(image: Vicky Brown – MyLight Photography)
Power play goals 58 seconds apart in the first period gave the Bulldogs a lead they wouldn’t relinquish enroute to a third straight win Saturday night in Prince George
The Bulldogs earned a 5 on 3 power play in the first half of the opening period, but weren’t able to manage much in the way of opportunities. Prince George would earn a 5 on 3 of their own immediately following it and looked dangerous on it, but Ryder Shea was solid as were his penalty killers and they killed it off. Late in the period, a video review put the Bulldogs to a four minute power play – they wouldn’t squander it, as they connected twice to open up a 2-0 lead after one, with Kai Matthew scoring both goals – the first on a rink wide set up by Brandon Gill and Jacob Terpstra, the second on another cross ice feed off traffic buried upstairs with Caden Tremblay and Wyatt Davis drawing the assists.
The second period was again somewhat penalty filled, with the Bulldogs failing to build their lead on the power play, and the Spruce Kings getting back into the game on theirs, as Kazumo Sasaki went to the net and potted his own rebound off of Shea to make it 2-1 with eight minutes to play in the second. Late in the period, Shea came up with a huge in-alone stop on Mathis LaPlante, and seconds later it was 3-1 as Leon Buff found a loose puck off a Leim Smith check and walked in on goal – he was stopped, but Kai Benoche buried the rebound under the back bar to make it 3-1 Bulldogs after two periods of play.
The Bulldogs played a solid game through the first half of the third, spending extended periods of time in the Spruce Kings end. They came up with a big penalty kill near the middle of the period, and didn’t give up much. Caden Tremblay would seal the deal into an empty net with a minute and change to play to make it a 4-1 final.
Shots were 31-24 Spruce Kings, with Ryder Shea earning the win and first star honours for a second consecutive game. The Bulldogs went 2 for 5 on the power play, while the Spruce Kings went 1 for 5.
The Bulldogs next see action when they visit the Express in Coquitlam on Friday night.
