It was not the weekend Bulldogs head coach Matt Hughes had hoped for as his team went 1-2 on another three-game road trip over the water.
Things were looking great after the first 20 minutes against the Salmon Arm Silverbacks on Friday, as the Bulldogs were leading 2-1 with goals by Ryan Miotto and Mitch Deelstra. However, after getting into some penalty trouble in the second, they found themselves down 3-2.
Miotto would tie things up early in the third, but the Silverbacks scored the game winner on the powerplay at 16:39, followed by an empty netter to take the game 5-3.
In game two at the Kal Tire Centre in Vernon, the Bulldogs couldn’t capitalize on any opportunities. With three powerplay goals, the Vernon Vipers would end up taking the game 5-1. The lone goal for the Bulldogs came in at 8:22 of the second period, scored by Jackson Doucet on the powerplay. Miotto kept up his point streak with an assist on the play, but was taken out of the game late in the third period with a blow to the head misconduct.
The Bulldogs started out shaky in the final game of the weekend against the Langley Rivermen, as the Rivermen would score two unanswered goals in the first period to lead 2-0 after one.
But the Bulldogs tied things up in the second with two goals of their own—first by Keaton Mastrodonato, followed by Tanner Pochipinski with the first of his BCHL career. In the third period, both teams were kept off the scoresheet, and it was the Bulldogs’ Doucet who scored the overtime winner on a breakaway to take the game.
The Bulldogs will be back at home this weekend to face the Nanaimo Clippers on Friday, Oct. 26 and the Vernon Vipers on Saturday, Oct. 27. Puck drop for both games is at 7 p.m.
ICE CHIPS…This weekend, the Alberni Valley saw the return of forward Mackenzie Wight, who played a 27-game stint with the team during the 2016-17 season. Wight has returned following a Memorial Cup run with WHL’s Swift Current Broncos. The Bulldogs also announced on Sunday that they have acquired the CJHL playing rights to defenceman Sam Pouliot, who also started his 2018-19 season with the Broncos.