The Dogs began their week Friday night in Duncan as they visited the Coastal Conference leading Capitals as Kevin Willison made his debut behind the Dogs bench. The Dogs appeared to be fired up from the get go as they were flying from the opening puck drop, taking a 1-0 lead just over two minutes in as Ryan Lough converted a Tyler Berkholtz centering pass in the slot as he snapped one past the glove of Derek Dun. Brandon Adams also picked up an assist on the play 2:11 into the first. For the second straight game0 Max Fenkell would once again be called upon to face a penalty shot and he again came out on top as he protected the lead with a stop Travis Stephens to keep it 1-0 Dogs after one period. The score remained 1-0 all the way until the final minute of the period when the Caps struck to even it at 1-1 on the power play as Brayden Sherbinin accepted a cross-ice pass at the top of the right circle and snapped one low through traffic past Max Fenkell. Steven Iacobellis and Matt Grant picked up the assists on the marker at 18:58 of the second as it was 1-1 heading into the third period. The Dogs got the eventual game winner just over six minutes into the frame when Chase Van Allen threw a puck at the net from the left point that ended up blocked and onto the stick of Josh Mitchell who made a great play as he put a one-touch pass onto the tape of Brandon Adams in the slot who beat Derek Dun with a quick release low stick side for a 2-1 Dogs lead with 6:48 gone in the third. The Dogs would protect the lead with two big penalty kills over the remainder of the third and then held on in the final minute with the Capitals pulling their goalie for an extra attacker. They would seal the deal when Marlon Sabo cleared the puck out of the zone and to the Capitals line where Brandon Adams out raced a Cap and chased it down and deposited it into the open net with 14 seconds to play.
Final shots favoured the Bulldogs 30-28 with Max Fenkell picking up the win and 3rd star honours. The Dogs went 0 for 5 on the power play while the Caps went 1 for 5.
The Dogs weekend continued Saturday when they hosted the BCHL’s top team in the Penticton Vees. The game didn’t start well for the Dogs as they were down 1-0 before the game was two minutes old as Mario Lucia put a wrist shot on net that Max Fenkell got a good piece of but not enough to stop it completely as it ended up on the goal line behind him where Travis St. Denis poked it over the line. Assists on the play went to Connor Reilly and Mike Reilly 1:25 into the game. The Dogs would get their feet under them though and tie the game just past the five minute mark as Brandon Adams raced up the right wing on a 2 on 1 rush where he fed Ryan Lough driving the net where he slid one through the pads of Chat Katunar. Adams incredibly didn’t get an assist on the play, like Lucia didn’t on the Vees goal, as Tyler Berkholtz picked up the only assist 5:05 into the first. The Vees took a 2-1 lead in the second period when Bryce Gervais snuck behind the Dogs defence and picked up a breakaway pass by Mike Reilly where he snuck one through the pads of Fenkell 6:22 into the second. It was 3-1 Vees on the power play just past the halfway mark of the game on a bang-bang play at the side of the net as Travis St. Denis one-timed a loose puck off the back bar and in. Mario Lucia and Joey Benik picked up the assists 10:54 into the second. The Dogs would battle back to make it a one goal game late in the period after the Vees were whistled for three straight penalties – the third of which being a Bench Minor for unsportsmanlike conduct. The Dogs would connect on the power play when Dylan Nowakowski put a one-timer off the left wing boards through the five hole of Katunar to make it 3-2. Assists went to Josh Mitchell and Dylan Nowakowski at 17:31 of the second. The celebration and one-goal game would be short-lived as just 35 seconds later the Vees restored the two goal lead as Mike Reilly roofed a rebound during a mad scramble after Max Fenkell had made a circus stop to keep the puck out as he dove across the crease and kept what looked like a sure goal out. Steven Fogarty and Troy Stecher picked up the helpers at 18:06 of the second. Just 8 seconds later it was 5-2 when Curtis Loik was allowed to walk to the net where he scored with a top shelf wrist shot glove side on Fenkell from Ryan Reilly and Connor Reilly which brought about a goalie change as Matt Larose entered the game in relief. There wouldn’t be any relief however as the Vees smelled blood as less than a minute later it was 6-2 when Mario Lucia banged a rebound home from in tight on a scramble with Travis St. Denis and Troy Stecher assisting at 19:09 of the second to make it 6-2 and complete the game scoring as neither team hit the net in the third period.
Final shots favoured the Bulldogs in a losing cause 33-29 with Max Fenkell taking the loss giving up 5 goals on 24 shots while Matt Larose was beaten once on 5 shots in relief while Chad Katunar picked up the win. The Dogs went 1 for 6 on the power play while the Vees went 1 for 3.
The Dogs busy weekend finished Sunday afternoon when they hosted the Langley Rivermen for the fourth meeting this season between the clubs. The Rivermen took a 1-0 lead before the halfway mark of the first on the power play when Darnell Dyck found the rebound after two good saves by Max Fenkell on the doorstep and fired it home. Assists went to Mike Tebbutt and Mario Puskarich 8:27 into the first. It was 2-0 Langley and not looking good for the Dogs just four minutes later when the Rivermen struck again on the power play as Mario Puskarich walked into the slot and ripped a shot high glove side on Fenkell. Ryan Bakken and Bo Pellah got the helpers 12:38 into the first. Less than two minutes later the Dogs turned the tide and made it 2-1 when Arty Kalashnikov found a Brandon Adams rebound in front and roofed it high short-side on James Barr as the Dogs answered with a power play goal of their own. Adams and Josh Mitchell picked up the assists at 14:16 of the first as Langley led 2-1 after one. The Dogs would even the game up seven minutes into the second when Chase Van Allen put a shot on net from the right point that Dylan Nowakowski deflected through the legs of Barr from the top of the crease. Trent Dorais also assisted at 7:12 of the second. The Dogs got their first lead of the game late in the period when the same three players hooked up as Van Allen fed Nowakowski on the left wing wall where he put a one-timer on net that Barr stopped, but he couldn’t find the rebound as Dorais roofed it under the bar short-side for a 3-2 Dogs lead on the power play with 2:29 to play in the second. Brandon Adams would have a great chance to build the lead in the early parts of the third period but James Barr came up with a big save on the breakaway. A scary incident moments later saw Adams prone on the ice for an extended period as he picked the puck up and walked around the top of the left circle where he took a shot on net and then took a blindside headshot on a hit from Mike Tebbutt. Adams wouldn’t return to the game, and no penalty was given to Tebbutt on the play. It looked like the Dogs had some insurance late in the third when Tryg Strand drove the net and had a broken play bounce in off his skate, but the referee ruled it was directed in and waved the goal off. Langley would answer shortly afterwards to tie the game at 3-3 as Max Fenkell made the first save but couldn’t find the rebound before Mario Puskarich slid it home as Fenkell was bowled over in his crease. Danny Vlanich and Darnell Dyck picked up the assists at 16:20 of the third. The Dogs would answer right back just 20 seconds later when Turner Popoff flipped the puck into the Langley zone where Tyler Berkholtz chased it down with good speed and threw a cross-slot<
