The Bulldogs hosted the Clippers Sunday afternoon for their final home game of the Regular Season, and they looked ready to not only play, but ready to make a statement as they had their foot on the gas from the opening puck drop and dominated the play. With shots favouring the Bulldogs 8-0 the ninth one finally ended up in the net as Matt Hansen fed Manny Gialedakis up the middle where he battled past a Clipper defender to skate in on a breakaway where he went top corner, glove side on Jayson Argue to make it 1-0 from Matt Hansen and Eric Walker at 7:14 of the first. The Dogs kept pushing, building their lead to 2-0 five minutes later on the power play. The Dogs actually took the first penalty of the game, but great penalty killing by Evan Tironese finally drew a call and lead to four-aside hockey. The Dogs had just 36 seconds to work with on the power play but it was more than enough as Eric Walker put the puck to the top of the blue line for Jared Wilson, who put a one-timer at the net that hit traffic and then ended up on the stick of Ryan Lough at the side of the crease where he tapped it into the open net to make it 2-0 at the 12:34 mark of the first. While the Bulldogs continued to control the play, they would be caught pressing and the Clippers made them pay as Taylor Grobowski followed the play and scored on a rebound after Jay Deo had made a breakaway save on Brendan Taylor to make it 2-1 at 15:47 of the first. The Dogs would settle down and get back on the attack late in the period with Jon Brumwell having a great chance to build the lead on a breakaway but Jayson Argue came up with the save to keep it 2-1 Dogs after one, with the Dogs leading the shots 16-7.
The second period couldn’t have been more opposite than the first period, as the Clippers came out flying while the Dogs appeared to be flat. Just 40 seconds into the period it was a 2-2 tie as Jay Deo played the puck up the boards where it was cut off by Austin Dick at the right point. Dick would throw a low hard shot on net that was tipped up and over the blocker arm of Deo by Mason Mitchell. The Clippers continued to control the play, eventually taking a 3-2 lead on another unfortunate bounce as an attempted rim around hit a stick behind the net and ended up out front on the tape of Kyle Kramer who went top corner, blocker side on Deo. The goal was unassisted at 8:25 of the second. Shortly afterwards the game was delayed over 30 minutes when Teal Burns was hit behind the Nanaimo net, resulting in his skate striking the glass and shattering it. When play resumed it was more of an even game with each team having their chances over the remainder of the period but the score staying 3-2 Clippers after two periods.
The Dogs wouldn’t be able to trim the gap in the third period, failing to capitalize on the power play and then allowing a power play goal to fall behind 4-2 as Christopher Rygus finished off a pretty passing play by beating Jay Deo glove side from the right faceoff dot. No assists were given on the play at 6:35 of the third. The Dogs would battle hard to make a game of it late as Jon Brumwell raced the puck through centre and deep into the Nanaimo zone before feeding Manny Gialedakis behind the net. He in turn fed it right up the middle to a streaking Chase Paylor who walked in and snapped one high blocker side on Argue to make it 4-3 Clippers with 7:01 to play. That would be as close as the Dogs would get as the Clippers got some insurance on another power play marker when Reid Sturos stole the puck from the last man back before feeding Matt Grant alone in front where he went top corner glove side on Jay Deo. The goal was again unassisted at 17:45 of the third. One more into an empty net rubbed some salt into the wound as Greg Fraser found a loose puck at centre and deposited it into the empty net at 19:31 for the 6-3 final. The goal was unassisted and on the power play.
Final shots favoured the Bulldogs 36-28 with Jay Deo taking the loss while Jayson Argue picked up 3rd star honours with the win. The Dogs went 1 for 2 on the power play while the Clippers went 3 for 4.
