The Bulldogs looked little like a team on a six game losing streak, and a lot like a team excited to debut some new threads and some new players Saturday as they came out of the gate flying against the Express, taking a 1-0 lead just 1:51 into the game when Dylan Haugen drove the net and jammed in a rebound on the goal line. Assists went to Zach Funk and Mitch Cristanti (I believe should be Kerr) for a `1-0 Dogs lead. The Bulldogs would keep up the pressure and buzz around the net following the goal, leading to back-to-back penalties to Coquitlam, including a half-minute 5 on 3 power play. The Dogs would have plenty of chances around the net, but they weren’t able to build the lead with Daniel Urbani playing stellar in the Coquitlam net as the Dogs outshot the Express 17-8 after one period.
The second period had a much slower pace than the first with neither team able to get much of a sustained attack going. Later in the period the Bulldogs built the lead to 2-0 on a faceoff win in the attacking zone and a puck thrown out front onto the tape of Zach Funk who had his one-timer stopped by Urbani, but Johnny on the spot was Nick Kerr as he roofed the rebound. Dylan Haugen also picked up an assist on the play at 12:33 of the second. The Express would get on the board late in the frame on a nice bank-pass set up that ended up on the tape of John Siemer who walked in on net and went top corner short-side from in tight on Jay Deo. Dillan Walker and Ryan Panichelli picked up the assists on the play at 17:22 of the second. It wasn’t a one-goal game for very long though, as the Dogs found the net just 31 seconds later as Eric Walker put a perfect cross-crease pass onto the tape of Ryan Lough at the back post where he tapped it in. Lars Hepso also picked up an assist at 17:53 of the second for a 3-1 Dogs lead after two periods.
The third period began with the Express finding the net in the first 30 seconds as Phillip Zielonka walked over the Bulldogs line and snapped a perfect shot top corner far-side on Jay Deo to make it 3-2 with assists to John Siemer and Justin Georgeson 27 seconds into the third. Less than a minute later it was a 3-3 game when Zielonka scored again on a beautiful set up on an odd-man rush as he converted a cross-ice pass with a one-timer finish. Siemer and Callum Hofford picked up the helpers at 1:18 of the third as the Dogs Coaching Staff called a time out to settle the ship. The Bulldogs would battle back to take the lead five minutes later when Lars Hepso converted a feed from behind the goal line from the slot off the post and in on a one-timer. Assists went to Ryan Lough and Eric Walker at 6:48 of the third. The insurance goal didn’t come until late in the game when Manny Gialedakis buried a loose puck in the slot with 1:04 to play from Bo Pellah and Matt Hansen getting the assists.
Final shots favoured the Bulldogs 48-33 with Jay Deo picking up the win and Daniel Urbani taking the loss. Each team went 0 for 4 on the power play. The Dogs next see action tomorrow afternoon for a 2:00 puck drop when the Powell River Kings come to town.
Bulldogs top Express 5-3
