The game had great end to end pace through the first half of the opening period, with the Kings having the best early chance as Jack Brackett drove in on a partial breakaway but was stopped by Luke Pearson. The Bulldogs had a fantastic series of chances to equalize on a scramble, but a Jackson Doucet shot from in tight hit the post and stayed out, as did a follow up attempt on the opposite side of the crease. The Kings would earn a power play opportunity just over six minutes into the game, but the Bulldogs defended well and Pearson was solid when tested. The Kings would open the scoring just past the midway point of the period on an unfortunate scenario that saw the last Bulldog defender at the attacking line lose his footing, allowing Jack Brackett to chase down a loose puck to skate in alone on Pearson where he put a perfectly placed wrist shot short-side off the post and in past the blocker to make it 1-0 at 10:57 of the first, unassisted, however either Hunter McCoy or Michael Abgrall deserved one for a diving play to poke the puck out of the Kings zone. The Bulldogs would fail to cash in on a power play to tie the game later in the period, and then came very close in the final minute on both a delayed penalty and the ensuing power play in the final minute of the period as Derek Krall made two fantastic saves, one on a cross-ice one-timer for Tommy Bannister, the other on a set up to the hashmarks for Jackson Doucet, to keep it 1-0 Kings after 20 minutes. Shots after one were 11-10 Bulldogs.
The Bulldogs failed to get anything going on a carry-over power play to open the period, or a follow up advantage just three minutes into the frame. They were then penalized soon afterwards, and killed it off with Pearson again making a couple solid saves. Yet another Powell River power play came immediately afterwards, and they would score in the final second of the advantage on a set up to the doorstep that saw Nic Porchetta just get enough to it to sneak it under the arm of Pearson and over the line, making it 2-0 at 10:15 of the second with Jack Brackett drawing the lone assist. The Bulldogs had a great response on the following shift, but couldn't get on the board, with Krall coming up with a breakaway save on Caige Sterzer. The Bulldogs kept their heads down and just kept working, and finally cracked the goose egg in the late stages of the period, as back-to-back offensive zone draws were won by Josh Zary, the second of which back to the right point for Carson Hemenway. He would put a low, hard shot on net that Krall kicked out with his right toe. He would make an initial rebound save on Stephen Castagna, but Josh Zary knocked the loose puck out of midair inside the far post at 17:26 of the second to make it 2-1. Shots in the period were 13-10 Bulldogs, for a 24-20 total in their favour heading into the third.
The Bulldogs were penalized a minute into the third, but again killed it off to keep it a one-goal game. They earned a power play immediately afterwards, but would concede a shorthanded goal in controversial fashion as Jacob Bosse had his head driven into the glass from behind and was left down on the ice in a heap, with neither Official calling anything, as Powell River made it 3-1 on the play with Jack Brackett flying up the left wing and around the Bulldog defender and in alone on Pearson where he tucked it inside the far post at 4:18 of the third, un-assisted, shorthanded, although a King again certainly deserved one on the outlet pass. Two minutes later the fans in the building voiced their displeasure as a dustup at the Kings net saw Josh Zary doubled over after the whistle, before he then had his helmet ripped off his head. Zary would receive the only penalty. Before the ensuing puck drop, Stephen Castagna would be given a ten minute misconduct, which quickly turned into an ejection. Seconds later, Dawson Tritt would race in on a shorthanded breakaway where he had his stick slashed preventing a shot, with a penalty shot perhaps a possibility, but only a minor penalty resulting. 19 seconds later, Tim Gould appeared to take down Davis Pennington, but Pennington was instead penalized, resulting in a 4 on 3 and then short 5 on 3 power play for the Bulldogs, but they were unable to make good on the opportunity to get back in the game. The Kings would erase all doubt with further insurance with 3:31 to play as the Kings caught the Dogs pressing and raced in on a 2 on 1 rush up the right side that saw Brett Pfoh walk in to the right faceoff dot where he snapped a perfectly placed shot off the post long-side past the blocker of Pearson to make it 4-1, with Davis Pennington drawing the lone assist to complete the scoring.
Third period shots were 9-9, for a game total of 34-29 Bulldogs with Luke Pearson taking the loss while Derek Krall earned 2nd star with the win. The Bulldogs were 0 for 6 on the power play, as were the Kings, while they also scored once while shorthanded.
The Bulldogs are next in action Friday night when they visit the Capitals in Duncan.
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