The Bulldogs went 1 and 1 last week, winning their first game of the season Friday night in Nanaimo while also handing the Clippers their first loss with a 2-1 victory at the Frank Crane Arena. Saturday at home the Dogs dropped a 6-2 decision to the Victoria Grizzlies in a game that was almost over before it had barely begun.
Friday at the Frank Crane the Dogs started the game in big time penalty trouble as not even four minutes in the Clippers went to a 5 on 3 power play for almost a full minute. Good goaltending by Harrison May and good penalty killing saw the Dogs kill it off though, and shortly afterwards went to a power play of their own. On that power play I give Daniel Moriarty credit for his discipline just as much as I do for his finish in scoring the goal. In the process of chipping the puck into Nanaimo territory Moriarty took a high-hit from two Clippers right at the blue line where I could see his head get rattled pretty good. Moriarty then chased down the dump in and he had a look to him that he was searching for payback. He ended up throwing a clean check instead of retaliating and he then headed to the front of the net as the puck was sent back to the line. At the right point Marcello Ranallo fed a perfect pass to the top of the crease for an unmarked Moriarty who went backhand to the forehand and slid it through Michael Garman for a 1-0 Bulldog lead. On that scoring play Kevin Noble would be sent to the box resulting in a good situation for the Dogs as they went up 1-0 and went back to the power play, all in one whistle. The Clippers would kill it off though, and they then killed yet another Bulldog power play just two and a half minutes later as again Kevin Noble was sent to the box. The second period began much like the first with the Dogs in penalty trouble again with the Clippers going to the power play twice in the first five minutes and change. The Dogs again killed them off before they would build the lead to 2-0 after two penalties in less than a minute to Nanaimo saw 4 on 4 hockey and then a Bulldog power play for just less than one minute in duration. It would take just a few seconds as Evan Michalchuk drove wide down the right wing and over the Clipper line before cutting to the net where he sent a pass to the slot for Marcello Ranallo. Ranallo would beat Garman with a quick release low glove-side and things were looking as it was 2-0 Dogs 7:46 into the second. From my recollection Daniel Moriarty was given an assist on the scoring play in the building but I don?t see his name on the boxscore now. Things were certainly looking good for the road side at this point, up 2-0. The Dogs didn?t have long to think about their good fortune though as just 57 seconds after they went up 2-0 they were whistled for two minors on the same stoppage and again found themselves in big time penalty trouble with the Clippers having over two straight minutes of 5 on 3 time. To make matters worse Isaac Smeltzer was sent to the box for slashing while on the 5 on 3 kill, a penalty that wouldn?t start until one of the first two elapsed. Through great goaltending and good support around the crease the Dogs got down to the final 10 seconds of the kill before Eric Filiou potted a rebound on the door step into the back of the net from Matt Irwin and Warren Muir to make it 2-1 Dogs just past the halfway mark of the game, 10:33 into the second. The Dogs killed the remaining 5 on 3 time and the rest of Smeltzer penalty to hold the lead before they went to a 5 on 3 of themselves late in the second with Brodie Zuk and Kevin Noble being sent to the box in quick succession. The Clippers killed off the penalties as the Dogs couldn?t capitalize; it was 2-1 Bulldogs after two periods. The third period would be less of a penalty show and special teams game resembling football and more like hockey, with both teams getting whistled for just two penalties each. It was refreshing to watch. Both teams would have their chances in the third- The Clippers with glorious opportunities to tie it, and the Bulldogs with equally good chances to ice it, with Michael Garman coming up with big saves to give the Clippers a chance as Evan Michalchuk and Matt Frydrysek both had partial breakaways in the latter stages of the third. In the end Harrison May was rock solid when he had to be and the Bulldogs did a good job defensively limiting Nanaimo to just 9 shots in the final period to hold the 2-1 lead and earn their first win of the season. Final shots were 40-21 Clippers with Harrison May earning first star honours for the win in net. Special teams were the difference as the Dogs were 2 for 10 on the power play and the Clippers were 1 for 11.
Saturday at the ?Pound spirits were high as the Dogs looked to make it two in a row as they hosted the Victoria Grizzlies. Spirits were quickly dashed though as the game was almost over before it even began. Just 38 seconds into the game the Grizzlies were up 1-0 when an attempted pass up-ice hit a Bulldog player in the back of the leg before bouncing to Grant Toulmin in the high slot. Toulmin put a low hard one on goal that Kevin Genoe made the first save on, but Brian Nugent was there to tap the rebound in as it was 1-0 before the fans had found their seats. Moments later it was 2-0 as Pierre Girard walked in down the right side and put a backhand shot right under the bar from Garry Nunn and Jonathan Milhouse at the 1:13 mark. Harrison May would then enter the game in relief, and he was tested quickly with Robbie Bailey blowing a slap shot home from the top of the right circle at the 3:21 mark with the lone assist on the play going to Ashford McMaster. It was shocking to watch, and no doubt shocking for the Dogs as in 3:21 of play they had given up two more goals than they allowed in the entire 60 minutes of play the night before. The Grizzlies then built the lead to 4-0 with a seeing-eye snap shot that went in where the post meets the cross bar as Jordie Benn let it go from the blue line at the 12:51 mark. Jonathan Milhouse and Pierre Girard drew the assists on the play. You certainly don?t expect a shot like this to go in from where it was taken, but with the traffic in the slot Harrison May might?ve been screened on it. Harrison May would keep the game respectable with great back-to-back saves on a Grizzlies power play where they connected on cross-crease passes to the back door. The Dogs would dig hard to get on the board in the final minute as Lee Patzer was sent in on the breakaway where he beat Matthew Wong with just: 52 seconds remaining in the period. The goal was initially announced as unassisted before Isaac Smeltzer and James Kerr were given the assists. I believe that it was actually Sawyer Eichel who made the nice cross-ice pass to Patzer to send him in alone. The Dogs came out in the second and promptly took two penalties in the first 2:09 of play. Not a good recipe for a comeback. Kevin Genoe was back in net to start the second and he played solid, coming up with save after save to help kill off the penalties and keep the Dogs in it. The Dogs worked hard to create and had some chances but couldn?t find the net before more bad penalties took them out of it further when Victoria went up 5-1 as Justin Courtnall tipped in a Shaun Stuart point shot at the 13:16 mark with Keenan Desmet getting the secondary assist later added. Much like the first period the Dogs struck late in the frame with Marcello Ranallo sending the puck at the net where Daniel Moriarty banged his own rebound out of mid air and on net again before finally lifting the loose puck home for a 5-2 Grizzlies lead with 1:38 left in the second. The Dogs came right up the ice and had several more good chances to get within two before the period was out but Wong and the Grizzlies held the fort to head to the room after two periods up by three goals, the same way they went to the room after one. The Dogs came out and put on the work bo
