(image: Chaisson Creative)
The Alberni Valley Bulldogs brought playoff hockey back to the Dawg Pound Tuesday night for their first home game of Round One, but fell 5–2 to the Nanaimo Clippers.
The Bulldogs struck first, igniting the home crowd at 16:50 of the opening period when Kye Benoche opened the scoring, finishing a play from Ryan George and Brandon Gill to give Alberni Valley an early 1–0 lead.
Nanaimo answered right back, tying the game just over a minute later before striking again in the final second of the period — a stunning quick-strike sequence that completely flipped the momentum and sent the Clippers into the intermission with a 2–1 lead.
The Clippers extended their lead in the second period, capitalizing during a stretch where penalties disrupted the Bulldogs’ ability to build momentum. Despite a tight shot count and continued push from the Bulldogs, they couldn’t find a response before the break.
The Dawg Pound came alive again midway through the third. At 11:10, Samuel Léonard buried his second of the playoffs off a setup from Wyatt Davis and Teague McAllister. The goal came during a delayed penalty, creating a surge of momentum and bringing Alberni Valley back within one.
With the crowd behind them, the Bulldogs pressed hard late and pulled the goaltender in search of the equalizer, but Nanaimo sealed the game with a pair of empty-net goals in the final minute.
Tensions boiled over at the final buzzer, as an altercation involving Charlie Vincent and multiple Clippers players resulted in additional penalties being assessed. The Nanaimo Clippers were handed a match penalty on the play, while Vincent was assessed a goaltender interference minor along with a game misconduct — a physical and emotional finish to an already intense playoff battle.
Game 3 delivered the intensity of playoff hockey — physical, emotional, and fast-paced. Discipline played a role, with the Bulldogs assessed 18 minutes in penalties, disrupting key stretches and momentum throughout the night.
Derik Brouillard made 27 saves, keeping the Bulldogs within striking distance in front of a strong home crowd.
Game 4 goes tomorrow night at the Dawg Pound, with the Bulldogs looking to extend their season and force a Game 5 back in Nanaimo.
Box office opens at 10am.
