PENTICTON- The Alberni Valley Bulldogs weekend road trip continued Saturday with a stop in Penticton to battle the Vees.
The Bulldogs would pounce first in the opening period on a 5 on 3 power-play. Just 14 seconds into the man advantage, Mitch Deelstra buried his 25th of the season off a near perfect pass from Matthew Grouchy. The Bulldogs would get a number of chances late in the period to extend their lead but to no avail. Ryan Doolin came inches away after ringing one of the inside of the post. The Bulldogs would take a 1-0 lead into the second after out shooting the Vees 12-9.
The Vees would pull even just over five minutes into the second period knotting the game at 1-1. However Grouchy would get the lead back for the Bulldogs just 24 seconds later with his 3rd marker of the season off a cross crease pass from Ryan Doolin. The Bulldogs would take a 2-1 lead into the third. Shots in the period were 9-8 for the Vees, for a 20-18 Bulldogs edge after 40 minutes.
In the third the Bulldogs will kill off an early Vees power-play thanks in large part to Scott Bird who got the start in goal for the Bulldogs on Saturday. The Bulldogs would hold their 2-1 lead until the final seconds of the game. With the Vees net empty the Bulldogs missed a chance at the open net which resulted in an icing call and the Vees would take full advantage of it tying the game up 2-2 with just 8 seconds on the clock.
The game would head to the extra frame knotted at 2-2. The Vees would get the only shot in overtime and they made it count just 16 seconds in. The puck looked to bounce of a Bulldogs stick and past Bird. The Bulldogs did pick up a much needed point but fall 3-2. Bird turned away 30 shots in his BCHL debut. The Bulldogs went 1 for 7 on the power play while the Vees went 0 for 4.
With the loss the Bulldogs are now 25-25-2-2 on the season and will wrap up a busy weekend road trip with a stop in Merritt on Sunday afternoon to battle the 12-38-1-3 Centennials.
The Bulldogs have defeated the Centennials twice this season 4-1 and 4-3. You can catch Sunday’s game live on 93.3 The Peak and Hockey TV with the voice of the Bulldogs Evan Hammond. Puck drop is 2 PM.
Photo Credit: Darran Chaisson Photography
