For the second straight weekend the Dogs opened up a three game road trip in Powell River. This game was a far cry from the game last week that was scoreless until the late stages of the second, as in this one the Kings hit the scoreboard early on a Reid Campbell slap shot from the blue line that beat Frank Slubowski low glove side.
Matt Garbowsky picked up the only assist 28 seconds into the game. The score stayed 1-0 until the Dogs got a big break when Jeff Reppucci put a wrist shot top corner on Josh Watson from outside the Kings blue line to tie it at 1-1. Nick Cecere picked up the only assist at 14:27 of the first. Before the period was out the Bulldogs would take the lead on a pretty passing play where Adam Hout threw the puck down to the right corner for Mark MacMillan who found Mitch on the doorstep where he one-timed a perfect shot under the bar for a 2-1 Dogs lead with just 19 seconds to go in the opening period. Things would tighten up in the second period with the only goal going to the Kings late in the frame on a 2 on 1 rush where Mitch Labreche threw the puck off the outside of the net to the slot where Chad Niddery was stopped by Frank Slubowski. Cody Rainaldi would find the rebound though, and he lifted it into the open side for a 2-2 tie with 6:23 to play in the second. The third period felt like a playoff game, with both teams playing cautious. The Kings would have a chance to get the go ahead marker when they went to the power play with less than nine minutes to play in regulation but the Dogs would come up with a big penalty kill to keep the game at 2-2. Just two minutes later, and after hitting two goalposts on the same shift ? the Dogs finally found the go ahead goal when Mitch MacMillan banked the puck off the back of the Kings net to David Dziurzynski, who fed Mark MacMillan in the slot where he put a snapshot low stick side on Josh Watson to put the Dogs up 3-2 with 4:47 to play. The Kings comeback chances would be hurt when Mat Bodie was sent to the penalty box with less than two minutes to play. While they would get their goalie out to make it a 5 on 5 situation, they weren?t able to beat Slubowski who was great late as the Dogs made the lead stand for their 12th win in a row.
Final shots favoured the Kings 30-26 with Frank Slubowski picking up the win in net. Josh Watson took the loss. The Dogs were 0 for 6 on the power play while the Kings were 0 for 5.
Saturday saw the Bulldogs travel down the sunshine coast to face the Express at the Bill Copeland Arena. Everything that Friday?s game had, Saturday seemed to lack as there wasn?t much in the way of atmosphere in the building or intensity on the ice. The Bulldogs would take a 1-0 lead on a 5 on 3 power play with 2:45 to play in the first as Sam Mitchell celebrated his birthday by tipping a cross crease pass through Harrison May. Johnny Rogic and Tye Lewis picked up the assists. You wouldn?t have thought it at the time, but that would prove to be the only goal of the game as the Dogs made it hold up. Harrison May made several stops to keep the Express in it throughout the game, and Scott Lewan was solid all night, especially in the final minute of the game when he made a big toe save to seal the deal.
Final shots favoured the Dogs 28-26, with Scott Lewan picking up the win, first star honours, and his second shutout of the season. Harrison May picked up second star honours with the loss. The Dogs were 1 for 6 on the power play while the Express were 0 for 3.
Sunday afternoon saw a battle of streaking teams, as the Dogs faced the Langley Chiefs ? winners of 12 in a row. The game didn?t start well for the Dogs, as the Chiefs took a 1-0 lead just over a minute into the game as Brad McBride scored on an odd man rush 1:23 in. No assists were given on the play. The Dogs would even it up with their second centre ice goal in three games, as Adam Hout put a wrist shot on goal from just over the red line that eluded Mark Friesen. Frank Riddle and Frank Slubowski picked up the assists at the 3:14 mark as the teams went to the room 1-1 after one. The Dogs would take a 2-1 lead on a highlight reel goal in the second as the MacMillan brothers raced in on a 2 on 1 rush. Mitch carried the puck up the right side before feeding Mark, who then returned the pass to Mitch who one-timed it into the open side from a sharp angle for a 2-1 Dogs lead 7:30 into the second. Soon afterwards, the Chiefs would end up in penalty trouble, and the Dogs made them pay when Mitch MacMillan scored his 50th goal of the season on a centering pass from Mark that he put through the legs of Friesen in tight to make it 3-1. Tye Lewis also picked up an assist on the play at the 13:20 mark of the second. Tye Lewis would then put the Dogs up 4-1 with one of highlight reel goals of the season as he outraced the Langley defender, bodied him off the puck, regained his footing and then pulled the puck around Friesen from in tight and buried it. No assists were given on the play with 2:10 left in the second. Just twelve seconds later it was 5-1 Dogs as Mark MacMillan won a faceoff back to David Dziurzynski in the Langley end that he ripped high past Friesen. Mitch MacMillan picked up the only assist at 18:02 of the second. That would do it for Friesen as Wyatt Galley entered the Chiefs net in relief. When play resumed the Chiefs would shoot themselves in the foot big time, taking three minor penalties on the same stoppage. To make matters worse, Chiefs Coach Harvy Smyl picked up a bench minor at the end of the frame. The Dogs would make it 6-1 just over a minute into the third period when David Dziurzynski poked in a Mark MacMillan rebound in front. Tye Lewis also picked up an assist on the goal 1:03 into the period. The Dogs then made it 7-1 just over a minute later on a great passing play where Ryan Renz found Josh Mitchell at the right side of the net where he then put a perfect pass out front to Casey Bailey who made no mistake firing it past Galley. The assists went to Josh Mitchell and Adam Hout 2:20 in. Three minutes later – with the Dogs still on the power play, they added one more as Hout put a puck on net that Mark MacMillan lifted home to make it 8-1 5:15 into the period. Adam Hout and Mitch MacMillan picked up the assists. The only goal the remainder of the way came from the Chiefs when Mac Roy was awarded a penalty shot exactly one minute later that he made good on to make it 8-2 with 6:15 gone in the third for the game?s final score.
Shots favoured the Dogs 34-28 with Frank Slubowski picking up the win in net. Mark Friesen took the loss giving up the first five goals before Wyatt Galley entered the game. The Dogs were 4 for 13 on the power play while the Chiefs were 0 for 5.
With the three wins the Bulldogs have now won 14 straight games, with the last six coming on back to back three in three road trips. They are next in action Tuesday night when the defending BCHL and RBC Cup Champion Vernon Vipers are in town.
Don?t forget Monday night marks the debut of ?Around the Pound, the Bulldog Hockey Show? on 93.3 The Peak FM from 6pm to 7pm. I?ll have members from the Bulldogs Coaching staff and roster on the program, as well as guests from around the BCHL so be sure to tune in.
