Bulldogs Batter Steelheads
January 23, 2016 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Brantford Bulldogs News Release
Bulldogs (17-23-4-0) got goals from four different players in their 4-1 victory over the Mississauga Steelheads (23-20-1-3).
With a shot at grabbing the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference the Bulldogs came out hungry in this one. With a solid defensive game plan Hamilton was able to limit the high octane offence of the Steelheads, while also generating quality chances of their own. The period would end without any goals from either team but Hamilton would enter the second period ahead 11-8 in shots. The hard
work by the Bulldogs would finally pay off as a break into the Mississauga zone would see Ben Gleason make a crisp pass to a streaking Brandon Saigeon who would find Trent Fox in the high slot and he would roof it over Steelheads starter Jack Flinn. Fox's eighteenth goal of the year would come at 8:28 of the second period.
The Bulldogs would keep the pressure on and it would be Bulldogs captain Niki Petti that would take a pass on the left side of the offensive zone and rifle a shot over the shoulder of Flinn to put the Bulldogs ahead 2-0. Assists on the goal would go to Matt Luff and Matthew Strome at 13:17.
Hamilton would get one more before the period was out. With Nathan Bastian in the box for interference, Saigeon ripped home a shot that managed to pop the water bottle off Flinn's net. Adam Laishram and Trent Fox would get assists on Saigeon's fourth of the year at 19:52.
That would be it for Flinn as he would be replaced by Steelheads backup Joseph Murdaca to start the third. Mississauga would then break up the shutout bid of Hamilton goalie Kaden Fulcher when captain Josh Burnside managed to put a backhander home to make the score 3- 1. Michael McLeod registered the loan assist on Burnside's tenth of the year at 7:03 of the third.
That's as close as Mississauga would get though as Matthew Strome would knock the puck out of mid-air in front of the net for his seventh of the season. The power-play goal was assisted by Luff and Connor Walters at 19:28.
Fulcher would make nineteen saves in the win for Hamilton, while Flinn would make twenty-four saves in the loss for Mississauga.
Captain Petti was happy with the team's effort this weekend as the Bulldogs managed to come away with three of a possible four points. "We came out hard. We competed in all three periods and that`s what we have to continue to do."
Petti added, "Tonight was a good confidence booster for everybody. Games like this are what brings teams closer together. They are a good hockey team and we battled hard for those two points."
The Bulldogs are back in action tomorrow afternoon when they take on the defending Memorial Cup Champion Oshawa Generals at the General Motors Centre in Oshawa. Puck drop is set for 3:00pm. The Bulldogs are back at home on Saturday, January 30th to take on those same Generals. Puck drop is 7:00pm.
Ontario Hockey League Stories from January 23, 2016
- Steelheads Fall 4-1 to Bulldogs - Brampton Steelheads
- Firebirds Drop 3-2 Decision at Home to Windsor Saturday - Flint Firebirds
- Bulldogs Batter Steelheads - Brantford Bulldogs
- Rangers Rebound with Win at the Bayshore - Kitchener Rangers
- Sarnia wins 6-5 - Sarnia Sting
- Attack Fall to Rangers in Divisional Battle - Owen Sound Attack
- IceDogs Come up Big in Victory over Erie - Niagara IceDogs
- Steelheads Blank IceDogs 5-0 - Brampton Steelheads
- Water for Flint Initiative Wraps with 65,000 Bottles Donated - Windsor Spitfires
- Firebirds Host Windsor Spitfires Saturday in Flint - Flint Firebirds
- Battalion Battle Past Bulldogs - Brantford Bulldogs
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