The Dogs crazy week began Tuesday night as they hosted the Victoria Grizzlies at the Pound.
An entertaining first period would see no scoring, but the second started with a bang for the Dogs as Johnny Rogic took a pass at centre from Zack Mazo and then raced down the right wing into the Victoria zone before bringing the puck behind the net.From there, he threw a pass to a streaking Robert Lindores in the slot, who snapped a perfect shot top corner glove side before Anthony Grieco could get over. The goal game just 2:55 into the second, with Rogic getting the lone assist. The Dogs would see the lead erased later in the period as they found themselves in penalty trouble. While they killed off a Grizzlies 5 on 3, they couldn?t kill off the second penalty as a controversial goal was awarded to tie the game at 1-1. Colin Rundell would appear to make the save, and the referee didn?t signal goal or no goal on the play. After some consultation with his linesmen, a goal would be awarded to Justin Courtnall as the Grizzlies tied it at 1-1. Assists on the play went to Trever Hertz and Evan Pighin at 10:49 of the second period. That goal would change the game, as the Grizzlies took momentum and then a 2-1 lead five minutes later on a drop pass to the slot that Courtnall one-timed home low glove side on Rundell. Myles MacRae and Evan Pighin picked up the assists at 15:59 of the second. Just 1:04 later it was 3-1 Grizzlies as they hemmed the Dogs in their own zone and Jonathan Milhouse walked from the left hand corner, across the blue line and down to the right faceoff dot where he blew a slap shot short-side high on Rundell. Assists went to Brian Nugent and Derek Lee with 2:57 to play in the second period. The score would stay 3-1 until the later stages of the third, when the Grizzlies took a 4-1 lead on a shot by Tyler Gubb that squeaked through Colin Rundell and just over the line with 5:58 to play in the third. Assists on the play went to Trever Hertz and Brian Nugent. Just two minutes later Derek Lee scored on an open net on a great set up by Brian Nugent as he walked down the left wing and pulled Rundell out of position before throwing the puck back out front to Lee. Wade Epp also picked up an assist for a 5-1 Grizzlies lead with 3:31 to play. Immediately after the goal, the Dogs went to the penalty box, and the Grizzlies made short work of the power play when Brian Nugent ripped a slap shot high short side from the top of the right circle for a 6-1 lead and the eventual final score. Derek Lee and Jonathan Milhouse assisted at the 17:50 mark of the third. With the score ugly the game turned ugly as the final two minutes saw five fights.
Final shots favoured Victoria 42-24, with Colin Rundell and Anthony Grieco being the goalies of record. The Bulldogs were 0 for 7 on the power play while the Grizzlies were 2 for 8.
Thursday night the Dogs looked to bounce back against the Langley Chiefs as the teams met for the fourth and final time this season. The Dogs came out energized in the opening frame, outshooting the Chiefs 16-10 but they weren?t able to hit the scoreboard as Joe Rodwell was sharp in goal. Langley would take a 1-0 lead just over five minutes into the second when they were shorthanded as Brad Goss walked over the Bulldogs line down the right wing and from the top of the circle put a shot on goal that squeaked through the arm of Matthew Wong and into the top of the net. Brandon Thompson picked up the lone assist. The Chiefs looked for more later in the period but Wong came up with three or four big saves on a scramble, first stacking the pads and then getting his arm up on the rebound to keep it 1-0 into period three. In the third the Dogs got the equalizer on a great play by Chris Moulson, as he stole the puck from Trevor Elias, picking his pocket as he was leaving the Langley zone. Moulson then fed a cross ice pass to Brian Kang in the high slot who blew a one timer top corner glove side on Rodwell to break the shutout bid and tie the game at 1-1 with 14:32 left in the third. Neither team could find the net for the remainder of regulation, or even through overtime number one as Matthew Wong was tested on several occasions with the Chiefs outshooting the Dogs 7-1 in the first overtime. In overtime number two the Dogs would find the winner when Adam Hout walked out from behind the net and managed to throw the puck on goal and off the skates of Rodwell and into the back of the net.
Final shots favoured the Dogs 46-37, with Matthew Wong picking up the win and second star honours. Joe Rodwell took the loss but was deserving of his first star accolades. Special teams saw the Dogs go 0 for 7 on the power play, while the Chiefs were 0 for 4, although they did score their only goal shorthanded.
Friday night the Dogs took to the ice for the second and final time this season in Powell River as they visited the Mainland Division leading Kings. There wasn?t a lot of action early, with the game scoreless after 20 minutes due to solid penalty killing and goaltending by the Dogs as they held the league leading Kings power play off the board after taking an early penalty, and then a four minute penalty shortly afterwards. The Dogs would finally open the scoring past the halfway mark of t
