A solid start to the game for both sides in this one as the pace was high from the get go. An odd penalty call went against the Bulldogs early in the contest as a violent and high hit on Brett Stewart saw his visor ripped clean off his helmet. Stewart would pick the visor up and hold it up for the Referee and most likely have some choice words for him. The Referee would look on, and by the time Stewart was already on the bench made the decision to call an Unsportsmanlike Conduct penalty. Later in the period Brett Roulston would take a high hit that also went uncalled. He also appeared to have some choice words for the Referee, but he would go un penalized with the Bulldogs Coaching Staff up in arms. The Clippers would have a series of good chances on their second power play of the period but Billy Christopoulos stood tall making two fantastic back-to-back saves with his right pad to keep the game scoreless. The Bulldogs would open the scoring with two and a half minutes to play in the period on a 3 on 2 rush where Mitch Makin dished off to Tyler Povelofskie on the right wing where his centering pass went off a Clipper and onto the tape of Scottie Clark who walked in alone on goal and deked out Jakob Severson before lifting a backhand home to make it 1-0 at 17:35 of the first. The goal would appear to motivate the Clippers, as at the time of the goal the shots were 12-11 in favour of the Dogs. The period would end with the Clippers out shooting the Dogs 21-12 as they had three or four scrambles around the net with Christopoulos playing nothing short of lights out to keep it 1-0 Dogs after one.
The Dogs came out guns blazing to open the scoring in the second period as just over a minute into it Nick Gushue misplayed a dump in and lost possession of it. Dylan Haugen would pick it up and drop it onto the stick of Josh Adkins who drove through the right circle and put a perfect top corner snap shot far-side over the blocker of Severson. Garrett Halls also drew an assist on the play at 1:06 of the second to make it 2-0 Dogs. Just three minutes later it was 3-0 Bulldogs when they cashed in on a fortunate bounce on the power play as Tyler Povelofskie chased down a loose puck off a Mitch Makin pass and then worked it deep into the left corner for Scottie Clark. He would walk to the bottom of the circle and then put one on net from a sharp angle that banked in past Severson for his second of the game and a 3-0 lead at the 4:34 mark of the period. After a Clipper Bench Minor during the play while they were on the man advantage saw it go to four-on-four hockey the Dogs cashed in again on just their second power play chance of the game. Beautiful movement on the power play saw Scottie Clark put the puck deep for Mitch Makin in the right corner and then drove the net hard where he deflected it home through Severson for his third of the game to make it 4-0. Tyler Povelofskie also drew and assist on the play at the 13:32 mark of the second. The Dogs out shot the Clippers 12-9 in the period for a 30-24 Nanaimo advantage after 40 minutes.
The Bulldogs killed off a carry over penalty to end the second, and two more in close succession to start the third, keeping it 4-0. Once again the Bulldogs bench was incensed when Corey Renwick went to the net and ran into a defenseless Billy Christopoulos, knocking his helmet off after contacting his head. No penalty call was made on the play. On the next shift, Josh Adkins was contacted in the head at the Clippers line, with again no call coming from the Referees as the boo-birds came out in a big way at the Multiplex. With the boos raining down, the Clippers would jam the Bulldogs crease and score on a wrap around and a traffic jam in the net. Devin Brosseau would get credit for it, with assists going to Sheldon Rempal and Jacob Hanlon at 9:56 of the third to make it 4-1. On the very next shift all heck would break loose, with Chris Schutz and Yanni Kaldis fighting. At the same time, Braden Fuller was on the receiving end of several cross-checks from Brendan Taylor with a half of a fight also breaking out. Somehow the Dogs ended up on the wrong end of the stick again, as the Clippers went to yet another power play. Late in that advantage, the Dogs were penalized again as the Clippers had a 5 on 3 advantage for just under 20 seconds. Again, the Dogs came up with a series of big kills to keep it 4-1. With just seconds left in the second penalty the Dogs would finally draw one to earn a power play chance of their own. They wouldn't capitalize on the advantage despite several loose pucks in the crease, and just seconds later the Clippers would find the net to trim the gap to 4-2 when Anthony Rinadli scored on a deflection at the top of the crease off a Nick Gushue slapper from the right wing at 16:33 of the third. The Dogs went to another power play shortly afterwards, but the Clippers pulled their goalie to keep it 5 on 5. Billy Christopoulos wouldn't be able to get an empty net attempt down ice, but the Dogs fought the puck into the Clippers zone. As the Clippers brought it out, Mitch Makin would put forth a fantastic effort to back check and lift the stick of a Clipper at centre to steal the puck and spin and shoot and hit the empty net to make it a 5-2 final, unassisted at 19:20 of the third period.
Final shots favoured the Clippers 39-29 with Billy Christopoulos picking up 2nd star honours with the win while Jakob Severson took the loss. The Dogs went 2 for 4 on the power play while the Clippers went 0 for 8.
With the win the Dogs snap their losing streak at four, and the Clippers win streak at three. They next see action Sunday afternoon at 2pm when they host Penticton.
Hammer
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