The Bulldogs have a busy weekend ahead of them with three games in three days starting Friday night at the Frank Crane Arena in Nanaimo. It will be the third meeting of the season between the Dogs and Clippers, but the first on the Nanaimo side of the hump.
The Dogs have taken 3 out of 4 points against the Clippers this season, winning 3-0 on October 3rd, and losing 4-3 in overtime last Saturday ? the last game played by both teams going into Fridays match. With the win, the Clippers snapped a two game losing streak. On the other side of the puck, the loss sent the Dogs to a streak of four straight games without a win.
With both teams not playing since Saturday?s match you can expect they will no doubt be a little sick of each other, which can only mean an increase in the rivalry and intensity and in turn, another fun game to watch. The Bulldogs will need to bring the same game they brought in their two previous meetings against the Clippers ? a hard hitting and disciplined effort ? if they hope to get some revenge and take the two points back that the Clippers took from the Pound a week ago.
Catch the pre game show Friday from the Frank Crane Arena at 7:15 on 93.3 The Peak FM or www.933thepeak.com with the play by play to follow at 7:30pm.
Saturday sees the Westside Warriors heading into town for their only visit this season. The Warriors will be playing their third game of a four game Coastal swing, after starting their trip Wednesday night with a 6-4 loss to the Eagles in Surrey. The Warriors got off to a great start in the game, taking a 2-0 first period lead on goals in the final five minutes of the frame from Scott MacDonald and Grayson Downing less than 30 seconds apart. The Eagles would get one back before the period was out to trim their lead to 2-1 after the first. Again MacDonald found the net to give the Warriors their two goal lead back just short of the halfway mark of the game as it was 3-1 Westside. The Eagles would claw back to make it 3-2, but just a minute later Cam Reid put the Warriors back up by two goals at 4-2 heading into the third period. The Eagles would come out absolutely flying in the third, not only erasing the Westside lead but surging ahead themselves by scoring three goals in the first seven minutes of the period to lead 5-4. The Warriors looked to have scored the tying goal late, but the puck appeared to go through a hole in the net and it was disallowed. The Eagles would find the empty net with five seconds left for the 6-4 final.
Shots favoured Westside by a considerable margin as they outshot the Eagles 42-21. Kevin Jebson took the loss in net. The Warriors were 0 for 2 on the power play while the Eagles were 1 for 5.
Before making their way to Port Alberni Saturday, the Warriors will have a day off for travel on Thursday before visiting Powell River on Friday night.
Saturday?s pregame show kicks off at 6:45 with the puck dropping at 7:00 on 93.3 The Peak FM and online at www.933thepeak.com
Also fans are encouraged to come down and catch the post game show live Saturday night at Boston Pizza on 93.3 The Peak with the Bulldogs players and Coaching Staff heading there after the game.
Sunday afternoon is the ?pink in the rink? game as the Dogs will wear their limited edition pink jerseys for one game only to raise awareness and funds for Breast Cancer as the high flying Penticton Vees visit the Pound.
The Vees (as of October 19th) are the fourth ranked team in Canada in the CJHL rankings, behind only the 3rd ranked Vernon Vipers for BCHL teams. While the Dogs are a busy team this week, the Vees are even busier, as their trip opened Wednesday with a 3-1 victory over the Grizzlies in Victoria. Before rolling into the Pound on Sunday, the Vees visit the Cowichan Valley Capitals Friday and the Nanaimo Clippers Saturday.
The Vees will bring a well rounded game and an offensively talented game as at the time of this writing they have the 2nd and 3rd leading scorers in the league in Denver Manderson (2.4 points per game) and Beau Bennet just behind him at 1.9 points per game. As a team, they are second only in goals for per game to Vernon. In the goals against category, the only teams that have allowed less per game are ? you guessed it ? Vernon, and Powell River. So the Dogs must bring their ?A? game in all areas.
If you are attending as a fan ? WEAR PINK as the Dogs attempt to ?pink the rink? and also don?t forget that if you have entered any of the draw boxes around the Valley to win a pink jersey that you MUST BE IN ATTENDANCE TO WIN!
Catch the pregame show Sunday afternoon at 2:15 with the play-by-play at 2:30. Get it all on 93.3 The Peak FM and online at www.933thepeak.com
Three games, and three big challenges for the Dogs, it should be an exciting weekend of hockey!
