogs again being penalized for a slashing the stick out of the hands penalty but coming up with a big kill. The Bulldogs pushed hard in the final minute of the frame but couldn't find the net, or draw a call, as Mitch Oliver was hit from behind head first into the end wall in the Capitals zone which had the fans up in arms. Shots in the period were 17-10 Capitals.

The Bulldogs earned a power play before the second was a minute old, they not only failed to connect on it, but didn't look good and were unable to generate a shot. They would tie the game just over four minutes into the period, as Christian Simeone found a turnover at centre and carried it 1-on-1 over the Capitals line up the left wing. He would take a step to the middle, and pull the puck back before beating Corson with a quick release, short-side to make it 2-2, unassisted at 4:03 of the second. The Bulldogs took their second lead of the game just under three minutes later when they raced up ice out of their zone as Michael Sacco head-manned it up the right wing for Keaton Mastrodonato. He would gain the line and put a perfectly placed cross-ice pass to the top of the left circle for Tyler Vanuden, who beat Corson with another quick release top corner, far-side off his glove and in to make it 3-2 at 7:01 of the second. Just 1:40 later the Capitals answered to make it 3-3 as Azzaro Tinling walked out of the right corner to the deep slot where he fired a wrist shot short-side past the glove of Hawthorne. Assists on the play went to Tate Coughlin and Ty Pochipinski at 8:41 of the second. The Capitals took their second lead of the game less than two minutes later when the Bulldogs got caught pushing offensively and forgot to back check, leading to a 3 on 2 when Troy MacTavish dropped it to Tate Coughlin trailing in the slot. He would walk in and snap a wrister long-side past the glove of Hawthorne, making it 4-3 Capitals at 10:04 of the second as Brock Lefevbre entered the game in relief. The Caps kept pushing, and went up 5-3 a minute and a half later as Coughlin was found alone at the side of the net where he scored on a spin around backhand that he snuck home inside the post, short-side. Marshall Skapski drew the lone assist on the play at 11:37 of the second, as the Bulldogs called Time Out and John Hawthorne re-entered the game. He would be called upon to keep it a two-goal game, making a glove save in tight on Ty Pochipinski a couple minutes later. The Bulldogs earned a power play late in the period, on a hard working shift by Isaac Tonkin-Palmer that saw him take a high stick after intercepting a pass. They would connect late in the advantage, when Darren Rizzolo dished off to Mitch Oliver at the top of the right circle. He simply got a wrist shot on net, where it was deflected home low through Corson by Keaton Mastrodonto, making it 5-4 Capitals at 17:05 of the second. It was 5-5 in the final minute, when Brandon Bergado intercepted a pass that was found by Christian Simeone in the left corner. He would walk out above the goal line and fire a sharp angle shot that he banked in off of Corson to make it 5-5, with Mitch Oliver also assisting at 19:07 of the period. Shots in the second were 14-12 Capitals, for a 40 minute advantage of 31-22.

The third period was played at a high pace, with both teams having chances through the first 10 minutes. The Capitals would earn a power play at the midway point of the period, and looked very dangerous on it, as Hawthorne came up with a couple sparkling saves in tight to keep it tied. The Bulldogs had a fantastic chance a few minutes later to take a lead, but Michael Corson made a rediculous cross-ice save on Julian Benner on perfect 2 on 1 set up by Paul Selleck. The Capitals would take the lead back a minute later, as the Bulldogs coverage broke down in front of their net as Andrew Mccann kept the puck in at the left point and rimmed it behind the net. Tate Coughlin would find it, and put a pass to the front of the net for an un-checked Ty Pochipinski, who one-timed it up and under the bar over Hawthorne to make it 6-5 at 13:10 of the third. The Bulldogs didn't panic, and tied the game when they caught the Capitals changing as Darren Rizzolo took a D-to-D pass from Sami Pharaon and put a perfect stretch pass onto the tape of Keaton Mastrodonato behind the defence, where he made no mistake on the breakaway with a quick release, low glove side to tie it at 6-6 at 15:36 of the third to force overtime. Shots in the third were 19-11 Capitals for a 60 minute advantage of 52-34 Capitals.

The first overtime saw the Bulldogs have two fantastic chances early, with both Cole Poliziani and Paul Selleck both having great chances but failing to hit the target. The Capitals would have a great chance late in the first OT, as Tate Coughlin skated in alone and attempted to go between the legs but he couldn't get it over Hawthorne. Shots in the first OT were 2-1 Capitals.

In the second overtime, the Bulldogs had several outstanding chances and lots of possession in the attacking zone, and finally were rewarded for it in the final minute when Paul Selleck stole the puck and dished it off to Darren Rizzolo, who delayed in the deep slot before putting a high wrist shot on goal that had eyes through traffic and found the top corner, short-side over the blocker of Corson for the game winner and a wild celebration. Cole Poliziani also drew an assist at 4:24 of double OT.

Final shots were 52-28 Capitals, with John Hawthorne earning the win while Michael Corson took the loss. The Dogs went 1 for 2 on the power play while the Capitals went 1 for 3.

With the win, the Dogs now lead the Caps by nine points in the Island Division. These teams meet tomorrow night again in Duncan.

Hammer

____________________________________________________________

There has never been a subscription fee for this blog - and there never will be, but if you enjoy stopping by here, why not consider donating to the cause? Just click HERE. . . and thank you very much. *

*As eloquently said by Gregg Drinnan of Taking Note - the best hockey/sports blog around