The Bulldogs and Capitals both gave their fans something to cheer about over the weekend with the back-to-back home openers. For the Caps, it was 2 wins and four points. For the Dogs, it was their first point of the season. Although it came in the form of a double overtime loss, it was earned in heroic, never-say-quit, comeback fashion.
Game 1 went Friday in Duncan in what was a fast paced, spirited and intense game that saw the Capitals emerge the victors in the end by a score of 3-2. Again, it was the best effort of the season for the Dogs, but it still didn?t end in a victory. A scoreless first period saw the Caps carry the play out shooting the Dogs 14-4. Kevin Genoe started his second straight game in the Dogs? goal and was on his game early. In the second period Brooks Robinson was sent in alone on a clear cut breakaway from the Caps blue line as the Dogs were caught deep. Robinson would beat Genoe with a quick release blocker-side wrist shot for the 1-0 lead 3:17 into the period. Assists on the play went to Mickey Spencer and Bryce Reddick. The Bulldogs would fight back to tie it at 1-1 as a good shift down low saw the puck end up on the stick of Isaac Smeltzer at the left point. He would one-time a low hard one on goal that Matt Ferarro made a good first save on. Jeff Manryk was rewarded for paying the price in front of the net though, as he potted the loose puck in the open side with assists to Adam Baldassarre and Adam Hout at the 9:02 mark. Just three minutes later the Caps were up 2-1 with an odd one. Credit to Ryne Bodger for just throwing the puck at the net, (as they say, if you do that, ?good things happen?) as a lucky bounce saw the puck carom off of the equipment of Kevin Genoe, and then off leg of Joey Massingham, and then IN for the 2-1 lead 12:16 in. The second period was very quiet penalty wise, as just one infraction was whistled. The players would make up for that though as the pent up energy and tension was released at the 20 minute mark as the buzzer sounded to end the period with the Bulldogs going a little too hard to the net for the Caps liking. A large scrum and two fights would ensue. First, Cody Adams and Sawyer Eichel tangled. Shortly afterwards, Isaac Smeltzer and Chad Gehon dropped the gloves. As per BCHL regulations, any fights occurring after an initial fight result in an automatic game misconduct and game suspension. It was actually the combatants in the first fight, (Eichel and Adams) that were ejected, not Smeltzer and Gehon. In defense of the players and the referee, it all happened very fast, and it was spontaneous and in the heat of the moment. Sawyer Eichel and Cody Adams would get tossed from the game, but it would be Isaac Smeltzer and Chad Gehon suspended for the game the next night. After the dust settled and the fans had quieted the Caps were up 2-1 after two periods, and they were up a man to begin the third period as Jeff Manryk was given two minutes for goalie interference. The score stayed 2-1 Caps until the 8:47 mark of the third when the Dogs broke down in their own end and gave up a 2 on 0 that saw The Caps take a 3-1 lead scoring the highlight reel goal of the night as Justin Taylor fed a cross ice pass through the slot to Mickey Spencer who roofed it under the bar for the crucial two goal spread. I would really have to see the video again to know what happened on this goal. Initially, Bulldogs defenseman Mandeep Nijjar did a good job to get back and not let Spencer beat him to the net 1 on 1. Nijjar then took Spencer into the end boards, finishing the play. Seconds later before you knew what hit you Spencer was back at the front of the net and the Caps had a 2 on 0 from the hash marks and in. It would be safe to say that Nijjar and Genoe were hung out to dry on this one. Credit has to go to the Dogs for not quitting though, as this could?ve been a goal to break their backs and take the wind out of their sails. They wouldn?t let that happen though, as just over a minute later they went to the power play as James Kerr drew a penalty by keeping his feet moving through neutral ice as he was being hooked. Seconds later on the power play Evan Michalchuk took a pass from Kerr and kept his feet moving as he drove hard to the net and somehow managed to sneak it through Matt Ferarro and all of a sudden it was a one-goal game again with 7:29 left. That would be as close as the Dogs would get though as the Caps held the fort for the 3-2 final. Shots were 29-19 in favour of the Caps, with Kevin Genoe again solid in goal in a losing cause. Matt Ferarro was good when he had to be in the Capital cage. The Dogs were 1 for 6 on the power play while the Caps were 0 for 8.
The next night action shifted to the Alberni Valley and the Dog Pound as it was the ?Caps turn to sit through the pre game festivities for the Dogs home opener. The Capitals didn?t appear bothered, as they came out firing early with Kyle Clay accepting a pass in the slot from Joey Massingham and Josh Clare after they did some good work down low. Clay fired a shot through the legs of Harrison May and it was 1-0 Capitals just 5:37 in. The lead was 2-0 just past the halfway mark of the opening period with Justin Taylor tipping-in a one timer from the blue line off the stick of Clinton Pettapiece. It was actually Brooks Robinson who set the play up with a nice pass back to the line, but Zack Currie was credited with an assist at the 10:11 mark. It was 2-0 Caps after one. The lead was built to 3-0 in the second as Robinson took a hard check deep in the Dogs zone but bounced back up to his feet quicker than he went down. He then fed a backhand pass to Mickey Spencer on the doorstep where he one timed it in past May for a 3-0 lead with 8:19 gone in the period. Bryce Reddick also figured in on the scoring play. The Caps had a chance to ice it with Josh Clare being awarded a penalty shot after he was tripped up by Daniel Moriarty while on a breakaway. Either Clare missed the net, or Harrison may got a piece of it, either way the puck stayed out and the game stayed 3-0. The Bulldogs would finally get the home crowd into it with a gutsy, hardworking shift that saw Daniel Moriarty get the puck from Zack Mazo and then lift it back to the right point to Mandeep Nijjar. Nijjar one timed a howitzer that found it?s way through, and the ?Pound was finally awake and the Dogs were on the board with just 1:24 left in the period. Then it gets a little crazy. The second that public address announcer Charles Mealey finished announcing the official on the goal, the Dogs scored again and ?Pound erupted like only it can, especially when two quick goals are scored. Not so fast though?? Referee Carl Poole would wave off the goal, giving Daniel Moriarty an interference penalty on the play. It?s hard for me to comment on this incident, as I didn?t see it happen. I was looking down entering the official on the goal. As I looked up I saw the puck go in. In the end it was a tough one to take for the Dogs no doubt, as the score stayed 3-1 instead of 3-2, and they were down a man through the rest of the second and into the third. I can?t wait to see video on this one. Things out there happen very fast. The third period was back and forth with the Dogs struggling to create, but working very hard for every inch gained. After two quick saves in succession by Harrison May at one end, Lee Patzer was sent over the Caps blue line by James Kerr at the other end. A good second effort by Patzer saw Evan Michalchuk get the puck in the right circle. Michalchuk just plain put the puck on goal and it found it?s way inside the left post past Matt Ferarro and the Dogs were all of a sudden within one with 7:27 to play and again the crowd was back into it. In pushing for the equalizer in the dying minutes the Dogs would end up on the power play into the final minute with Cody Adams sent off for hooking with just 1:08 to play. After getting a face-off in deep in
