UPDATED with VIDEO Dogs win second straight, 4-1 over the Capitals

A fast start to the game, in a sold right out building. The Bulldogs had a couple great chances early, but couldn't convert. They earned a power play soon afterwards, and generated a Grade A chance of the end of it on a backdoor pass to Sami Pharaon, but Michael Corson came up with a big save. The Dogs earned another power play a couple minutes later, when Tate Coughlin high sticked Carter Harris, and then hit him from behind. The Bulldogs again generated a couple good chances on the door step, but couldn't get a bounce to beat Corson. The Capitals would get their best chance of the game at the midway point of the period as a centering pass was deflected on goal from in tight by Hugh Larkin, but Hawthorne came up with a big save. The Bulldogs continued to push the pace hard, and again drew a high sticking penalty. They again threatened around the goal, but couldn't get anything to go. Corson would also come up with a big save late in the period on Isaac Tonkin-Palmer on a 3 on 2 rush to keep it scoreless. The Capitals had another great chance in the final minute and change of the period, as David Laroche was set up in the slot but hit the post with the teams heading to the room tied at 0-0 after 20 minutes, with the shots 9-8 Capitals.

The Bulldogs were penalized twice in quick succession to start the second, with the Capitals going to a 5 on 3 power play for 50 seconds. They couldn't make it count, with the penalty killers doing a good job of not giving up much, and Hawthorne being rock solid when called upon. The Bulldogs earned a power play short of the midway point of the period, but again couldn't capitalize as the game remained deadlocked into the back half of the second. The Bulldogs would finally open the scoring with just over two minutes to play in the period as an extended shift in the Capitals zone with a series of battles won in the right corner resulting in a giveaway to the slot that saw Paul Selleck corral the puck and fire a quick wrister long-side past the blocker of Corson to make it 1-0, with Cole Poliziani assisting at 17:43 of the second. The Bulldogs had a glorious chance to build the lead on the next shift, but couldn't connect on a long 2 on 1 rush. Shots in the period were 12-9 Bulldogs, for two period total in their favour of 20-18.

The Bulldogs killed off a minute and change of a penalty to start the third, with two fantastic plays made - the first by Bradley Ong off the bench, diving to prevent a Ty Pochipinski breakway chance. The second was a great Hawthorne save on MacTavish on the doorstep. Another Bulldog penalty immediately afterwards was successfully killed off with a couple of great efforts by Christian Simeone. They would open up a 2-0 lead with seven minutes gone in the third on a crazy scramble around the Capitals net that started when Mitch Oliver put a puck on net from the right point. Corson would make the save, but kicked out a big cross-ice rebound. Cole Poliziani would have a wide open net, but missed short-side. Jackson Doucet would jam the end board bounce on goal from the opposite side where it was stopped by Corson. Paul Selleck would find the rebound, and jam it over the line. The Referee in perfect position behind the net immediately called it a goal. A long discussion would ensue, but the original call stood. Replays showed it looked to be the correct call. It was Selleck's second of the game, with assists to Cole Poliziani and Mitch Oliver at 7:00 of the third. The Capitals would earn a power play soon afterwards, and it changed the game as they made it 2-1 as Hugh Larkin collected a long stretch pass and skated up the right wing on a partial breakaway that he snapped far-side off the post and in past Hawthorne. Assists on the play went to Nicholas Wilson and Marshall Skapski at 13:03 of the third. The Bulldogs responded well to the Capitals momentum, and didn't give up much and in fact earned a fantastic chance to put the game away on a long 2 on 1 rush but Corson came up with a huge save on Carter Harris on a Julian Benner set up. Harris would take a shot at the whistle, and responded, and for some reason was the only player sent to the penalty box. The Capitals pushed hard for the equalizer, firing six shots on net on the power play but John Hawthorne was razor sharp to protect the lead before the Dogs put the game away shorthanded as Paul Selleck found a rebound in front and sent it up the left wing for Cole Poliziani. He would walk over the Capitals line and cut to the middle where he snapped a quick release low, against the grain inside the post on Corson to make it 3-1. Mitch Oliver also drew an assist on the play at 18:12 of the third. The Dogs killed off the remaining seconds of the penalty, and rubbed some salt into the wound on an empty net as Keaton Mastrodonato skated the puck to centre and head-manned it up the right wing for Michael Sacco who gained the zone and finished it off for the 4-1 final score at 18:56 of the third.


Third period shots were 12-8 Captials for a game total in their favour of 30-28 with John Hawthorne earning second star honours with the win while Michael Corson took the loss. The Dogs went 0 for 6 on the power play while the Capitals went 1 for 7.


With the win, the Bulldogs have won two in a row, and now lead the Capitals by 11 points in the standings. They also snapped a four game road losing streak, going back to December 9th.


The Bulldogs are next in action Friday night in Salmon Arm.


Hammer



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