The Bulldogs finish the Regular Season with two games this weekend as they visit the Clippers in Nanaimo on Friday before they return home to host the BCHL leading Powell River Kings on Saturday night. With a record of 24-27-4 and 3 and 55 points, the Bulldogs have clinched 6th place in the Coastal Conference.
The Clippers enter play Friday night with a record of 28-22-1 and 7, good for 64 points and 5th place in the Coastal Conference, nine points better than the 6th placed Bulldogs. The Clippers are three points back of the Grizzlies for 4th place, and four points back of the Chiefs for 3rd place. The Clippers have two games to go, while Langley and Victoria have just one. With the Clippers holding the tie breaker over Langley they could finish the weekend anywhere from 5th to 3rd in the Conference.
The Clippers were last in action Sunday night at home where they had a three game winning streak snapped with a 6-5 OT loss to the Capitals in a wild and wooly affair. The Capitals opened the scoring in the first period with a shorthanded goal before the Clippers answered later in the period on a Myles Fitzgerald goal. Less than a minute later Nanaimo took a 2-1 lead on a Kyle Kramer power play goal. It was 3-1 Clippers five minutes into the second on a Brodie Jamieson marker but the Capitals found the net just over a minute later to make it a one goal game again. With six minutes left in the second the Capitals found the net again to even it up but less than a minute later Myles Fitzgerald picked up his second of the game to give the Clippers a 4-3 lead after 40 minutes. With just over eight minutes gone in the third the Capitals once again tied it, and just over a minute later they took the lead on a power play goal. It would be short-lived as the Clippers? Brett Hartskamp scored the equalizer less than a minute later. The Capitals would get the winner half a minute into sudden death OT.
Shots favoured the Clippers 39-27, with Charles-Andre Pelletier taking the loss in net.
This is the tenth and final meeting between the teams this season, with the Clippers leading the ?Battle for the Rival Hammer? season series 5 wins to 4. The most recent meeting between the teams was Tuesday, January 25th, a 4-0 Bulldogs win in Port Alberni. It was the only game of the season series decided by more than one goal ? except for one instance where there was an empty netter. The Clippers have won all four games at the Frank Crane Arena, most recently on January 14th by a score of 2 to 1. The Clippers are unbeaten in regulation in February with a record of 4-0-0-2.
Note the special start time, with the pregame show kicking off at 7:45 and the puck dropping at 8:00 from the Frank Crane Arena on 93.3 The Peak FM and online at www.933thepeak.com
The Powell River Kings enter play Friday with a League leading record of 44-9-3 and 2, good for 93 points and the Coastal Conference and BCHL overall Regular season banners.
The Kings were last in action Wednesday night at home where they won their third consecutive game with a 4-1 win over the Salmon Arm Silverbacks. The Kings see action Friday night in Duncan before they finish with Game 60 Saturday night at the Dog Pound. They will then sit on the sidelines with a first round playoff bye as the Bulldogs did last year to rest and prepare for round two.
Saturday?s game is the sixth meeting between the teams this season with the Kings winning four of the previous five. The Kings have won the last three head to head meetings, most recently by a score of 4-2 in Powell River on January 4th. The lone Bulldogs win came at the Dog Pound on September 30th by a score of 3-1.
Catch the pregame show from the Dog Pound at 6:45 with the play-by-play to follow at 7:00pm on 93.3 The Peak FM and our website at www.933thepeak.com and the BCHL Live Portal.
The Bulldogs week finishes Sunday Morning when they host their Year End Awards Banquet at 11am in the Upper Lounge at the Multiplex. Tickets are available by contacting the Bulldogs office at 250-723-4412
