The Bulldogs got off to a great start Friday night in Prince George as they took the play to the Spruce Kings over the first couple of shifts pushing for the opening goal. They would instead get caught pushing too hard as they gave up a 2 on 1 that ended up in the back of their net as Bryant Christian carried the puck up the left wing into the zone where he scored top corner, far side on Brad Rebagliati. Assists on the play went to Sean Landrey and Brad Ryan 2:34 into the game. The Dogs didn’t appear to be deflated by the goal as they kept up the attack, tying the game at 1-1 just 50 seconds later as Jared Wilson kept the puck in at the left point and put a quick shot on goal that beat Liam McLeod glove side. The goal was unassisted, 3:24 into the first. The Dogs kept pressing, holding a 10-3 advantage in shots just eight minutes into the game, but they couldn’t take the lead. Late in the period the Dogs were penalized after the whistle which led to a 2-1 Spruce Kings lead as Shayne Morrisey tipped in a Brad Ryan point shot from the left point. Cam Lawson also picked up an assist on the play at 18:05 of the first.
A tough goal against to start the second saw the Spruce Kings lead 3-1 as a Skylar Pacheco point shot missed the net and hit the end boards where Morrisey picked it up and wrapped it around into the open side before Rebagliati could get back to the post. Liam Board also picked up an assist on the play at 2:23 of the second. There would be no scoring for the remainder of the period with both goalies coming up with numerous big stops.
The third period began with controversy as the Spruce Kings went up 4-1 just over a minute in on an odd-man rush as a centering pass went off a Spruce King skate and high in the air. As Rebagliati was trying to find the puck he was knocked onto his back and his helmet was knocked off and the puck ended up in the net. The four officials would talk it over, but the goal stood with Tyson Witala getting credit for it from Lyndon Martell and Coltyn Hansen 1:19 into the third. It would have been easy for the Dogs to pack it in at this point, but they kept pushing and earned a 5 on 3 power play shortly afterwards. While they failed to score on the two-man advantage they kept at it and made it a 4-2 game when Ryan Lough found a rebound at the side of the net that he fired home from Lars Hepso and Eric Walker at 6:13 of the third to make it 4-2. Three minutes later it was a one goal game as Matt Hansen made a nifty move over the Prince George line before dishing off to Evan Tironese in the slot where he ripped one high short-side off McLeod and in to make it 4-3 with Gialedakis also assisting at 9:05. The Dogs would push hard to tie it up but they instead shot themselves in the foot off a faceoff win in their own end as a giveaway right onto the tape of Coltyn Hansen made it 5-3 as he walked to the net and tucked it home cutting across the crease for the un-assisted goal at 12:33. The Dogs would pull their goalie with a minute to go and down two goals but it was the Spruce Kings finding the empty net to make it 6-3 as Hansen scored his second of the game stealing the puck at the Dogs blue line and racing in for the tap in. Assists went to Trevor Esau and Tyson Witala at 19:09 for the 6-3 final.
Final shots favoured the Bulldogs 37-34 with Brad Rebagliati taking the loss while Liam McLeod earned 1st star honours with the win. The Dogs went 1 for 7 on the power play while the Spruce Kings went 1 for 3.
