PORT ALBERNI- It was another great crowd at the Dawg Pound for the second consecutive night. Close to 1100 people came to cheer on the Bulldogs as they battled the Langley Rivermen on Saturday.
The Rivermen would score early in the opening frame and then add another late to take a 2-0 lead over the Bulldogs. The Rivermen out shot the Bulldogs 14-10.
In the middle frame, the Bulldogs would out shoot the Rivermen 12-8 but were unable to find the back of the net. The Bulldogs remained down 2-0 after forty minutes.
The Rivermen would add to their lead at the 1:22 mark of the third to make it 3-0. Captain Mitch Deelstra would get the Bulldogs on board with his 24th goal of the season at the 6:49 mark of the third, Josh Zary and Matthew Grouchy picked up the assists. Ryan Doolin would then pot his 17th goal of the season at the 12:31 mark of the period to pull the Bulldogs within a goal, Tim Gould and Grouchy assisted on the play. However the comeback would fall short as the Rivermen held on for the 3-2 win. Luke Pearson made 35 saves in the loss.
The Bulldogs are now 24-19-1-2 on the season and did clinch a playoff spot last night despite the loss. The Bulldogs have 51 points on the season and are tied with Powell River for third in the Island Division, the Bulldogs have two games in hand.
The Bulldogs will return to the ice on Thursday when they host the West Kelowna Warriors (13-27-5-2) at the Dawg Pound. The Warriors took the first meeting back on January 12th, 6-2. Tommy Bannister and Zary scored for the Bulldogs in that contest while Pearson turned away 37 shots in the loss.
WHO’S HOT: Tim Gould has collected a point in six straight games. Mitch Deelstra has found the back of the net in three straight and Matthew Grouchy has three consecutive multi-point games.
Photo Credit: Darran Chaisson Photography
