The Bulldogs fell into a 1-0 hole just over a minute into the contest, as Brady MacDonald took a pass behind the Grizzlies goal line from Kurtis Chapman off a Bulldog dump in. He would play it ahead up the right wing for Marty Westhaver, who carried it up the wall and over the Bulldog line where he was poke checked by Aaron Bohlinger. It would bounce right back onto Westhaver's tape, before he put a rink-wide pass to the deep slot for Nico Somerville, who snapped one short-side past the blocker of Hawthorne at 1:12 of the first. Assists on the play incorrectly went to Henri Schreifels and Kyle McGrath. The Bulldogs did a good job to get in the game over the following minutes, not letting the deficit grow. They would earn a power play a few minutes later when Michael Hodge hustled onto a loose puck where he was cut by a high stick. The Bulldogs had several good opportunities and six shots on the four-minute power play, but Chapman made a couple good saves to protect the lead, with Hawthorne also tested on a shorthanded rush that he kept out. The Grizzlies doubled their lead later in the period, benefitting on what looked like an icing call that was waved off at centre ice that led to a long attacking zone sequence that saw Kenny Johnson dump the puck from the left point to the right corner where it was retrieved by Alex Newhook. He would drop it to Alex Campbell, who fought past a Bulldog defender and across the crease to somehow get it through Hawthorne to make it 2-0 at 14:07 of the first, with Alex Newhook and Riley Hughes given the helpers. The Bulldogs would answer back quickly to get back into it, as Stephen Castagna played an Aaron Bohlinger rim up the left wing to the middle of the zone where it was put rink-wide onto the tape of Isaac Tonkin-Palmer who put a head man pass onto the tape of Mitchel Deelstra in full flight up the left wing who fought around a defender into the left circle where he beat Chapman, but hit the crossbar. It would carom right to the top of the crease where it hit the shin pad of Kenny Johnson and bounced in to make it 2-1 at 16:53 of the first. Assists on the play went to John Hawthorne - who did not touch the puck - and Stephen Castagna. Shots in the period were 20-13 Grizzlies.
The second period began with the Grizzlies on the power play for just under a minute, with the Bulldogs defending well to keep it a one-goal game. Evan Googins would have a great chance to tie it exiting the penalty box to skate in on a breakaway, but Chapman made a big save with his blocker to protect the 2-1 lead. John Hawthorne would come up with a breakaway save of his own a few minutes later, staring down Marty Westhaver to keep it a one-goal game. A few minutes later what would end up being a gigantic turning point saw Jackson Doucet take a late, blindside, blow to head from Jeremie Bucheler. It not only took him out of the game permanently, but it also resulted in neither of the two Referees calling a penalty, with also neither of the two Linesman being able to assist them in calling a Major Penalty after the whistle. It's hard to understand none of the four Officials seeing it, but perhaps that could've been due to the lateness of it, as Doucet had already passed the puck. Instead of the Bulldogs being on what one could argue was a five minute power play in an attempt to tie game and take the lead, they would take an undisciplined penalty as tempers flared, and the Grizzlies would blow the game wide open, going up 3-1 on a broken play on the rush as Alex Newhook cut in on goal where Hawthorne made the save while taking contact from Newhook and his defender which took him off his feet. He wouldn't be able to recover before a rink-wide pass out of the right corner was just slid home by Carter Berger, with Riley Hughes also drawing an assist at 8:19 of the second. Less than two minutes later it was 4-1 as a cross-crease pass appeared to be well defended, but instead took a bounce again off a Bulldog and right onto the tape of Cameron Thompson who snapped it home into the open side before Hawthorne could cross the crease, with Alex Campbell and Charlie Campbell getting the assists at 11:21 of the second. A futher minute and change afterwards it was a 5-1 game on another play that was similar to the previous play in that it looked to be well defended initially in front, only to end up right onto the tape of Carter Berger inside the hashmarks where he fought it on net high over Hawthorne to conclude the barrage, with Alex Campbell and Alex Hewhook at 12:40 of the second. The Grizzlies would have ample opportunities to build their lead, and eventually tacked on another one with under a minute to play in the period as Alex Newhook won a draw in the Dogs zone back to the left point for ColeNoble, who went D-to-D across the line to the top of the point for Kenny Johnnson who blasted a one-timer glove side past a screened Hawthorne to make it 6-1 at 19:09 of the second. Shots in the period were 19-5 Victoria, for a 39-17 edge after 40 minutes.
The Bulldogs earned a power play inside the first minute of the third, on what appeared to be minimal contact at best on an Issac Tonkin-Palmer attempt to split the D and drive the net. The Bulldogs would make good on the opportunity, as Ryan Miotto set up Aaron Bohlinger at the top of the point where he threw a high wrister on goal that was deflected home through the legs of Chapman by Josh Zary. The Grizzlies would complain, not without reason as it certainly looked to be close to the crossbar. The Referee at the net signalled goal immediately, and that call stood as it was 6-2 at 1:09 of the third. The Bulldogs continued to push, but couldn't make it a three goal game before the Grizzlies replied on a pretty goal off a draw in the Dogs zone that saw Jeremie Bucheler put a low shot to the slot where Alex Campbell perfectly deflected it top corner, high over the glove of Cole Demers (who came on to start the period) to make it 7-2 at 3:57 of the third. The Bulldogs made good on another power play two minutes later when a similar set up to the previous goal saw Aaron Bohlinger fire a one-timer off a Ryan Miotto set up from the top of the point low and wide of the net stick side on Chapman. Keaton Mastrodonato would pounce on the end-board bounce to lift it home short-side to again trim the gap to 7-3 at 6:05 of the period. The Bulldogs weren't able to trim away further at the deficit as the Grizzlies salted the time away into the final five minutes. The Bulldogs where then awarded a power play as Kurtis Chapman appeared to show some intent in swing his stick heel first into the face of Keaton Mastrodonato in the crease at the end of a scramble to earn a minor penalty. The Bulldogs threatened early in the advantage, before an unfortunate bounce on a D-to-D pass caught bad ice and bounced out of the zone. Kurtis Chapman would rim the dump in to the far corner where Kenny Johnson relayed it ahead up the left wing for Jordan Gainey, who put a perfect backhand flip to a wide open Marty Westhaver behind the defence at centre ice where he made no mistake with a quick release stick side on Demers for the shorthanded tally to complete the scoring at 16:13 of the third. Assists would go to Chapman and Bucheler instead of Gainey and Johnson to complete the scoring.
Third period shots were 14-10 Grizzlies, for a game total in their favour of 53-27 with John Hawthorne taking the loss giving up six goals on thirty nine shots through forty minutes before being replaced my Cole Demers while Kurtis Chapman picked up the win. The Bulldogs went 2 for 5 on the power play, while the Grizzlies went 0 for 2 while also scoring once while shorthanded.
Gamre two goes tomorrow night at the Q Centre, a 7:00 puck drop.
Hammer
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