The BCHL preseason has officially come to an end for the Alberni Valley Bulldogs.
The Bulldogs fell 8-2 to the Nanaimo Clippers on Monday night (Nov. 16) in the Island Cup Semi-Final. The Clippers will go on to face the league-leading Victoria Grizzlies in the Island Cup Championship on Tuesday night.
BCHL commissioner Chris Hebb said earlier this month that the league is still on track to begin regular-season play in early December.
The Alberni Valley Bulldogs picked up a decisive win last weekend. After a 3-2 loss to the Nanaimo Clippers at home on Tuesday, Nov. 10, the Bulldogs bounced back with a 7-4 win against the Grizzlies in Victoria on Friday, Nov. 13.
After the clubs traded first period goals, Bulldogs captain Mattias Dal Monte scored the go-ahead goal at 2:55 of the second. The Grizzlies roared back with a quick pair of their own to take a 3-2 lead before the period was just six minutes old, but Bulldogs forwards Oak MacLeod and Tyler Kostelecky scored just 14 seconds apart late in the second to send the Bulldogs to the locker room with a 4-3 lead after 40 minutes.
The Bulldogs pulled away with the lead with four more goals in the third from Stephen Castagna, Ethan Bono, MacLeod and Brandon Buhr. Luke Pearson was solid in net as he faced 41 shots from the Grizzlies.
ICE CHIPS…The Alberni Valley Bulldogs announced their leadership group for the 2020-21 season last week. The newest Bulldogs captain is defenceman Mattias Dal Monte. He will be joined by alternate captains Caige Sterzer, Dawson Tritt and Stephen Castagna.
