After the dust settled from the home open festivities, the Bulldogs came out with a good push to start the game, with a Ryan Doolin wrist shot hitting the crossbar but staying out less than 20 seconds into the game. The Bulldogs continued to have a jump to their step, drawing an early power play that they again came close on, as Dawson Tritt hit the crossbar behind Zachary Bennett but it again stayed out. The pace slowed as the period continued on, with not much in the way of offense by either side with the Bulldogs perhaps being guilty of passing up too many shooting opportunities. The Clippers would draw first blood late in the period when Robby Drazner took a hard D-to-D pass from Devon Mussio at the right point where he simply put the puck on net through traffic where it appeared to go off the shaft of the stick of Luke Pearson and in, blocker side at 17:45 of the first. Kyler Kovich initially was also awarded an assist on the play, but at the conclusion of the period it was changed to Trevor LeDonne instead, which is somewhat curious as LeDonne wasn't on the ice at the time. The Bulldogs earned a power play with a minute and a half to play in the period, but the Clippers killed it off efficiently to the buzzer to carry the lead into the dressing room.
Shots in the first were 8-7 Clippers.
The Bulldogs were unable to connect on the carry over power play time to start the second, but kept pushing the pace and generated a couple good chances. The Clippers had a fantastic chance to build their lead as well, with Luke Pearson coming up with a deflection save, and a follow up rebound stop in tight with his right pad off Sean Donaldson. The Bulldogs earned a power play, and threatened in the early seconds but ultimately couldn't make it count. It was the Clippers turn a minute later, with the Bulldogs successfully killing it off but heading right back to the box immediately. The Clippers would cash in on the second chance a minute into it after sustained pressure throughout it as Ethan Scardina found Tyler Williams at the side of the net. He in turn made a cross-crease feed onto the tape of a wide-open Josh Bourne at the back post where he made no mistake on the open net to make it 2-0 at 12:53 of the period. The Bulldogs pushed back against the pressure, and earned another power play opportunity. They again threatened, but couldn't find the net. Seconds after the opportunity elapsed, they finally cracked the goose egg as Tommy Bannister took an awkward looking hit from behind before bouncing right back up to his feet and finding the puck that he walked to the net and cut across the crease where he slid it home through the legs of Bennett to make it 2-1 at 18:35 of the second. The Bulldogs threatened to tie it before the period was out, but it remained 2-1 Clippers into the third.
Shots in the period were 13-13 for a 21-20 Nanaimo edge after 40 minutes.
The third period saw the Bulldogs quickly find the equalizer, on a pretty end to end passing play that saw Jackson Munro take a Jackson Doucet drop pass on the rush in the Nanaimo zone down the right wing before finding Tommy Bannister all alone up the middle of the slot where he made no mistake in beating Bennett for his second of the night to make it 2-2 at 1:54 of the third. The Bulldogs were unable to net the go-ahead goal despite the crowd behind them, as a minute and change later they were penalized on a faceoff in the Nanaimo end. They did come up with a big penalty kill to keep it tied however. The score stayed 2-2 into the stages of the third, with the Bulldogs again forced to come up with a big penalty kill with just over three minutes to play to force overtime.
Third period shots were 11-10 Nanaimo, for a 32-30 Clippers edge after 60 minutes.
Overtime saw the Clippers have the best early chance, as Devon Mussio skated in alone on Luke Pearson who stared him down and made a right pad save to keep the game alive. Zachary Bennett would come up with a couple solid saves as well, on Jackson Doucet, Mitchel Deelstra and Jimmy Rayhill. Neither team could get the winner, as the game went to a shoot out.
Overtime shots were 4-2 Bulldogs, for a 34-34 total after 65 minutes.
In the shoot out, Ryan Doolin went first but couldn't beat Bennett. Sean Donaldson was stared down with Pearson getting his blocker on a wrister to keep it out. Tommy Bannister went next, but couldn't get it over the line as Bennett covered it up at the last second. Tyler Williams had the puck bounce as he tried to release it and Pearson kept it out with his right toe. Jacob Bosse went next, and simply skated in and ripped a perfectly placed shot top corner, short-side high over the glove of Bennett to send the water bottle skyward to give the Dogs the advantage. Josh Bourne went next and had to score to keep the game going, but missed high over the glove of Pearson for the 3-2 final score.
The Bulldogs are next in action Tuesday night when they host the Surrey Eagles.
Hammer
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