The Clippers had a slight edge through the first few minutes of the game, with the Bulldogs getting their first shot on goal just over five minutes in. The Clippers continued to have an edge in the play, and drew a penalty as a result of an unfortunate bounce at the Bulldog line resulted in a partial breakaway for Vincent Millette. The Clippers looked to have a sure goal early in the advantage, but John Hawthorne made a jaw dropping goal line save to rob Jake Harris on a wide open net. It would unfortunately be all for not as they connected in the dying seconds of the advantage when Jamie Collins found a loose puck in the slot off a Brandon Marinelli shot that had hit the post and went rink-wide to the left circle where Parker Colley finished it with a perfect one-timer top corner, short-side high. Assists on the play went to Vincent Millette and Jamie Collins at 8:49 of the first. The Bulldogs started to get into the game in the following minutes, but then got caught pressing and couldn't get back as the Clippers scored on the rush to go up 2-0 when Jake Harris put a pass up the middle for Brady Lynn, who slid it over to Tristan Crozier who snuck down the left side in tight where he snuck one home short-side past the blocker of Hawthorne at 12:52 of the first. The Bulldogs responded admirably to the hole, as they didn't show any signs of being deflated but instead dug in and pushed back to carry parts of the play and get a couple good chances on net. They would draw a late period power play when the Clippers appeared to have seven players on the ice. They would cash in on it on a great play by Mitch Oliver to gain the line and hold the puck on side and let everyone gain the zone. He would then put a pass down the right wing for Jackson Doucet, who fed it to the side of the net for Paul Selleck. He made a perfect pass to the slot for Cole Poliziani, who beat Taz Burman with a one-timer far-side past his blocker and inside the post to make it 2-1 at 19:35 of the first. Shots in the period were 19-14 Clippers - at one point they were 13-1 Nanaimo.
The Bulldogs had an obvious jump to their step and urgency to their play to start the second, generating a couple good shifts and chances around the Nanaimo net. The Clippers would catch them pressing as David Silye skated in alone where he was tripped up while Hawthorne made a good left toe save to keep it out. The Bulldogs would kill off the following penalty without giving up a shot. The Bulldogs continued to generate opportunities, but couldn't beat Burman as the period wore on. The Clippers would get another great chance to build their lead just short of nine minutes into the period as Tristan Crozier picked up a stretch pass and danced in alone past a Forward back playing defense, but Hawthorne came up with a big blocker save to keep it a one-goal game. The Bulldogs would draw a power play late in the period, which became a 5 on 3 opportunity when Jeremy Gervais head-locked and threw down a Bulldog in front of the Clipper net after the whistle. The Bulldogs would work the puck around perfectly, and patiently, and make it a 2-2 game as Jackson Doucet found Darren Rizzolo at the top of the left circle. He slid it cross-ice to Mitch Oliver, who blasted a one-timer high past the glove of Burman at 16:50 of the second. The Bulldogs couldn't cash in on the remaining power play time and the momentum, and were subsequently penalized with a minute remaining in the period. Shots in the period were 12-9 Bulldogs, for a 28-26 Clipper advantage after 40 minutes.
The Bulldogs killed off the remaining penalty time to begin he third, and subsequently took their first lead of the game a minute and change later on a quick pass through centre by Jackson Doucet onto the tape of Paul Selleck with speed over the Clippers line. He would put it on the tape of Cole Poliziani in the right circle, who put a quick shot on goal that hit a Clipper stick and beat Burman short-side inside the post to make it 3-2 Bulldogs at 1:57 of the third. The Bulldogs played solid for the remainder of the period, generating a handful of chances, the most notable ones coming on a crazy scramble in front that saw Paul Selleck stopped twice on the doorstep by Burman, with possibly a crossbar hit as well and a loose puck getting behind the goalie but rolling wide of the post. The Dogs pushed late, and Burman made a great save on the doorstep on a one-timer from in tight with his right toe off Selleck. The Dogs won the initial draw with just over a minute to play in their end with the Clipper goalie out and cleared the puck, but the Clippers quickly countered on transition as Max Crozier fed Jamie Collins over the Bulldog line up the left wing. He would throw it on goal, where Hawthorne got a stick on it, but deflected it up the middle where it hit the leg of Jake Harris and went in to make it 3-3 at 19:06 as the game went to overtime. Shots in the third period were 9-9.
The Bulldogs had a great couple of looks in the first minute of overtime, but couldn't cash in. They would then get caught stepping up at centre ice resulting in a 3 on 2 the other way that the Clippers worked to perfection as David Silye took a Lucas Vanroboys drop pass and put a perfect feed off the back post for David Melaragni that he put inside the far post before Hawthorne could get over for the game winner.
Final shots were 38-37 Clippers, with Taz Burman picking up the win while John Hawthorne took the loss. The Dogs went 2 for 4 on the power play, while the Clippers went 1 for 3.
The Bulldogs are next in action Saturday night when the host the Wenatchee Wild.
Hammer
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