Here's some of the highlights from tonight!
Hammer
The Bulldogs held off an opening-minute push by the Grizzlies, before putting some heat on of their own as Blake Wood came up with a big save between the hashmarks on a Stephen Castagna one-timer. The Bulldogs kept pushing relentlessly, and opened the scoring for the first time in four games when Isaac Pascoal picked off a loose puck on the right wing wall in the Grizzlies end and walked to the slot where he put a low shot on net that resulted in a cross-ice rebound for Olivier Fizet that he made no mistake on, sliding it through Wood to make it 1-0, for his first career goal at 4:10 of the first. The Bulldogs continued to run all over the Grizzlies in their zone, but couldn't build their lead despite some great chances and extended shifts on the attack as they ran up a 9-1 edge in shots by the midway point of the period. The Grizzlies earned a power play soon afterwards, but the Bulldogs didn't give up much in successfully killing it off. They would build their lead with under three minutes to play in the period when Jackson Doucet took an outlet pass in his zone up the right wing from Grayson Valente, before dishing off to Tim Gould at the right side of centre ice on the rush. Doucet would drive the net, where Gould put the puck off of him and in, to make it 2-0 at 17:12 of the first. Shots in the period were 18-3 Bulldogs.
The second period began with the Grizzlies having an initial push, but the Bulldogs responding and threatening on the power play, but being unable to build their lead. The Grizzlies would earn a power play short of the midway point of the period, and were then gifted a two-man advantage on a soft call on a net drive to earn a 5 on 3 power play for 34 seconds. To their credit, they took advantage of it, making it first 2-1 on a cross-ice set up by Cody Monds finding Vincent Nardone in the right circle where he got a quick one-timer away that went off the stick of Pearson and in at 11:27 of the second. They would tie the game on the second penalty just over a minute later, as Chase McInnis walked off the left circle where he put a quick release on goal that was deflected in by Andrew Amousse on the doorstep past the glove of Pearson to make it 2-2 at 12:42, with Brendan Bowie also drawing an assist. Just nine seconds later, the Bulldogs instantly answered as Caige Sterzer fought the centre ice faceoff over the Victoria line up the left wing for Jacob Bosse who walked into the circle and snapped a wrist shot past the glove of Wood to make it 3-2 Bulldogs at 12:51 of the second. Luke Pearson would be tested frequently in the following minutes, but was solid to protect the lead. The Bulldogs would earn a power play of their own late in the period, and made good on it just nine seconds in as Jimmy Rayhill fed a pass to the top of the point to Jackson Munro, who set up Jacob Bosse at the bottom of the right circle. He would simply throw a quick shot on net that might've hit a defender, but certainly caught Wood by surprise to find the far corner low to make it 4-2 at 16:28 of the period. Shots in the frame were 20-10 Grizzlies, for a 40 minute total of 28-23 Bulldogs.
The third period saw the Bulldogs threaten, but be unable to build their lead on an early power play. They spent the following minutes with good attacking zone shifts, but unfortunately were penalized at the end of the sequence. They killed the penalty off without giving up much. The Grizzlies made it 4-3 immediately after the media time out when the Bulldogs fell asleep in their zone, with a pass through the seam to the backdoor that saw Luke Pearson make a circus stop with his paddle along the ice. but Andrew Amousse got ahold of his own rebound that he lifted into the open net to make it 4-3 with 9:23 to play in the third with assists Brendan Bowie and Chace Oliver. The Bulldogs again responded and had a great answer back shift that drew a penalty, that they once again threatened on but couldn't find an insurance marker. The dying minutes were crazy at both ends, as Olivier Fizet deflected a Jackson Munro shot off the post - that I thought went in, but play carried on. At the other end, Marty Westhaver rang a shot off the post that also stayed out. The Grizzlies would be whistled for an intentional offside with 22 seconds left, putting the faceoff back into their zone. The Bulldogs would win it, but be unable to get it deep. The Grizzlies would attack, and have an in-alone chance that saw Isack Banhu race in alone on Pearson, who got his right toe on it to save the game, with Grayson Valente clearing the rebound out of the crease as the Bulldogs killed the puck on the wall to the buzzer for the win.
Shots in the third were 8-4 Grizzlies, for a game total of 32-31 Bulldogs, with Luke Pearson earning the win while Blake Wood took the loss. The Bulldogs went 1 for 6 on the power play while the Grizzlies went 2 for 4.
The Bulldogs are next in action tomorrow night when they host the Salmon Arm Silverbacks.
Hammer
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