RECAP:
The Hamilton Bulldogs hosted the St. Johns Ice Capps in
their home opener Friday night. With two short-handed goals the Bulldogs would
open their season on a high note.
Returning Bulldogs, Greg Pateryn and Mike Blunden connected
as Pateryn ripped one past Eddie Pasquale to score the first goal of the season
and put Hamilton on the board. It would take about five minutes before the Ice
Capps could answer with a goal of their own.
Blunden would put one of his own in early on in the second period
for the Bulldogs to pull ahead. The lead wouldn’t last for long, as Ben Chairot
would find the back of the net to tie things up at two. The rest of the second
period would be scoreless.
Patrick Holland, another returning Bulldog came up the left
side to score a goal short handed, giving the Bulldogs the lead. The goal would
come just over five minutes into the third and from then on the Dogs were able
to hold off St. Johns and take the win. This may be the first game-winning goal
this season for Holland but last season he had a total of three game winners on
home ice.
With a total of 12 power plays through out the contest (6 a
piece) Hamilton was unable to capitalize on any of their power plays and
managed to kill five of their six penalties.
After just one game Goalie Dustin Tokarski sits in the 14th
spot in the AHL leaderboards after making a total of 33 saves. Tokarski
currently has a .943 save percentage. At the end of last season he sat in 13th
with .909 save percentage, with a total of 1085 saves in 48 games for the Dogs.
Hamilton and the Ice Capps won’t meet up again this season
until the middle of December at home. Mike Blunden would be the first star of
the game after giving the helper to Pateryn before putting in a goal of his
own. The Bulldogs will play again at Copps Collusium in Hamilton on Saturday
night when they host the Grand Rapids Griffins In a 7pm match up.
NEXT GAME PREVEW
The Bulldogs host the Grand Rapid Griffins in
their second game of the season, and second game on home ice. The Griffins are
coming off a loss, after the Marlies topped them 3-4 in extra time earlier on
this week, while the Bulldogs fresh off a win from Friday night’s game. Last
season the Dogs and Griffins met up a total of 4 times, with the Dogs winning
just once at the beginning of the season. Last season the Bulldogs ended with an under .500 record and ranked last in the Division… after last nights win they sit in the number two spot just under the Marlies who are currently 2-0. As for the Grand Rapids they currently hold a 1-1 record. Griffin’s Gustav Nyquist is currently in the leaderboards in the 11th spot with three points after putting in a goal and three assists in their past two games.
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