The Dogs returned to action following the Christmas Break Saturday night in Victoria, and from the opening puck drop it looked like they never had a break at all. Or ? that the break was extremely beneficial to the players on the roster.
The Dogs came out absolutely flying, having several great chances in the opening minutes only to have Alexandre Peck come up with some big saves to keep the game scoreless. The Dogs wouldn?t be denied long though, as just 3:46 into the game Brett Mohler was sent in alone on a breakaway where he made no mistake cutting down the right side before tucking a backhand inside the far post for a 1-0 Dogs lead. Assists on the play went to Mitch MacMillan and Evan Witt. The Grizzlies would get the equalizer in the late stages of the period when they made good on a short power play as Lee Baldwin sent the puck back to the right point for Sean Robertson, who in turn found Cam Reid for the one-timer off the back post that just trickled in through Matthew Wong. Sean Robertson would get the only assist on the goal at the 15:03 mark of the first. The Dogs would find themselves back in the penalty box just minutes later, but they would kill it off and then immediately take a 2-1 lead when Evan Witt sent the puck back to the blue line where Eric Fraser put a shot on net that hit Mitch MacMillan and bounced in past Alex Peck with just 34 seconds left in the period. The second period would see no scoring; as the Dogs took the same 2-1 lead into the dressing room heading into period three. What the second lacked in scoring the third would have, as the teams combined for as many goals in the third as they did in the first two periods. The period would also lack flow at times due to a parade of penalties with both teams spending their fair share of time in the boxes. It was the Grizzlies first evening it up 5:59 into the period when Dustin Mowrey banged in a Brian Nugent rebound for a 2-2 tie. The Dogs would then get the go ahead marker for their third lead of the game as Colin Phaneuf tipped in a Kevin Ross point shot at the 10:46 mark for a 3-2 Dogs lead. Evan Witt also picked up an assist on the power play goal. Less than two minutes later the Grizzlies evened it up at 3-3 with both teams playing four skaters aside as Justin Courtnall threw the puck at the net from the left corner where Sam Higgins drove the net and tipped the pass under the crossbar. Shaun Stuart also picked up an assist on the play at the 12:06 mark of the third. Both teams would look for the game winner on the power play, but neither team could find the net as both goalies came up with big saves. The goalies would also steal the show in overtime, as through 10 minutes of sudden death neither team could beat either goalie. Matthew Wong would make several great saves in tight, and Alexandre Peck made a huge save on a clear cut breakaway by Evan Witt in the final minute of double overtime. It was the first time this season that the Dogs played a game that ended in a tie.
Final shots favoured Victoria 49-32 with Matthew Wong picking up first star honours with the tie in goal. Alexandre Peck played solid in goal for Victoria. The Dogs were 1 for 9 on the power play with several missed 5 on 3 chances, while the Grizzlies were 1 for 8.
The Dogs next see action on Friday night when they are right back down to the Bear Mountain Arena to face the Grizzlies again. Saturday they are home to the Nanaimo Clippers, before returning the favour and heading over the hump to the Frank Crane Arena Sunday afternoon to finish the home-and-home series.
