Despite a disappointing game against the Nanaimo Clippers on Friday, the Alberni Valley Bulldogs were able to secure a victory at home on Saturday.
Friday’s game in Nanaimo ended with a Clippers 5-4 victory, as Clippers forward Sammy Steele recorded his first B.C. Hockey League hat trick.
The first period started well for the Bulldogs, as the team went up 2-0 on power play goals by Jackson Doucet and Ryan Miotto. However, Nanaimo was able to answer with a pair of goals scored 40 seconds apart. Clippers captain Marcus Mitchell scored the only goal of the second period.
The third period was a wild one, with Alberni Valley evening the score on a shorthanded breakaway by forward Stephen Castagna. Steele ripped home his second of the night halfway through the third to give the Clippers the advantage again, until Bulldogs forward Mitch Deelstra scored in the last minute with the Bulldogs playing with a sixth attacker. Overtime looked inevitable, until Steele sniped his third goal of the night on the power play to secure a Clippers victory with seven seconds remaining.
The Alberni Valley Bulldogs came out strong against the Powell River Kings on Saturday night, defeating the Kings 4-0.
Dawson Tritt opened the scoring in the first period on the powerplay assisted by Aaron Bohlinger and Ryan Miotto. This was followed by two goals in the second—first by Isaac Tonkin-Palmer, shorthanded, followed by Mitch Deelstra. In the third period, Austin Spiridakis would add a goal at 6:51 to take the game 4-0.
Goaltender John Hawthorne stopped all 35 shots he faced and earned the first star with his second shutout of the season.
The Bulldogs take the ice again this weekend, with home games on Saturday and Sunday. Saturday’s game against the Prince George Spruce Kings starts at 7 p.m., while Sunday’s game against the Chilliwack Chiefs starts at 2 p.m.
