The Bulldogs were right back on the road Tuesday as they paid the Grizzlies a visit at Bear Mountain Arena. The game was interesting from the get-go as the Dogs arrived, but their jerseys did not, requiring the team to borrow a set for the game. Victoria took a 1-0 lead 4:49 into the first on a broken play, as a point shot was blocked by traffic but ended up on the stick of Mitch Labreche who fired it home from the slot. Assists on the play went to Justin Fillion and Kyle St. Denis 4:49 into the first. The Dogs would battle back to tie it at 1-1 as Josh Mitchell took an outlet pass up the right wing and gained the blue line where he pulled up and waited for help. It would arrive in the form of Casey Bailey, who took a pass from Josh and walked wide down the right wing, beat a defender, and then out waited Matt Ginn before tucking it home to tie it at 1-1 11:42 into the first. The Grizzlies would get it back just four minutes later on the power play when Wesley tapped in a cross-crease pass by Mitch Labreche. Taylor Pernerowski also picked up an assist on the play at 15:20 as the Grizzlies led 2-1 after one. They would build the lead to 3-1 on a 5 on 3 power play opportunity early in the second when Justin Fillion took a cross-ice pass from Kyle St.Denis in the deep slot that he one-timed short-side past the blocker of Slubowski. Joel Lowry also picked up an assist on the play 4:18 into the second. Just three minutes later it was 4-1 on a Taylor Pernerowski blast from the right point that went over the glove of Slubowski and into the top corner. Evan Richardson and David Morley picked up the assists at 7:02 of the second. The score would stay that way until the final minute of the period when the Dogs struck after a huge save by Slubowski on Kyle St. Denis who was left all alone in front of the Dogs net. Slubowski would make the save, and then just seconds later a home-run bomb pass by Connor Varley was found by Josh Mitchell at centre who raced in on the breakaway that he tucked past the pad of Ginn. Kenney Morrison would also pick up an assist on the play at 19:28 of the second for a 4-2 Victoria lead after 40 minutes. The Dogs would come out with a noticeable jump in their step in the third period and they would get rewarded for it when they made the game 4-3 just short of six minutes in as Lars Hepso made a great play to keep the puck in at the Victoria blue line. He would then throw the puck to the right corner where Mike Puddifant raced in and found it and then threw it at the net from a sharp angle where it was redirected home by Brandon Adams, 5:44 into the third. The Grizzlies would have several chances to put the game away on breakaways by Kyle St. Denis, but Frank Slubowski was huge in goal to keep it a one goal game. His team would reward him with the equalizer shortly afterwards when Kyle Weber took a pass from Josh Mitchell walking in from the left point where he blew a slap shot past Ginn to tie the game at 4-4. Casey Bailey also picked up a helper on the goal at the 11:38 mark. The Grizzlies would get the go ahead marker just three minutes later as a Bulldog player was tripped up carrying the puck in his own zone. The Grizzlies would find the puck and quickly get it in the back of the net just seconds later as Kyle St. Denis found Mitch Labreche out front where he fired it home to make it 5-4 with 5:19 to play. The official would do his best to give the Dogs a chance to get it back as they went to an appropriately timed power play just a minute later, their first advantage since the first period. Just a minute later another penalty against Victoria saw the Dogs go on a 5 on 3. They would have several chances to tie the game but couldn?t get the equalizer past Ginn as the Grizzlies held on.
Shots favoured the Bulldogs 37-32 with Matt Ginn and Frank Slubowski being the goalies of record. The Dogs went 0 for 3 on the power play while the Grizzlies went 2 for 6.
The Dogs returned home Saturday after four in a row on the road, and it certainly looked like they were excited to play at home as before the fans got to their seats it was 1-0 Dogs as they connected just nine seconds into a power play chance when Connor Varley took a pass at the top of the point from Tyler Berkholtz on the right wing wall that he one-timed high glove side past Khaleed Devji. Kenney Morrison also picked up an assist, 31 seconds into the game. The score stayed that way until the late stages of the period when the Dogs built their lead to 2-0 when Trent Dorais picked up a pass from Frank Riddle and drove the net down the right wing where he would snap a low shot through the five-hole of Devji, 17:01 into the first. Just 1:47 later it was 3-0 Dogs when Marley Keca put a pass up the right wing to Justin Morello who put a crisp cross-ice pass onto the tape of Lars Hepso driving the net down the left wing where he one-timed one home before Devji could get over at 18:48 of the first. The Dogs started the second on the penalty kill, and they didn?t just kill it, they gained momentum after a great shot block by Sam Mitchell and then tireless fore checking by Tyler Berkholtz and Casey Bailey. Just moments later it was a 4-0 Bulldog lead as Connor Varley blocked a shot in front of the Dogs net and then sent Brandon Adams away on the rush through centre as he used his blazing speed and raced in on Devji where he ripped one high glove side from the slot. Varley picked up the only assist on the play, 1:56 into the second. Just 40 seconds later it was 5-0 Dogs when Lars Hepso found Brandon Adams alone at the side of the net. He would be stopped by Devji on the initial chance, but Justin Morello was perfectly positioned at the top of the crease to fire the rebound home, 2:36 into the second as Khaleed Devji would be pulled in favour of Billy McGladrey. The Express would get on the board to trim the gap to 5-1 four minutes later when Destry Straight stole the puck and walked in alone on Slubowski. His first shot would be stopped, but Straight stuck with it and jammed in his own rebound for the unassisted marker, 6:16 into the second. The Dogs would answer six minutes later to go up 6-1 on a pretty power play set up as Josh Mitchell set up Casey Bailey in the slot where he one-timed one home. Kenney Morrison picked up the second assist 12:17 into the second. It was as if the teams switched jerseys to start the third period as the Express came out flying and the Bulldogs looked stationary. It wouldn?t take long for the Bulldogs to get into trouble as they took back to back penalties and the Express capitalized on the 5 on 3 power play when Mark Begert one-timed a pass from Jared Eng past Frank Slubowski. Just a minute and a half later it was 6-3 as the Express struck on the second penalty when Jason Grecica tipped in a Jared Eng point shot. Massimo Lamacchia picked up the second assist 5:54 in. Less than a minute later it was 6-4 on a pretty passing play as Destry Straight took a feed at the front of the net and cut across the crease and slid it home. Jason Grecica and Massimo Lamacchia picked up the assists 6:38 into the third as the Dogs called time out to right the ship. The Dogs would succeed in stopping the bleeding as the Express couldn?t trim the gap any further.
Final shots favoured the Bulldogs 37-35 with Frank Slubowski picking up the win and Khaleed Devji taking the loss giving up the first five goals. The Dogs went 2 for 4 on the power play while the Express went 2 for 3.
The Dogs week finished Sunday afternoon when they hosted the Surrey Eagles. The Eagles raced out of the gate with great early energy, taking an early 4-0 lead in shots on goal and a 1-0 lead on their fifth shot as Scott Holm?s shot went wide of the net and hit Tyler Morley in the chest. Morley would knock the puck out of mid-air and past Slubowski. Josh Monk would also pick up an assist 1:42 into the first. The Dogs would battle back to tie it up at 1-1
