The Bulldogs began their three in three road trip to the Lower Mainland Friday night when they visited the Coquitlam Express. It was an ominous beginning to the game for the Dogs, as they were down 1-0 less than a minute in as Malcolm McKinney walked down the right wing with speed and threw a high hard slap shot on goal that hit Nathan Alalouf around the face and appeared to stun him as he wasn’t able to find the rebound. Alex Petan would beat a Bulldog defender to the loose puck and jam it home for a 1-0 Express lead just 44 seconds into the game, with Clinton Atkinson also drawing an assist on the play. The Bulldogs would battle back to tie the game shortly afterwards though as Yan Kalashnikov beat a man down the left wing by going wide before then cutting into the slot and beating Cole Huggins low far-side to make it 1-1 with assists to Walker Hyland and Arty Kalashnikov at 5:29 of the first. The Bulldogs would surge ahead to lead 2-1 six minutes later with Evan Tironese busting down the left wing and faking a slap shot to drive wide around the frozen defender before setting up Walker Hyland with a crisp cross-ice pass that he snapped high short-side before Huggins could get over. Hunter Stewart also picked up an assist on the play at 13:11 for a 2-1 Dogs lead after one.
The second period began the same as the first, with the Express finding the net in the first minute as Brady Shaw found an end-board bounce and one-timed it into the open side. Assists went to John Siemer and Joona Kunnas just 55 seconds into the second. The Express built the lead to 3-2 just short of four minutes in as the Dogs turned the puck over just inside their own line as Josh Finkelstein kept the puck in at the line and then found Alex Petan behind the Dogs defence for a breakaway that he slid through the legs of Alalouf at 3:57 of the second. The Dogs would answer back in short order though to even it back up as just 18 seconds later it was 3-3 as Ryan Lough brought the puck over the Express line up the middle with speed. Hunter Stewart found then pounce on the loose puck and feed a cross-ice pass to Evan Tironese driving the net down the left wing where he one-timed it up and under the cross bar at 4:15 of the second. The Dogs would have several great chances later in the period to go ahead on breakaways for Nick Tupper and Tyler Berkholtz but neither player could find the net.
Another early chance for the Dogs to take the lead in the third would stay out as an Evan Tironese had a shot clang off the post. The score remained tied until just short of four minutes into the period when a tough-luck bounce for the Dogs saw the Express take the lead as a Jason Bird dump in down the wall hit a partition in the glass and bounced on goal and found its way home as Alalouf was trying to retreat from the goal as he was on his way to field the dump in behind the net. Joona Kunnas had the only helper 3:52 into the third. The game remained tight until the midway mark of the third when the Express blew the game open with two goals in under half a minute, both on similar plays. The first play saw Alex Kerfoot plant himself at the top of the crease where he one-timed a feed from behind the net from John Siemer past Alalouf to make it 5-3 at the 10:26 mark. From almost the same spot just seconds later it was again Kerfoot, again one-timing a feed from behind the goal home to make it 6-3, with the assists this time going to Brady Shaw and Jason Bird at 10:52. The Bulldogs would once again answer quickly to keep the game within reach as less than a minute later it was 6-4 when Walker Hyland found Trent Dorais between the hash-marks where he beat Huggins with a one-timer high glove side. Josh Mitchell also assisted the play at 11:30 of the third. That would be as close as the Dogs would get though as the Express erased all doubt when they connected on a power play to make it a 7-4 game when Malcolm McKinney potted a wrap around with 2:59 to play, with assists to Alex Petan and Jason Bird.
Shots favoured the Bulldogs 37-34 in a losing cause for Nathan Alalouf while Cole Huggins picked up the win. The Dogs went 0 for 3 on the power play while the Express went 1 for 5.
The Dogs faced the Eagles Saturday in Surrey for the third game between the teams in a span of eight days. The Eagles had the better of the chances early, parlaying it into a 1-0 lead on a crazy scramble as an initial shot hit the post, before a second shot was stopped by Matt Larose – with his BACK. However the rebound went onto the tape of Brayden Jaw who fired it home. Assists on the play went to Brandon Tanev and Michael Stenerson at 11:46 of the first. The Bulldogs would then get in big penalty trouble later in the period with Tyler Berkholtz picking up a penalty at the whistle while there was already a delayed penalty on the way, resulting in a full two minute 5 on 3 for the Eagles. The Bulldogs would dig in and come up with a big penalty kill to keep it 1-0 though, and just seconds later it was a 1-1 game as the Dogs raced up ice and found the net when Trent Dorais drove the net and took a return pass from Hunter Stewart that he one-timed past Andrew Hunt. Josh Mitchell also picked up an assist on the play at 18:35 of the first for a 1-1 tie after 20 minutes.
The Eagles quickly took the lead right back in the second period, going up 2-1 just 1:24 into the frame as Trevor Cameron drove the net and potted a rebound after a great initial save by Matt Larose on Tyler Morley, who went in alone on goal after a great stick handling move to burn a Bulldog defender. Devon Toews also drew an assist on the play. The Eagles took a two goal lead just over a half minute later when Michael Stenerson found an end-board bounce off a Beau Orser point shot that he fired home at 2:05 of the second with Robert Lindores also picking up an assist on the play. The Bulldogs would answer quickly to make it a one-goal game again when Walker Hyland threw a shot on net that was stopped by Andrew Hunt, but resulted in a rebound that was found by Yan Kalashnikov who walked back of the goal and then found Trent Dorais out front who one-timed it into the open cage to make it 3-2 at 3:41 of the second. The Eagles would once again take the two goal lead back just three minutes later on a pretty three-way passing play on the rush as Brandon Tanev found Michael Stenerson busting down the left wing, where he in turn fed Brayden Jaw trailing the play in the slot where he scored his second of the game with a top-corner snap shot glove side on Larose to make it 4-2 at 6:48 of the second. The Eagles appeared to take a 5-2 lead later in the frame on what would have been a hat trick goal for Brayden Jaw, but the Referee waved the goal off saying that it was kicked in. That would prove huge when the Bulldogs made it a one-goal game yet again with a late goal as off a good containment shift in the Eagles zone Josh Mitchell drove the net with a pretty move before finding Brandon Halls driving the net with a perfect back-door pass that he one-timed home just up and over the glove of Andrew Hunt to make it 4-3 after 40 minutes. Hunter Stewart also picked up an assist on the play at 19:41 of the third.
There would be no scoring in the third period with each team having their chances but both goalies standing tall. The Dogs would have a great chance late to tie the game as they pulled their goalie for the extra attacker with just over 1:40 to go. A minute later they would end up on the power play to create a 6 on 4 with the net empty for the extra attacker but Andrew Hunt came up with several big stops as the time clicked off and the Eagles held on for the 4-3 win.
Shots favoured the Eagles 42-28 with Matt Larose and Andrew Hunt being the goalies of record. The Eagles went 0 for 1 on the power play – a full two minute two man advantage, while the Bulldogs went 0 for<
