The Bulldogs are back in full action this week, with three games over two and a half days this weekend. Game one is a return match of last week?s lone game as the Dogs are back to Bear Mountain Arena to face the Victoria Grizzlies. Saturday the Dogs return home to host the Nanaimo Clippers, before they get right back on the bus and turn around Sunday afternoon to head back over the hump to the Frank Crane Arena to face the Clippers again.
The Dogs and Grizzlies last met Saturday night in Victoria, a game that was a thriller through double overtime that ended in a 3-3 tie. The single point gained in overtime was just the second point that the Dogs had picked up against the Grizzlies this season in nine games. While the tie snapped the Dogs winning streak at three games, they are still unbeaten now in four games. ANY point the Dogs can pick up right now is absolutely huge.
Neither team has played since last Saturday?s contest going into Friday. The Grizzlies enter play Friday with a record of 28-9-1 and 3.
Friday?s pregame show from the ?Bear? kicks off at 7:15 with the puck dropping at 7:30 on 93.3 The Peak FM and the BCHL Fanzone
If the Dogs have playoff aspirations, Saturday and Sunday?s games are absolutely crucial, as they are against the team the Dogs are chasing in the Island Division standings.
While the Nanaimo Clippers might not see the Bulldogs immediately in their rear view mirror as they are 18 points ahead of them in the standings, if the Dogs can get favourable results this weekend come Monday the picture might look a little different. These are back to back four point games. Since these teams last met – a 3-2 Dogs win in Nanaimo on December 14th (the first win for the Dogs against the Clippers this season) the Clippers have picked up just a single win in their following six games. On the other hand, the Dogs have gone undefeated during that stretch at 3-0-1 and 0. This is a tale of two teams going in two different directions. Over the last 10 games the Dogs have picked up 11 points, while the Clippers have picked up just 5.
All of the above doesn?t matter much though if the Dogs can?t find a way to win against the Clippers this weekend. While they won?t be mathematically out of it, the picture won?t be nearly as pretty Monday if the weekend is a saw off or a win for the Clippers.
The Clippers enter this week with a record of 19-18-1 and 3. They were last in action Saturday night in Burnaby where they dropped a 3-2 decision to the Express. Burnaby got off to a good start in the game, going up 1-0 just over two minutes in. The Express also got off to a great start in the second, making it 2-0 before the period was a minute old. The Clippers found the net less than three minutes later to make a game of it as Eric Filiou scored a power play marker to make it 2-1. That would be it for the scoring until the dying minutes of the game, when Burnaby got a crucial insurance marker on the power play with four minutes to play to make it 3-1. The Clippers got one back on the power play with 13 seconds left in the third to trail 3-2, but time would run out on their comeback.
Shots favoured Nanaimo 41-25 with newly acquired Jonathan Jobin taking the loss in net. The Clippers were 2 for 4 on the power play while the Express were 1 for 6.
Before they visit the Dogs on Saturday night, the Clippers host the Cowichan Valley Capitals Friday at Frank Crane Arena.
The last three games between the Dogs and Clippers have been good ones, with the Dogs winning once and the Clippers winning twice in overtime, so expect two more great games Saturday and Sunday.
Saturday?s pregame show from the Dog Pound kicks off at 6:45. The puck drops at 7:00pm.
Sunday?s pregame show from the Frank Crane Arena takes to the air at 2:45 with the play-by-play at 3:00. As always get it all on 93.3 The Peak FM and the BCHL Fanzone.
Game Day Audio ? ?Next Three? Click the links to listen
