The BEST WESTERN PLUS Barclay Hotel, the largest full facility hotel in Port Alberni, BC. When staying with us there is no need to give up conveniences you are used to. You can discover treasures to take home at the Alberni Harbour Quay, and then browse our onsite Cold Beer, Wine Store and liquor store or retreat to our Stamps Cafe or Pastimes Sports Bar and Grill to enjoy a snack or to watch the game on our big screen TV. Then, relax in our sauna or pool before settling in our luxurious accommodations to enjoy the vintage wine picked up earlier. That's when you will truly understand why the tranquil setting of our hotel has been called the perfect place to call home. If traveling on business, our Port Alberni Hotel boasts over 4500 square feet of meeting space in four rooms that are perfect for small conventions, banquets, parties, meetings and weddings. AV equipment and catering are also available.
The start was fast-paced with great flow and only a couple whistles through the first five minutes. While the Dogs had an early 3-0 lead in shots, they took a penalty just under six minutes into the game. They would do a very good job to kill it and keep the Chiefs off the board, but shortly afterwards it was 1-0 when a pass behind the goal by Connor McCarthy was put to the top of the crease by Kohen Olischefski right onto the tape of Linden Hora. He would have too much time and space, as he knocked the puck down and roofed it under the bar, glove-side on Brody Claeys at 10:09 of the first. The Dogs earned a power play almost immediately after the goal, but failed to connect on it. Through the late minutes of the period the Chiefs would start to carry the better of the play and got a good amount of pucks on Brody Claeys, but he held the fort to keep it 1-0 Chiefs after one, with shots favouring Chilliwack 14-8.
The second period saw the Chiefs continue to carry the better of the play, while the Dogs were for the most part defending through the first 10 minutes. They would come up with a big penalty kill when all four players were stuck on the ice for the full two minutes, as Brody Claeys came up with a handful of big saves on wide open looks to keep his team within one. The Dogs would get going throughout the back half of the period and generated a couple good chances around the Chiefs net, most notably a breakaway for the hashmarks and in for Cayden Kraus. He would put a nice move on before lifting a backhand on goal that Matteo Esposito made a good save on to keep it 1-0. The Dogs would take another penalty late in the period, and the Chiefs would make them pay when they connected with just half a minute to go in the advantage when Olivier Arseneau blew a slap shot on net from the left point that had eyes, and might have changed direction of a Bulldog defender before it went in top corner, far-side over the glove of Claeys at 19:10 of the period with Mark Esposito and Jordan Kawaguchi assisting. Shots favoured the Chiefs in the period 16-7 for a two period advantage of 30-15.
The Bulldogs had a fantastic chance just seconds off the third period puck drop, as they raced in on a 2 on 1 rush that saw Nathan Dingmann set up Josh Adkins with a cross-ice pass. He would put a shot on net, but Esposito came across and made a highlight reel glove save. Just a minute later an incident broke out that made me pretty hot, as Eric Margo and Kale Kane dropped the gloves to fight. One Linesman would for some reason immediately jump in, and grab both of Margo's arms, resulting in Kane being able to get off three cheap sucker punches with Margo unable to defend himself. Somehow, Margo would get four minutes and Kane would get two. The puzzling call saw insult turn to injury just seconds later, as the Chiefs connected on the power play when Jordan Kawaguchi dished the puck to the slot for Mark Esposito. He in turn set up Vimal Sukamaran in the left circle with a cross-ice pass, that he one-timed home short-side past Claeys to make it 3-0 at the 4:31 mark of the third. The score stayed that way until the late stages of the game, when the Dogs showed no quit and saw some of the calls start to go their way. After a big Brody Claeys breakaway glove save on a breakaway chance for Kohen Olischefski the Dogs would earn a power play, and while struggling early in the advantage they connected on it late as Paul Meyer found Chris Schutz in the left circle where he snapped a wrist shot passed a screened Esposito to make it 3-1 at 14:47 of the third. The Dogs would earn another power play just minutes later, and once again scored on a play similar to the first as Clark fed Meyer at the top of the point, where he faked a shot and put a perfect feed onto the tape of Chris Schutz at the top of the left circle where he blew a one-timer home past Esposito to make it 3-2 at 17:35 of the third. That's as close as the Dogs would come however, as they couldn't generate a great scoring chance to try for the equalizer as the Chiefs made the lead stand.
Final shots favoured Chilliwack 35-23, with Matteo Esposito picking up the win while Brody Claeys took the loss. Both teams went 2 for 4 on the power play.
The Bulldogs next see action Friday night in Nanaimo when they kick off a home and home set with the Clippers that concludes Saturday night at the Dog Pound.
Hammer
