The Bulldogs began their week of action on Tuesday night ? for the fifth straight week ? when the Nanaimo Clippers made a trip over the hump into the Dog Pound. The game had good pace from the get go, with few whistles. The Bulldogs opened the scoring off a faceoff in the Nanaimo end as Justin Morello and Brandon Adams got the puck to Lars Hepso walking down the right side where he beat Charles-Andre Pelletier before he could get over for a 1-0 Bulldog lead 10:09 into the first. The Clippers would have a great chance to tie the game shortly afterwards on the power play, but Frank Slubowski came up with a great save on a backdoor redirect attempt by Danick Malouin. The Dogs built their lead to 2-0 just over six minutes into the second period when they connected on their first power play opportunity of the game as Kenney Morrison carried the puck over the Nanaimo line and then dished off to Josh Mitchell. He would find Dylan Nowakowski in the left corner where he threw a centering pass at the net that somehow found its way past Charles-Andre Pelletier to make it 2-0 Dogs 6:06 into the second. They would make it 3-0, once again on the power play late in the second as Kenney Morrison took a pass off the half wall and walked into the deep slot where he blew a slap shot past the glove side of Charles-Alexy Premont, who entered the game in relief of Pelletier after the 2-0 goal. Josh Mitchell and Dylan Nowakowski picked up the assists with 4:03 to play in the second. The only goal the rest of the way was a beauty on the rush as Tanner Hicks got the puck up the right wing for Justin Morello who raced away on a 2 on 1 rush. Morello would put a perfect cross-ice pass onto the tape of Brandon Adams who fired it home from the left side of the slot to make it 4-0 with 6:20 gone in the third. Frank Slubowski would come up with several good stops late to preserve the shutout as the time ran out.
Shots were even at 24 apiece with Frank Slubowski picking up 2nd star honours with the shut out and the win. Charles-Andre Pelletier took the loss giving up the first two goals on 10 shots. The Bulldogs went 2 for 4 on the power play while the Clippers went 0 for 4.
The Dogs remained home to host the Victoria Grizzlies Friday night. This game had an interesting beginning as the Grizzlies were penalized for a warm up infraction as multiple players remained on the ice as the warm up clock expired, resulting in a bench minor and a Bulldog power play to start the game. They would connect on it to take an early 1-0 lead with great puck movement as Casey Bailey was found in the slot by Dylan Nowakowski and Josh Mitchell where he ripped one high glove past Matt Ginn. The Dogs would have several great chances to build on the lead but Ginn would come up with several big stops on Sam Mitchell and Dylan Nowakowski. The Dogs would be sent to the penalty box late in the period on what appeared to be an accidental collision at centre ice, and that penalty would be huge as the Grizzlies made quick work on the power play as Justin Fillion put a one-timer on net from the top of the point that found its way past Slubowski, with assists going to Taylor Pernerowski and Joel Lowry 12:50 into the first. The Grizzlies would control the next six or so minutes after the goal, with the Dogs unable to get out of their zone. Wesley Myron would join the attack off the bench where he was found un guarded driving the net by Bryce Twa. Slubowski would make a great first save but Myron stuck with the play, jamming in his own rebound to make it 2-1 Grizzlies with 1:34 to play in the first. The Dogs would push back at end of the first to draw a penalty, and they then drew another early in the second for a 5 on 3 advantage for over a minute. They would be unable to connect on either opportunity, and that proved huge as it was 3-1 Grizzlies on a power play of their own on a tough luck goal for the Dogs as Joel Lowry took a pass from Taylor Pernerowski in the right corner where he attempted to make a cross-crease pass. The puck would end up hitting the Bulldog defender and deflecting in past Slubowski. The goal was initially unassisted, but a helper later being added to Sean Robertson at 6:46 of the second. It was 4-1 Grizzlies just three minutes later as the Dogs broke down in their own end as Wesley Myron was set up in the high slot where he ripped one top corner on Slubowski. Michael Colantone and Bryce Twa picked up the assists 9:57 into the second. The Bulldogs would call time out after the goal and it immediately paid dividends as Sam Mitchell took a pass at the Dogs line from Frank Riddle and put a perfect pass ahead for Trent Dorais in full flight who walked over the Victoria line down the left wing and ripped a low slap shot short-side past Ginn to get the Dogs back in it at 4-2 at 10:07 of the second. The score stayed that way into the third period where the Grizzlies again found the net quickly as once again the Dogs broke down in their own end as Justin Fillion was set up between the hash marks where he ripped one home top corner blocker side to make it 5-2 just 1:04 into the third with assists to Joel Lowry and Pearce Eviston. The Dogs would get in penalty trouble later in the frame and pay dearly for it as the Grizzlies made it 6-2 on a 5 on 3 power play when Kyle St. Denis found a rebound in the crease after a great first save by Slubowski and roofed it. Joel Lowry and Taylor Pernerowski picked up the helpers 9:56 into the third. The final salt in the wound came three minutes later as Evan Richardson out battled a Bulldog defender at the net and dove to poke the puck through Slubowski for an unassisted marker and the 7-2 final 13:33 into the third.
Final shots favoured the Grizzlies 34-31 with Frank Slubowski and Matt Ginn being the goalies of record. The Dogs went 1 for 4 on the power play while the Grizzlies went 3 for 5.
The Dogs home stand finished Sunday afternoon when the Penticton Vees and Mark MacMillan visited the Dog Pound. Unfortunately for Dogs fans – but maybe fortunately for the Dogs, MacMillan wasn?t in the lineup after being injured on a hit the night before in Victoria. The Dogs would come out with another good start, getting on the board early as Tyler Berkholtz took a pass at the right side of the net from Sam Mitchell and walked out front and threw one on net from a sharp angle that found its way through Joel Rumpel to make it 1-0 on the power play. Sam Mitchell and Tanner Hicks also picked up the assists 4:30 into the game. The Vees would tie it at 1-1 when they took advantage of a poor change by the Dogs and raced in on a 3 on 1 rush. Brendan O?Donnell took a return pass from Myles McCauley and one-timed one on net that ended up on the stick of Joey Benik who fired it home to tie it at 1-1, 11:07 into the first. The Dogs would take the lead back in short order with two penalties in quick succession resulting in a 5 on 3 power play for the Dogs. They would connect on the opportunity on a great feed by Dylan Nowakowski who found Tyler Berkholtz with a backdoor feed that he one-timed home for his second goal of the period and a 2-1 Dogs lead. Josh Mitchell also picked up an assist on the play, 12:40 into the first. The Dogs would add one more before the period was out when Konrad Litke walked down the left wing and threw a sharp angle shot on net that resulted in a big rebound for Marley Keca walking down the right wing that he one-timed home before Rumpel could get over. Liam Darragh also picked up an assist on the play at 16:06 of the first. The Dogs kept their momentum up into the second, building their lead to 4-1, again on the power play, as Connor Varley knocked a rebound home out of mid air past Rumpel. I thought the goal was high-sticked, but the referee signaled goal. Assists went to Dylan Nowakowski and Casey Bailey 54 seconds into the second period. The Vees would start to play better hockey as the period wore on, drawing a<
