Coming off a 4-1 loss at the hands of the Clippers on Friday night at the Frank Crane Arena, the Alberni Valley Bulldogs return home looking for a split in their home-and-home set with Nanaimo.
Despite generating 43 shots on Clippers goaltender Aidan Campbell, the Bulldogs didn’t find the back of the net until the final minutes of the 3rd period when Nicholas Beneteau scored his 6th of the season. Nanaimo added a late power play goal to make it a 4-1 final.
Hobie Hedquist was solid in goal, and if not for a handful of top-notch saves on point blank attempts, the Bulldogs could have been blow out of the Frank. Hedquist finished the game with 39 saves.
The Bulldogs have now lost 2 straight, coming off winning 3 straight. The sluggish start to the season just doesn’t want to end.
Heading into the month of November, the Bulldogs knew it was going to be a challenge. The Bulldogs opponents are a collective 63-15-3-2 on the year. After tonight, the Bulldogs face the 10-5-1-1 Prince George Spruce Kings, the 10-5-0-1 Salmon Arm Silverbacks, and the 12-2-2-0 West Kelowna Warriors. They will return home to face the currently undefeated Penticton Vees who as of this morning have won 17 straight this year, and 33 straight if you add on last years playoffs. November is a gauntlet indeed.
Nobody feels sorry for the Bulldogs struggles, so answers will need to come from within.
A win at home tonight against the Clippers would certainly lighten the mood as the teams boards the bus for Prince George. The Clippers are a perfect 5-0-0-0 away from Nanaimo this year and improved to 14-3-0-0 overall with last nights win over the Bulldogs. The Bulldogs actually have a winning record at home against the Clippers over the past 5 years at 9-7-0-0.
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