The Bulldogs begin a stretch of six straight games away from home with a three-in-three road trip this weekend that starts Friday in Powell River, shifts to Surrey Saturday and then ends back on the Island Sunday afternoon in Nanaimo.
The Bulldogs enter this weekend with a record of 30-10-1 and 2, good for 63 points and first in the Coastal Conference. The Powell River Kings are their closest competition, entering this weekend nine points behind them with a record of 24-11-1 and 5 for 54 points. The Kings hold two games in hand on the Dogs.
The Kings were last in action Tuesday night where they won their third in a row, 3-1 over the Prince George in the battle of the ?Kings?. After a scoreless first period the Spruce Kings took a 1-0 lead before the second period was even 20 seconds old. The Kings got that back just past the five minute mark of the frame on a Chad Niddery goal for a 1-1 tie after 40 minutes. Niddery would find the net again nine minutes into the third on the power play for a 2-1 Powell River lead that they made stand until Justin DaSilva hit the empty net with 2 seconds left for the 3-1 final.
Shots favoured Powell River 51-24 with Michael Garteig picking up the win and second star honours in net. The Kings were 1 for 4 on the power play; the Spruce Kings were 0 for 4.
This is the first meeting in Powell River since the Dogs laid an egg on the opening night of the season where they lost 9-1, so expect the to come out with something to prove. The Kings are the only team in the Conference that the Dogs have played more than two times that they don?t have a winning record against, as the Kings have won three of the four head to head games between the teams this season. These teams last met December 5th at the Pound, where the Kings dealt the Dogs a heartbreaker to win 3-2. With the Dogs holding a 2-1 lead late in the game, the Kings tied it up with just over five minutes left. They would then promptly take a bench minor for unsportsmanlike conduct to put the Dogs on the power play. And they would then promptly score the shorthanded game winner on a breakaway.
Besides the first meeting on night one of the season, every other game between these teams this season has been decided by one goal so expect Friday night?s tilt to be a close one. This is a big game, a ?four pointer? as the Kings try to close the gap on the Dogs and the Dogs try to widen it. These teams will meet again seven days later, next Friday in Powell River.
Catch the pregame show Friday night from the Powell River Recreation Complex on 93.3 The Peak FM at 7:15 with the puck dropping at 7:30pm. Listen live on 93.3 The Peak or www.933thepeak.com
The Dogs will wake up early Saturday morning and hit the road down the Sunshine Coast for the two-Ferry trek to the Lower Mainland and the fourth and final meeting of the season between the Eagles and Bulldogs at the South Surrey Arena Saturday night.
The Eagles enter play this weekend with a record of 24-15-0 and 4, good for 52 points, two back of the second placed Kings, who have played two less games than Surrey.
The Eagles were last in action Wednesday night when they bounced back from a 9-5 trouncing by the Cowichan Valley Capitals the game before with a 6-4 win over the Prince George Spruce Kings. Before they host the Dogs on Saturday night, the Eagles visit the Chiefs in Langley Friday night.
The Bulldogs have taken all three of the previous meetings this season, most recently a 5-4 double overtime win at the Dog Pound on November 7th The Dogs also won the only previous meeting in Surrey 3-0 back on October 30th.
Much like the Powell River Kings have had the Dogs number this season, the Dogs have had the Eagles number in some hard fought games so expect the Eagles to come out with something to prove in their last chance to beat the Dogs in the regular season.
Catch the pregame at 6:45 and the puck drop at 7:00pm on 93.3 The Peak FM. Watch the Pay-Per-View video broadcast through the BCHL website
The Dogs will have an early wake up again on Sunday as they?ll catch a Ferry back to the Island to visit the Clippers at the Frank Crane Arena.
The Clippers enter play Friday night with a record of 16-16-1 and 9, good for 42 points and 6th in the Conference. They are seven points behind the 5th placed Grizzlies, and 11 points up on the 7th placed Cowichan Valley Capitals. The Clippers have been struggling lately, as they head into the weekend on a four game losing streak with just one win in their last 10 games.
The Clippers were last in action Tuesday night in Victoria lost 1-0 to the Grizzlies in overtime. Before the Dogs visit on Sunday the Clippers will host the Cowichan Valley Capitals Friday night. They then have Saturday night off.
The season series between these teams has been a battle with the Dogs picking up three wins and the Clippers two in five games played. After the Bulldogs took game one 3-0, the last four have been decided in overtime as the Clippers took game two 4-3 in overtime at the Pound, before the Dogs returned the favour with a 2-1 overtime win at the Frank Crane Arena. The Clippers then won 4-3 in overtime at the Dog Pound, before the Dogs won the most recent meeting 3-2 in overtime at the Frank Crane Arena on December 6th. The Dogs trailed 2-0 after two in that game before the Clippers got in penalty trouble as the Dogs scored on the power play with less than 30 seconds left in regulation to force sudden death. Less than a minute into OT the Dogs won it on the power play.
Catch the 93.3 The Peak FM pregame show getting under way at 2:45 with the puck drop and all the play-by-play to follow at 3:00.
This is a big three games in three days test for the Dogs as they try to hold and build their lead at the top of the Coastal Conference Standings.
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