The Alberni Valley Bulldogs (30-12-3-1) visit the Coquitlam Express (13-24-1-5) in a BCHL matinee affair at the Palace on Poirier. Puck drop is scheduled for 3:00 pm.
On Saturday night, the Bulldogs moved into 1st place in the Coastal Conference standings thanks to a 5-4 win over the Langley Rivermen. The Bulldogs got goals from 5 different sources as their depth rose to the occasion once again to push their season long winning streak to 8 consecutive games. Matthew Maltais (5th), Josh Van Unen (17), Stephen Castagna (18th), Brandon Buhr (19th), and Nicholas Beneteau (10th) all scored in the win.
The rise to top spot in the Coastal Conference has been a challenge. Sitting in 4th place, the Bulldogs have been on a stretch that has had multiple wins against some of the Coastal’s best teams to climb the standings. Reaching the top spot is a just reward for a club who has won 8 straight and gone 9-1-0-0 in their past 10.
Reaching 1st place is one thing, staying there is an all together different situation. The Bulldogs 1st test as the “hunted” instead of being the “Hunters” comes against a Coquitlam Express squad that is riding an emotional high after a big win against the Victoria Grizzlies last night at home. The Express are currently in a 3-way battle for 2 playoff spots. They enter action this afternoon sitting in 7th place, just percentage points ahead of Powell River and Coquitlam.
The Bulldogs are 2-0-0-0 vs the Express this season and have outscored them 13-6 in the two games. Finn Brown leads all Bulldogs with 5 points in the 2 games against Coquitlam.
The Bulldogs will have just 7 remaining games after this afternoon. The next home game comes on Wednesday when they host the Victoria Grizzlies at the Dawg Pound.
