The Bulldogs had a great chance in the opening seconds of the game, as Mitchel Deelstra walked in on Joe Howe, who got a shoulder save from in tight to keep it scoreless. The Bulldogs were penalized seconds later, as the Grizzlies went to work on the man advantage 43 seconds into the game. Jackson Glassford was tested a couple times on it, and looked sharp, with the Bulldogs then having a great chance on a rush shorthanded in the dying seconds of the advantage. The Bulldogs earned a power play of their own two minutes later that they failed to threaten on. The period wore on with for the most part sloppy play both ways, with another Bulldog powerplay later in the period failing to generate a goal or momentum. The Bulldogs would open the scoring with just under two minutes to play in the period as Jackson Munro blocked a shot in the Bulldog end that caromed off Tommy Bannister and onto the tape of Austin Spiridakis up the left wing for a 4 on 2 rush. Spiridakis would keep the puck and drive hard down the wing and right in on goal where he went high short-side over the blocker of Howe to make it 1-0 at 18:02 of the first. The Bulldogs came close to padding the lead several times in the final two minutes, the most notable chance seeing Ryan Doolin set up Mitchel Deelstra across the slot, only to have his shot hit the crossbar and stay out. The Grizzlies also tested Glassford before the period was out, with a nice Nico Somerville cross-ice set up for James Davenport seeing Glassford kick out his right pad to keep it 1-0 after 20 minutes. Shots were 9-8 Grizzlies.
The second period, at least through the early stages of it had much of the same somewhat disjointed play as the first. The Bulldogs again earned a power play, but again failed to generate a shot on it. The Grizzlies would test Glassford following it, but he was again solid to protect the lead through the midpoint of regulation. The Bulldogs doubled their lead with under eight minutes to play in the period as Stephen Castagna made a beautiful outlet pass rink-wide from the right side of the Bulldog zone to the left side of centre for Ryan Doolin. He would keep the puck on a 2 on 1 up the left wing and in to the slot where he snapped it home far-side low past the glove of Howe to make it 2-0 12:34 of the second. Less than two minutes later it was 3-0, on a gorgeous shorthanded effort from end to end by Dawson Tritt, who first fought the puck out of the Bulldogs zone up the right wing through two defenders, before driving into the Grizzlies end and making a defender miss before cutting across the slot and going top corner, glove side on Howe. Assisting was Moe Acee, at 14:20 of the second. The Bulldogs were sent to the penalty box seconds later, bringing about a 15 second 5 on 3 power play for the Grizzlies. They would make it count, with a single second remaining in the first penalty as Henri Schreifels snapped one high short-side from the right circle over the blocker of Glassford to make it 3-1, with Nico Sommerville and Cody Monds drawing the assists at 14:50 of the second. The Bulldogs almost struck again short-handed, with Dawson Tritt again in alone on a breakaway, but Howe got his stick on it to keep it out. Moments later, a net drive by Henri Schreifels saw Grayson Valente finish him with appeared to be a shoulder-on-shoulder hit. The back Referee on the other side of centre ice indicated a penalty on the play - a long discussion would result in Valente given a 5 minute major for a blow to the head, as the Grizzlies went right back to a 5 on 3 power play. They would score seconds into it, as Edward Yan walked untouched off the goal line where Glassford made the first save, but Yan tucked in his rebound to make it 3-2 at 18:12 of the second, with Somerville again assisting. Shots in the period were 19-8 Grizzlies, for a 40 minute advantage of 29-16 Grizzlies.
The third period began with four-aside hockey, after a late even up call in the second period. The Bulldogs killed off the subsequent remaining 90 seconds of the Major Penalty, but were promptly again sent back to the penalty box. Just seven seconds into the advantage, it was 3-3 as Jackson Glassford made the first save, but Bryce Anderson potted the rebound at the side of the net. Darwin Lakoduk drew the lone assist at 4:14 of the third. The Bulldogs went right back to the box in short order - twice. Tim Gould got sent first, and Mitchel Deelstra was sent 40 seconds later on an interesting scenario that saw him and James Davenport exchanging after the whistle punches. Deelstra was sent to the box, and on the way there the Official signalled an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, followed by a ten minute misconduct, and finally a game misconduct. In the end, he would only receive a roughing call, and the minor for unsportsmanlike was forgotten. The Bulldogs would come up with a big kill to keep the game tied, and get the crowd into it. They would carry the better of the play when it finally got to five-aside hockey through the third, and took the lead back with under five minutes to play when Caige Sterzer chased down Reid Lindsay and shouldered him off the puck and found Josh Zary in tight where he went straight upstairs short-side on Howe to make it 4-3 at 15:04 of the third, with Moe Acee also drawing an assist. The Bulldogs earned a power play on a neutral zone hook 45 seconds later, and put the game away on the power play as Carson Hemenway blocked a shot that was found by Jackson Munro. He would set up behind the net before finding Jacob Bosse in full flight up the right wing through centre. He fought hard to get by a defender, and drove in on net where he bounced one on Howe that went off his stick and up through his blocker arm and over the line to make it 5-3 at 16:18 of the third. One more Victoria power play with over two minutes to play saw the Bulldogs defend well and not give up much to make the lead stand.
Third period shots were 11-11, for a game total of 39-27 Grizzlies, with Jackson Glassford earning the win while Joe Howe took the loss. The Bulldogs went 1 for 5 on the power play and also scored once while shorthanded, while the Grizzlies went 3 for 9.
The Bulldogs are next in action tomorrow night when they host the unbeaten Penticton Vees.
Hammer
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