The Bulldogs opened up their three game Interior swing Friday in Prince George against the Spruce Kings, where they got off to a good start with several good chances early, including a Tye Lewis shot that hit the cross bar and stayed out.
The Spruce Kings would take a 1-0 lead just past the halfway mark of the period when Sam Muchalla tried a cross-crease pass on the rush that ended up hitting a Bulldog and bouncing past Frank Slubowski. Brooks Robinson and Marcus Watson picked up the assists 10:47 into the first. The Spruce Kings would take a penalty on the ensuing faceoff as the Dogs went to the power play looking for the equalizer. On the next faceoff in the Sprucies end, they would win the draw and put the puck up ice. Josh Mitchell would lose an edge at the blue line, resulting in a shorthanded breakaway for Nick DeSousa that he put five hole on Frank Slubowski for a 2-0 Spruce Kings lead after the first. Zac Rasmussen would pick up the only assist on the play, 11:32 in. The Dogs came out energized in the second, as they went to an early power play where Mitch MacMillan took a feed from Mark walking right down the middle where he snapped one glove side past Kyle Nielsen. Luke Fenske also picked up an assist on the play 2:15 into the second. The Dogs would then get the equalizer with six minutes to play in the period when Johnny Rogic threw a pass from the right corner to the slot that was intercepted by Jonathan Gibson. Matt Hatch was on the scene, and in one fluid motion he stole the puck spun towards the goal and ripped a shot along the ice that beat Nielsen five hole to tie the game at 2-2. The goal was un-assisted 13:59 into the second. Just over a minute and a half later the Dogs took their first lead of the game when Mitch MacMillan banged in a rebound in the paint off a Frank Riddle shot from the right point. Jeff Reppucci also picked up an assist at the 15:34 mark of the second. Less than a minute later the Spruce Kings would be awarded a penalty shot as Jonathan Gibson was taken down on a breakaway as Luke Fenske lost his footing at the Kings blue line. Gibson would make good as the game was quickly tied again at 3-3 after two periods, the goal came at the 16:26 mark. The Spruce Kings would retake the lead on a scramble on the power play early in the third period as Lyndon Martell jammed a rebound past Frank Slubowski to make it 4-3, 4:57 into the period. RJay Berra and Nick DeSousa picked up the assists. Again less than a minute later it was the Dogs turn to answer back, as Jeff Reppucci brought the puck out of his own zone before finding Tye Lewis on the rush over the Spruce Kings line. Lewis would feed Johnny Rogic at the top of the left circle where he ripped one five hole to make it 4-4. Matt Hatch and Tye Lewis got the assists 5:49 into the third. If you thought the game would settle down at that point, think again. Less than 20 seconds later another crazy scramble around the Dogs net saw Justin Fillion get credit as the Kings took a 5-4 lead. Marcus Watson and Brooks Robinson picked up the assists 6:05 into the third. The Spruce Kings would push for the insurance marker, but they couldn?t beat Slubowski who made several key stops. With just over six minutes left in regulation Bulldogs Coach Nolan Graham called time out to motivate his troops as the Kings continued to carry the play. The tactic appeared to work just moments later as Sam Mitchell appeared to score the tying goal. The goal would be waved off though as it was ruled it was kicked in. Undaunted, the Dogs came right back and buried the equalizer when Sam Mitchell set up Trent Dorais in the slot with a nice pass from behind the net where he snapped one blocker side for the 5-5 tie. Casey Bailey also picked up an assist on the play with 4:45 to play. Just two minutes later the Dogs found the winner on a perfect pass by Tye Lewis that sent Sam Mitchell in alone where he deked backhand before sliding it five hole for the 6-5 Bulldog lead with 2:45 to play. The Spruce Kings would push hard for the equalizer but Frank Slubowski and the Dogs stood tall to make the lead stand.
Shots favoured the Spruce Kings 34-30. Frank Slubowski picked up the win and second star honours while Kyle Nielsen took the loss.
Saturday saw the Dogs play in Williams Lake for the first time since September of 2006. The Dogs again didn?t start this game well as the Timberwolves had the better of the chances early as Scott Lewan came up with several big stops to keep the game scoreless. It would be a fluke goal that broke the deadlock in the back half of the first as the Dogs ended up scoring on themselves as Scott Lewan came out behind his net to stop the puck on a dump in and leave it for Kevin Ross. Ross would pick the puck up and try to walk out the right side. Ross would end up hitting the skate of Lewan with the puck, as it died in the goalies feet. Lewan would look down to find it, and in doing so, knocked it into his own net. Keenan Bailey would get credit for the goal, 12:13 into the first. The Dogs would come out flying in the second, tying the game at 1-1 on an early power play opportunity as Mitch MacMillan found a loose puck after a great first save by Sean Donnelly that he ripped on net that Mark MacMillan tipped into the open side to tie it at 1-1. David Dziurzynski picked up the only assist 2:19 into the second. The Dogs would take a 2-1 lead just two minutes later on another power play when Mark MacMillan fed a pass from the left corner to Tye Lewis in the high slot that he one-timed home for his first as a Bulldog 4:39 into the second. The Dogs would take a 3-1 lead late in the period when Mitch MacMillan threw the puck to the top of the point for Brody Lynott, who pounded a shot on net that was stopped by Donnelly. The rebound was a fat one that ended up on the stick of Mark MacMillan, who snapped it high into the open net. The goal came with 1:18 left in the second. The Dogs would build on their lead in the third period as Tye Lewis ripped a one timer off the cross-bar for his second of the game just 1:04 into the third. Johnny Rogic and Matt Hatch picked up the assists. The Timberwolves would get that one back just two minutes later on the power play when Riley Sweeney put a perfect wrist shot from the line through traffic top shelf blocker side on Scott Lewan to make it 4-2. Ryan Stanimir and Trent Murdoch picked up the assists 3:12 into the third. The score stayed that way until the Dogs added their third power play goal of the game on a great between the legs backhand cross-crease feed by Mitch MacMillan to David Dziurzynski who tapped it into the open net to make it 5-2. Luke Fenske also picked up an assist with 6:19 left in regulation. Just over thirty seconds later the Timberwolves got it back immediately as Scott Lewan made the first stop but Tanner Clarkson found the rebound to jam it home from the crease to make it 5-3. Justin Hogan picked up the only assist at the 14:14 mark of the third. There would be no further scoring as the Dogs made the lead stand.
Final shots favoured the Dogs 38-30 with Scott Lewan picking up the win in net. Sean Donnelly picked up third star honours with the loss. The Dogs were a lethal 3 for 4 on the power play while the Timberwolves were 1 for 3.
The Dogs trip ended Sunday afternoon as they faced the Millionaires in Quesnel. While the Dogs started this game better than the previous two, they still ended up down early as Brandon Watson put a perfect cross crease pass on the rush to Chris Kerr that he one-timed into the open side before Frank Slubowski could get over. Spencer Graboski also picked up an assist 3:23 into the first. The Millionaires would go to the power play three straight times in the first period, but they couldn?t build on their lead as the Dogs c
