The Bulldogs began ?Parents Weekend? Friday night when the Quesnel Millionaires made their only visit of the season to the Dog Pound. The Dogs made an emphatic return to home ice, taking a 1-0 lead just over a minute into the game as Josh Mitchell raced in on a shorthanded breakaway where he tucked one past Adam Harris on the backhand. Trent Dorais picked up the only assist 1:28 in. The Dogs have several chances throughout the period to build their lead with odd-man rushes and partial breakaways but the period ended with the Dogs up 1-0. The score stayed that way until just past the midway mark of the game when the Dogs struck on the rush as Lars Hepso found Brandon Adams trailing the play and calling for the pass where he ripped one low stick side on Harris for a 2-0 lead. Ollie McCluskey also picked up an assist on the play 10:09 into the second period. The Dogs had a glorious chance to build their lead in the third with a two-man advantage for close to a minute but the Mills killed it off to stay in the game. The Mills would get their chances to get in the game with power play opportunities with 10 and 5 minutes to play but they couldn?t beat Kiefer Giroux and the Bulldog penalty killers. The Dogs would protect the shut out for Giroux before Trent Dorais put the final stamp on the game fighting past a check at centre to catch up to the loose puck to hit the empty net with 13 seconds to play for the 3-0 final. Brody Lynott and Liam Darragh picked up the assists.
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Shots favoured the Dogs 30-19 with Kiefer Giroux picking up the win, his first career shutout, and second star honours. Adam Harris was solid in a losing effort in the Quesnel net. The Dogs went 0 for 5 on the power play while also scoring once shorthanded, while the Millionaires went 0 for 4.
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The Dogs unveiled their new 3rd jerseys Saturday night when they hosted the Nanaimo Clippers. The game had an interesting beginning as just over three minutes in the Clippers were handed a bench minor while they already had a man in the box. The bench minor would turn into a game ejection for Clippers Head Coach Bill Bestwick. The Bulldogs would take a 1-0 lead on the 5 on 3 when Casey Bailey put a pass from the top of the left circle to Josh Mitchell at the side of the net where he went cross-crease for Tyler Berkholtz who put the one timer home 4:59 into the game. The Dogs went to a second 5 on 3 but they were unable to find the net before negating the power play and eventually putting the Clippers on an extended advantage with two penalties in less than a minute. The Dogs would kill the penalties off for a 1-0 lead after one. The score would stay 1-0 Dogs after two periods, but the second period saw the Clippers carry the play. Frank Slubowski preserved the lead with a ridiculous glove save on Andrew Gladiuk on a one-timer from the hash marks late in the period. The Clippers killed off a Bulldog power play to start the third period and then found the equalizer when Kyle Kramer was found all alone at the top of the crease where he deked one past Slubowski. Victor Newell and Colton Cyr picked up the assists 4:09 into the third. Just four minutes later it was 2-1 when Keifer McNaughton put a shot on net from the right wing boards that Ryan Stanimir tipped off Slubowski and in. Yannick LaFlamme also picked up an assist 8:34 into the third. The Dogs had a power play chance to find the equalizer but the Clippers killed it and then found a great chance to go up 3-1 as Yannick LaFlamme raced in on breakaway where he was turned away by Slubowski. The Clippers would find the insurance marker off the stick of Kyle Kramer for his second of the game with 25 seconds to go from Colton Cyr for the 3-1 final.
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The Dogs outshot the Clippers 29-25 with Charles-Andre Pelletier picking up the win and 2nd star honours while Frank Slubowski picked up 3rd star honours with the loss. The Dogs went 1 for 6 on the power play while the Clippers went 0 for 5.
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Sunday afternoon the Dogs hosted the Merritt Centennials and they again got off to a good start when they went up 1-0 just over four minutes in on a 3 on 1 rush when Colton Sobchak sent Josh Mitchell in alone where he went to the backhand and beat Lino Chimienti. Kenney Morrison also picked up an assist on the play 4:26 into the game. The Dogs would build their lead to 2-0 on the power play just past the 10 minute mark of the first when Kenney Morrison got a puck on net from the top of the blue line that ended up in a rebound on the stick of Sam Mitchell that he put home from in tight. Casey Bailey also picked up an assist at the 10:50 mark. The Centennials would get one back late in the period to make it 2-1 after one when Max Vallis walked out from behind the net and found Billy Marshall driving the net down the left side where he redirected it in at the 18:26 mark. The Centennials came out with good jump in the second but the score stayed 2-1 until just past the halfway mark of the game when they made good on a power play chance when Jeff Jones won the draw straight back to Kameran Crawford at the left point. He then sent a cross-ice pass to Steve Tresierra at the right point who walked in and ripped a slap shot off a stick and right under the crossbar for 2-2 tie 10:14 into the second. The Dogs would answer back just two minutes later when Brandon Adams picked up a pass at centre, raced over the Merritt line and fought through several Centennial sticks and bodies before ripping a shot top corner for side high glove on Lino Chimienti for a 3-2 Dogs lead. Kyle Weber picked up the only assist at 12:08 of the second period. That would do it for the games scoring as neither team found the net for the rest of the way as the Dogs made the lead stand.
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Shots favoured the Dogs 36-26 with Frank Slubowski picking up the win while Lino Chimienti took the loss while picking up 3rd star honours. Both teams went 1 for 3 on the power play.
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A good weekend for the Dogs with 4 out of 6 points earned, although a Saturday night home ice loss to the Clippers when the Dogs were holding a lead after two periods might take the luster off what could have been a 3 for 3 weekend. Next up for the Dogs is ? thankfully ? just a two game week as the visit Cowichan for the second time this season Friday before they host Powell River for the second time this season Saturday night.
Dogs take 4 of 6 points over weekend
