The Bulldogs got off to a good start feeding off the energy from the Devin Timberlake jersey retirement as they took a 1-0 lead on a power play just under two minutes into the game on the power play as Jared Wilson put a cross-ice pass on the power play through the box and onto the tape of Ryan Lough off the back post that he one-timed off Josh Halpenny and just over the line, just 1:56 into the game. The lead was gone in a flash as the Dogs coughed the puck up in front of their net just seconds later with Garrett Forster scoring from Mathieu Tibbett just 26 seconds later to tie it at 1-1. The Dogs would have a glorious chance to take the lead later in the first on a full two minute 5 on 3 power play but they couldn’t connect as the game headed to the room after the first tied at 1-1.
The second period saw the Chiefs take a 2-1 lead on the power play on a funny bounce as Jay Deo made the first save on a deflection of a teammates stick, but he couldn’t find the rebound as Austin Plevy fired it home from in tight. Josh Hansen and Alexandre Perron-Fontaine picked up the helpers at 4:37 of the second. The Dogs would bend but not break, fighting off the Chiefs momentum and pushing back themselves to make it a 2-2 game as Kurt Gosselin raced the puck up ice and wrapped it around before banking it in off of Mitch Crisanti. Lars Hepso also picked up an assist on the play at 9:58 of the second. The Dogs would end up in penalty troubles later in the period as the Chiefs went to a 5 on 3 advantage but the Dogs killed it off to keep it tied into the third period.
The third period would see no scoring with each team having their fair share of chances and both Jay Deo and Josh Halpenny holding the fort to force overtime. In OT each team had their chances, the Chiefs the best of the early opportunities when a turnover led to a clear-cut breakaway for Trevor Hills but Jay Deo saved his team’s bacon to keep the game alive. They weren’t able to reward him though as off the ensuing faceoff they couldn’t get the puck out as the Chiefs hounded the Dogs in every battle and eventually won the game because of it as Trevor Hills found the puck and from his knees made a gorgeous cross ice pass to Josh Hansen who one-timed it from the lip of the crease before Deo could get over.
Final shots favoured the Chiefs 45-30 with Jay Deo earning 1ststar honours while getting tagged with the loss while Josh Halpenny picked up the win and 2ndstar honours. Both teams went 1 for 5 on the power play.
