The Dogs head out on the road this week for a tough three-in-three roadie that sees them visit the Trail Smoke Eaters on Thursday night before heading overnight to the Okanagan to visit the Westside Warriors Friday night and the Vernon Vipers Saturday night before then making the trip back home to the Island. The Dogs enter play Thursday night 8th place in the Coastal Conference with a record of 15-24-2 and 1 for 33 points, three back of the Langley Rivermen for 7th place with the Dogs holding three games in hand, and four back of the 6th placed Grizzlies with the Dogs holding five games in hand.
The Smoke Eaters enter play Wednesday 8th in the Interior Conference and last in the overall BCHL standings with a record of 9-29-1 and 4 for 23 points, twelve points back of the 7th placed Silverbacks with two games in hand. They were last in action Sunday afternoon in Langley where they lost a 5-4 decision to the Rivermen. The Smokies were down 1-0 just over a minute into the game before battling back to tie it on a Garrett McMullen power play goal just six minutes later. Former Bulldog AP Brent Baltus would give the Smoke Eaters a 2-1 lead after one when he found the net with just five seconds left in the opening period. Less than a minute into the second it was 3-1 Trail on an Erik Cooper goal before the Rivermen pulled back to within one less than four minutes later. They would then strike twice in quick succession in the final minutes of the period to lead 4-3 heading into period three. Langley took a two goal lead with a power play goal just past the midway mark of the period and that would prove huge as Luke Bertolucci scored to pull the Smokies back within one with just 2:29 to play making it 5-4, but that’s as close as they would get as the Rivermen held on.
Shots favoured Trail 37-31 with Lyndon Stanwood taking the loss in net. The Smoke Eaters went 1 for 3 on the power play while the Rivermen went 1 for 1.
This is the only meeting between the teams this season, with the interesting story line being that several players will be facing their old team – Matt Larose for the Bulldogs, and Taylor House and Marley Keca for the Smoke Eaters.
Catch the pregame show Thursday night from the Cominco Memorial Arena at 7:15 with the play-by-play to follow at 7:30pm 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
The Warriors enter play Wednesday night sitting in 6th place in the Interior with a record of 16-22-2 and 5 for 39 points, six back of the 5th placed Vipers and eleven back of the Prince George Spruce Kings who currently own the final playoff spot. They were last in action Friday night in Vernon where they had a three game unbeaten streak snapped with a 4-1 loss to the Vipers. Before the Dogs pay the Warriors a visit on Friday they will be in action in Salmon Arm on Wednesday night.
Once again with the half-interlock this season in the BCHL this will be the only meeting of the season between the two clubs.
Catch the pregame show Friday night from Royal LePage Place at 6:45 with the play-by-play to follow at 7:00pm 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
The defending BCHL Champion and RBC Silver Medalist Vipers enter play this weekend with a record of 21-20-1 and 2 for 45 points, good for 5th in the Interior and on the outside of the playoff picture looking in, five points back of the Spruce Kings with Vernon having a game in hand. The Vipers were last in action Sunday in Prince George, where they picked up a stunning 5-4 overtime win, scoring two goals in the final minute to force OT after Prince George had taken a 4-2 lead with an empty net goal with 1:11 to play in regulation. The Vipers are in action before the Dogs roll into town on Saturday as they host the Merritt Centennials Friday night to begin a four game home stand.
While the Vipers aren’t sitting in their usual place at the top of the standings the Dogs will still need to bring their best effort as you can bet the Vipers will be playing desperate hockey as they try to catch the Spruce Kings for the final playoff berth.
Get all the action from the Wesbild Centre Saturday night with the pregame show kicking off at 6:45 with the puck dropping at 7:00 on 93.3 The Peak FM , online at http://www.933thepeak.com or through the Pay-Per-View Broadcast on the BCHL website through the Live Portal
It’s a tough three-in-three road trip for the Dogs, who will be bringing a banged up line up on the road. It goes without saying that everyone on the roster will have to step up their game in a big way to come home with points.
