The Dogs began their week Friday night when they hosted the Merritt Centennials for the only meeting between the teams this season. Neither team was able to connect on early power play opportunities but the Bulldogs would open the scoring on their second power play of the game when Walker Hyland kept the puck in at the top of the point with a leaping play to jump and catch a clearing attempt before finding Turner Popoff on the right wing boards where he put a slap shot on net that found its way home under the crossbar off traffic in front or Centennials goalie Lino Chimienti. Trent Dorais also picked up an assist on the play at 12:42 of the first. The Dogs came close to building on the lead late in the period on a great play by Dorais as he chipped the puck into the Cents zone and fought by a man down the right side and drove the net only to be stopped by Chimienti, who then fell on the loose puck on the goal line to keep it out. The Centennials would carry the play early in the second but they were unable to find the net as Cameron Large – pardon the pun – came up large on several occasions to protect the lead. The Dogs then built the lead to 2-0 before the halfway mark of the game when Trent Dorais blocked a point shot at the line and then found Hunter Stewart alone at centre where he busted in on goal on a partial breakaway and made a nice move on goal while fighting off two defenders. Lino Chimienti would make the first save but was in no position to make the second one as Trent Dorais joined the rush and drove the net to put the rebound home for a 2-0 Dogs lead 8:46 into the second with Stewart picking up the only assist. The Dogs would start the third on a five minute power play after the Cents picked up a major late in the period. Another penalty would see the Dogs go to a full two minute 5 on 3 advantage, but they were unable to threaten as the Cents killed it off. They then battled back to get on the board and really make a game of it shortly afterwards as they attacked on the rush with speed with Evan Stack racing down the right wing and cutting in on goal where he beat Cameron Large with a high backhand to make it 2-1. Regan Soquila picked up the only assist 6:15 into the third. It was a 2-2 game when Stack scored again, this time on the power play as he again drove the net out of the corner and found his own rebound after an initial save by Large and slid it home. Brandon Pfeil and Reece Wilcox picked up the helpers with 6:49 to play in the third. The Dogs would then put themselves behind the 8-ball by taking a penalty with just over two minutes to play, but they would kill it off to keep the game tied with several good shot blocks and a big save by Large on an odd-man rush. One more shot block by Chase Van Allen as the penalty ended saw the puck go the other way. Ryan Lough would pick it up and race over the Cents line where he made a pretty move to slip a check before battling to get the puck over to Walker Hyland, who exited the penalty box and drove the net to one-time the feed home to make it 3-2 with just 3.2 seconds left on the clock.
Final shots favoured the Centennials 40-35 with Cameron Large picking up the win and 1st star honours in his Bulldogs debut while Lino Chimienti earned 3rd star honours with the loss. Both teams went 1 for 4 on the power play.
The Dogs weekend concluded Friday when the Surrey Eagles made their first visit of the season to the Dog Pound. The Bulldogs carried the play early, getting lots of pucks on net. Andrew Hunt would be sharp early, and his defence in front of him did a great job of clearing rebounds as there were several that looked like dangerous chances for the Bulldogs. The Eagles might have had the best chance early even though they didn’t have many shots or control much of the play, as Demico Hannoun raced in on a breakaway only to be stopped by Matt Larose. The Bulldogs would build up a 16-8 lead in shots, but it was the Eagles who struck first late in the frame when Larose made a good first save in tight on Hannoun, but he couldn’t find the rebound before Trevor Cameron roofed it high glove side. Assists went to Hannoun and Michael Stenerson 14:53 into the first. Exactly one minute later it was 2-0 Eagles when they converted a 3 on 1 rush as Alex Hagen took a pass off the left wing from Tyler Morley in the high slot and roofed it high glove side on Larose at 15:53. Exactly one minute later again it was 3-0 on another odd man rush as Brandon Tanev carried the puck up the left wing and then found a streaking Brett Mulcahy who one-timed it past the glove of Larose. Eric Chevrier also assisted at 16:53. The Eagles would have several more chances to build the lead, including another 3 on 1 but Larose would make the save to keep it 3-0 Eagles after 20 minutes. The Dogs came out in the second playing the same way they played for the bulk of the first period, as they continued to control the play and get lots of pucks on the Eagles net. They would finally be rewarded for their efforts just over eight minutes into the period when they connected on the power play on a pretty passing play as Chase Van Allen found Josh Mitchell with a backdoor pass from the right point, that he in turn sent across the crease to Lars Hepso who fired it into the open net to make it 3-1 8:03 into the second. The Dogs would continue to control the play and get plenty of chances, but they were unable to get within one before the Eagles scored against the flow of play to build their lead to 4-1 as Sean McGovern tipped in a Steve Koshey point shot from the slot high over the glove of Larose. Devon Toews made the pass to Koshey but the second assist went instead to Tyler Morley at 14:16 of the second for a 4-1 Eagles lead after 40 minutes, despite the Dogs holding a 40-17 advantage in shots. The Dogs would keep their foot on the gas to start the third, battling back to make it a 4-2 game when Hunter Stewart roofed a rebound after two good saves by Andrew Hunt. Assists on the play went to Tryg Strand and Evan Tironese at 7:44 of the third. It appeared to be a one-goal game later in the period when Brandon Adams threw a shot on net that saw the goal light go on, but no signal from either of the two referees whether it was a goal or no goal. In the end after a conference with all four officials, the goal would be waved off. Just seconds later the Eagles made it 5-2, as Matt Larose made a save on a breakaway, only to have the rebound put home by Robert Lindores. Assists on the play went to Alex Hagen and Steve Koshey at 10:53 of the third. It would have been easy to fold the tents at this point, with the disallowed goal combined with the Eagles getting their insurance back but the Dogs kept digging, making it a two-goal game once again as Josh Mitchell drove the puck down the right wing and behind the net and out the other side before finding Tryg Strand in the slot where one-timed it low glove side on Hunt to make it 5-3 at 11:56 of the third. That would be as close as the Dogs would come though as the Eagles added one more to erase all doubt as Brandon Morley carried the puck over the Dogs line down the left wing and snapped one on goal that went under the glove of Matt Larose to make it 6-3. Assists on the play went to Linden Saip and Trevor Cameron at 14:03 for the 6-3 final.
Final shots favoured the Bulldogs 54-28 in a losing cause for Matt Larose, while Andrew Hunt picked up the win and 2nd star honours. The Dogs went 1 for 5 on the power play while the Eagles went 0 for 1.
The Dogs are back at it next weekend when they visit Powell River for a double header against the Kings Saturday night and Sunday afternoon.
