The Bulldogs have a rare Friday night off this week before heading to Powell River for back to back games Saturday night and Sunday afternoon against the Conference leading Kings. The Dogs enter play tonight 7th place in the Coastal Conference with a record of 15-23-2 and 0 for 32 points, the same amount as the Langley Rivermen, with the Dogs having one more win and three games in hand. The Dogs are 18 points back of the Express for 4th place and a playoff position, with the Dogs having one game in hand.
The Kings enter play Friday night sitting at the top of the Coastal Conference with a record 27-13-2 and 2, good for 58 points, two more than both the Surrey Eagles and Cowichan Valley Capitals with the Eagles having three games in hand and the Capitals holding one in hand. The Kings are red hot, winners of five in a row after a weekend sweep last week on home ice of the Capitals, following up a 2-1 win on Friday night with a 5-1 win on Saturday. The Kings got going early in that one when former Capital Brendon MacDonald made it 1-0 just four minutes into the game, but the Caps answered back late in the period for a 1-1 tie after 20 minutes. The score stayed that way until the late minutes of the second when J.P. Villeneuve made it 2-1 Kings with less than five to play in the period. Less than three minutes later Teagan Waugh tallied for a 3-1 lead after 40 minutes. James Neil gave the Kings further insurance just before the five minute mark of the third for a 4-1 lead before Evan Richardson added a late power play goal with less than five to play for the 5-1 final.
Shots favoured the Kings 40-24 with Sean Maguire picking up the win in net. The Kings went 1 for 3 on the power play while the Caps went 0 for 2.
This will be the sixth and seventh meetings between the teams so far on the campaign with the Kings holding a 4-1 edge. After the Kings won the first game 4-1 in Powell River in early October the Dogs won the return match by the game 4-1 score at the Dog Pound in late October. The Kings have won the last three head to head meetings by scores of 4-1, 5-1, and most recently 7-0 at the Dog Pound on January 14th so the Dogs know that they will need to bring their “A” game for six full periods if they have designs on beating the top team in the Conference.
Catch the pregame show Saturday night at 7:15 with the play-by-play to follow at 7:30. Sunday the pregame takes to the air at 1:15 for the 1:30 puck drop all on 93.3 The Peak FM, our website at www.933thepeak.com, and watch the Pay Per View Broadcast by visiting the BCHL’s Live Portal HERE
