The Dogs got their first win of the season Friday night, a hard earned 4-2 triumph over the 2007 Royal Bank Cup host Prince George Spruce Kings. The Dogs struck first with Jordan Kremyr scoring his fourth of the season from Maury Edwards and Tyler Ruel 6:52 into the game on a 4 on 3 power play. The Kings would get that back when Scott McNaughton redirected a Bobby Hineman point shot past Ryan Lafferty, also assisted by Ryan Devries 9:29 in for a 1-1 tie after 20 minutes, the goal came while PG was on the man advantage. After a penalty parade for most of the second the Bulldogs started to dominate when the 5 on 5 play and the flow returned to the game. Regan Smiley made it 2-1 Dogs with 5:00 to play in the second banking one in off Spruce King goaltender Paul Dainton with assists to Sawyer Eichel and Scott McNichol. Late in the second things went wrong in a hurry for the Dogs. First, Bobby Hineman tied the score with just 15 seconds left in the period, burying a rebound after joining the rush assisted by Tyshynski and Hulme and it was tied 2-2. Just 10 seconds later Brayden Melrose was whistled for goaltender interference, the second such infraction of the night on the Dogs. That would do it for Brayden Melrose?s and Dave Whistles? nights as they both got ejected and also sat out Saturday?s game, under BCHL rules. In the third period the action went back and fourth before captain Tyler Ruel scored a highlight reel goal walking into the high slot and ripping a wrist shot top shelf glove side on Dainton with 10:10 to go in the game making it 3-2 Dogs. After a key Bulldog penalty kill late in the third Jordan Kremyr would score the insurance marker putting home a rebound of a strong drive to the net by Harry Zolnierczyk. That would make the score 4-2 with 3:31 to go. The Dogs out shot the Spruce Kings 32-20. The Dogs were 1 for 8 on the power play; The Spruce Kings were 1 for 11.
After opening up their road trip on the right skate Friday night in Prince George the Bulldogs took a stride backwards Saturday night with a 4-1 loss at the hands of the Williams Lake TimberWolves. After a scoreless first period the TimberWolves got on the board in the second after five consecutive penalties to the Bulldogs put the TimberWolves up 2 men for several minutes. Williams Lake made good on the advantage when John Dewar redirected a rink wide pass from Tyler Fuller with an assist to Wilson 5:44 into the second for the 1-0 lead. The Twolves made it 2-0 with Bill McGinnis finding the net unassisted with a short handed goal with a wrist shot that found it?s way in through traffic after a bad defensive zone turnover. Time of the goal- 14:16 of the second. The TimberWolves would then be penalized for six consecutive penalties that saw the Bulldogs get extended 5 on 3 times. Several dazzling saves by Alex Evin, coupled with some bad bounces in the goalmouth, and strong moments of Williams Lake penalty killing resulted in the Bulldogs failing to capitalize on the man advantages as they trailed 2-0 heading into the third. John Dewar scored his second of the night and second of the season 5:34 into the third to make the lead 3-0 off of a second chance in front as an attempted pass across the goal mouth was broken up but ended up right back on his tape. The third period overall was penalty filled and at times chippy. 19 minor and major penalties were called. 7:13 left in the game the Dogs finally got on the board on the power play with Jordan Kremyr tipping in a Maury Edwards point shot with an assist as well to Brad Harding and it was 3-1 Williams Lake. The Bulldogs pressed to make it interesting but instead it was Warren Muir stuffing a wrap around home with 3:48 to go for a 4-1 Williams Lake lead and the final score. The TimberWolves out shot the Bulldogs 37-27. The Dogs were 1 for 11 on the power play while they killed off 11 of 12 Williams Lake power plays. Williams Lake also had a shorthanded marker.
The Dogs took to the ice Sunday afternoon in Quesnel looking to bounce back after the 4-1 loss in Williams Lake. An interesting side note on this game- In a 6-5 Bulldogs final NINE goals were scored on the power play. Four by the Bulldogs, and five by Quesnel. The first and last goals of the game sandwiched nine straight power play goals. Maybe a record? Maybe another record, this one started off with a bang. Just twenty-one seconds in Jordan Kremyr sent Harry Zolnierczyk in alone and Zolnierczyk scored his third of the season top shelf on Vallieres for the 1-0 Dogs lead. The Dogs then went to the power play and Tyler Rue
