The Bulldogs looked sharp in the early minutes, and drew a penalty just 2:08 into the contest. Their power play would unfortunately lose any momentum with back-to-back misplays at the attacking line. The Bulldogs would concede a shorthanded breakaway at the end of the power play, but Luke Pearson came up with a pad save on Tim Washe to keep it tied. The Bulldogs kept pushing the pace, and opened the scoring on a delayed penalty as a Tim Gould cross-ice pass was found and one-timed home from the left circle by Jacob Bosse before Jordan Naylor could recover. Affiliate player Luca Cagnoni also drew an assist on the play at 8:33 of the first. The Bulldogs had a handful of Grade A chances throughout the following minutes, but either couldn't hit the target, or beat Naylor to pad the lead. A big shot block in front of the Nanaimo net quickly turned up ice an a perfect outlet pass from Ethan Scardina sent Tim Washe in alone behind the defence, and he didn't miss on a second chance as he went backhand over the glove of Luke Pearson to tie it at 1-1 at 16:02 of period one, with Kyler Kovich also drawing an assist. On the ensuing faceoff, the Bulldogs drew another penalty, as Scott Mahovlich got his stick up in the Bulldog zone. They would make the opportunity count, with a great keep at the right point by Jimmy Rayhill. He would then take a few steps in before simply throwing it at the net, where Stephen Castagna deflected it home to make it 2-1 Bulldogs at 17:07 of the first, with Austin Spiridakis also drawing an assist. Shots in the first were 13-12 Clippers.
The Bulldogs began the second on the power play, but couldn't get anything going to add to their lead. The Clippers would get the equalizer just over seven minutes into the frame, on a giveaway onto the tape of Joshua Bourne, who walked right down main street to the hashmarks where he beat Pearson with a quick release, blocker side to make it 2-2, unassisted at 7:06 of the second. Just 1:22 later, it was 3-2 Clippers, as the Bulldogs failed to get the puck out numerous times, the first hitting the Linesman and staying in the zone, before a giveaway at the net front saw an initial chance hit the crossbar, before the puck skittered across the crease where Scott Mahovlich tapped it home with 8:28 gone in the second, with assists to Ethan Scardina and Kyler Kovich. The Clippers pushed for more, but Luke Pearson came up with a highlight reel windmill glove save on a cross-ice set up for Tim Washe to keep it a one-goal game.vThe Bulldogs pushed back to tie it, with Tommy Bannister battling the puck over the Nanaimo line up the right wing for Ryan Doolin. He would bounce a pass across the slot for Jacob Bosse, who batted a one-timer through Naylor to make it 3-3 at 13:54 of the second. Seconds later, it looked like it was 4-3 Bulldogs, but Jordan Naylor came up with a highlight reel save on an open net on Matthew Grouchy backhand to keep it tied. Just a minute later, the Clippers went up 4-3 when Ethan Scardina deflected a shot from the top of the left circle past the blocker of Pearson, with assists going to Trevor LeDonne and Kyler Kovich at 15:15. Less than a minute later it was 5-3 on a gorgeous three-way passing play on the rush that saw Robbie Drazer tap it in off the back post. Assists on the play went to Tyler Williams and Joshua Bourne at 16:05 of the second. The Clippers would tack on one more before the period was out on the power play to pad their lead, as Pearson made the first save with his left toe, but Bourne won a battle in the paint to slap it home to make it 6-3 at 19:43 of the second with assists to Tyler Williams and Steven Agriogianis. Shots in the period were 14-13 Bulldogs, for a 26-26 total after two periods of play.
The Bulldogs were unable to trim the gap in the third before the Clippers further added to their lead as Tim Washe was allowed to walk in to the deep slot where he put a wrist shot through the blocker arm of Pearson to make it 7-3 at 4:25 of the third, with assists going to Brandon Dent and Kyler Kovich. The Bulldogs continued to fight it, and the Clippers took advantage of a giveaway by the Bulldogs at their line that saw Joshua Bourne again walk in to the deep slot, where he put a perfect shot top corner, long-side over the glove of Pearson and under the crossbar to make it 8-3 at 9:43 of the third, un-assisted. The Bulldogs would complete the scoring in the final minute of play as Olivier Fizet threw it across the crease where Jacob Bosse jammed it on net. Naylor would make the first save, but Caige Sterzer potted the rebound from the crease to make it an 8-4 final.
Third period shots were 15-12 Bulldogs, for a game total of 41-39 with Luke Pearson taking the loss while Jordan Naylor earned the win. The Bulldogs went 1 for 5 on the power play, while the Clippers went 1 for 2.
With the loss, the Bulldogs have now dropped four straight contests.They are now cemented into 4th place in the Island Division standings.
The Bulldogs are next in action Saturday night in Duncan for a 6:00pm puck drop.
Hammer
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