Despite the early start time, it was a rather energetic start to the game with each team skating well and being sharper than I would have anticipated. The teams didn't generate much in the way of a territorial advantage either way, as the game felt somewhat even. The Bulldogs had the best chance of the game early when Will Lavezzorio used great speed to blow the doors off the Silverbacks defence and race in on a breakaway. He would cut on goal only to be hooked by the Silverbacks defender chasing him before he made contact with Silverbacks goalie Angus Redmond. I'm not sure I've seen the situation called this way before, but both the defenceman and Lavezzorio were given penalties, for the stick on the back-check and the contact on the goalie. As the period wore on the game was somewhat chippy with a series of after the whistle skirmishes and dust ups. The Silverbacks would get the best chance later in the frame when Ross Heidt skated in alone on a breakaway but Chris Tai came up with a big stop to keep it 0-0 through 20 minutes, with the shots favouring Salmon Arm 11-5.
The second period began with a thud for the Bulldogs, somewhat eerily similar to what happened against Powell River on Sunday when the game was 0-0 after 20 minutes. The Bulldogs began the period on the power play for 1:05, but looked flat as one mistake compounded and led to another and they failed to gain the Salmon Arm zone on the power play. They then got caught in their zone while on the man advantage and just five seconds after it elapsed it was a 1-0 game when Josh Blanchard was found all alone in front of Chris Tai by Joshua Laframboise. Blanchard would have way too much time, as he deked across the crease before sliding it home five hole, at 1:10 of the second. The Bulldogs would earn another power play later in the period but it again was a momentum killer as they took a penalty early in it to make it four-aside hockey. The Silverbacks would move the puck around like a power play during four-on-four, and went up 2-0 when a point shot hit traffic in front and dropped in the crease where Nick Hutchison found it first and fired it into the open side. Assists on the play went to Elijiah Barriga and and Damian Chrcek at 6:43 of the second. The Bulldogs would kill off the penalty and have their best scoring chance of the game when Garrett Halls was sent in alone on a breakaway after exiting the penalty box, but Angus Redmond came up with a save with his glove arm to keep it out. The Dogs took another penalty late in the period but came up with a big kill to keep it a 2-0 hole. They weren't able to generate much in the way of offense through the frame, with the Silverbacks out-shooting them 13-4 in the period for a 40 minute advantage of 24-9.
The Bulldogs couldn't muster a push early in the third period, as the Silverbacks quickly went up 3-0 on the rush on a 2 on 1 as Colton Thibault kept the puck up the left wing and cut across the deep slot before firing against the grain, beating Tai short-side. The only assist went to Joshua Laframboise 2:44 into the third. That would do it for the scoring as neither side found the net the rest of the way, as the Dogs have now been shut out in two of their last three games, scoring just one goal total over those contests.
Final shots favoured the Silverbacks 29-17 with Chris Tai taking the loss but coming up with countless saves to give his team a change, while Angus Redmond picked up third star honours with the win. I had both teams at 0 for 6 on the power play.
The Bulldogs are next in action Wednesday in Nanaimo.
Hammer
No comments:
Post a Comment