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OHL Brantford Bulldogs

Bulldogs Garner A Key Point In Overtime Loss To Fronts

March 23, 2024 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Brantford Bulldogs News Release


KINGSTON, ONTARIO. Opening up the final weekend of the 2023-24 season the Bulldogs embarked on a two-game eastern road swing, first visiting Slush Puppie Place in Kingston on Saturday night to square off with the Frontenacs.

Matteo Drobac returned to the lineup for the Bulldogs after missing a trio of games with an illness and went right back between the pipes marking his 51st appearance of the season. Drobac was tested early having to make a solid pad save on a rushing Matthew Soto and denying the Fronts in a net-front 2-on-1. The Bulldogs took the lead at 10:57 as Lawson Sherk won a left-wing attacking draw to Adrian Rebelo at the left point, the forward, turned defenseman's drive deflected infront of J.J. Salajko's net where Ben Bujold won a physical battle for the puck and hammered home his 14th of the season to give the Bulldogs a 1-0 advantage. The lead held until 15:51 as Roman Schmidt took a Matthew Soto board wrap at the right point where the towering blueliner fired a shot through both Jacob Battaglia and Niko Krmpotic infront of Matteo Drobac to tie the game 1-1. The Bulldogs held the advantage of play in the first period and forced J.J. Salajko to keep his side within a shout as Marek Vanacker from the right corner found Jake O'Brien at the right hashmarks for a one-timer that Salajko had to steal with a tremendous glove save keeping the game level through 20-minutes.

The middle frame was the Matteo Drobac show, turning aside 15 Frontenac shots including a barrage of net front opportunites to hold the Bulldogs in the contest. Drobac was cracked just once in the frame as a Roman Schmidt right point shot struck a crowd infront of Drobac's goal and bounced to the side of the open Brantford goal with the Bulldogs netminder having never seen it. Gage Heyes hopped on it and fired it into the open net to record his 11th of the season giving the Frontenacs their first lead of the game. J.J. Salajko held the lead the rest of the way in the period, after Kingston had outshot the Bulldogs 14-4 through the first half of the period, the Bulldogs responded outshooting the hosts 8-2 the rest of the way but still found themselves down 2-1 entering the final frame.

The Bulldogs wasted no time opening the third period with Noah Nelson sending Calvin Crombie & Luca Testa away. Testa's left circle shot went through Salajko, laying at the right side of the crease where Crombie found it and hammered it in for his 14th, tying the game 2-2 at 3:04. The visitors powered back into the lead at 4:46 as Owen Protz worked the puck on the right side for Patrick Thomas who dropped to Florian Xhekaj. Barreling through the right circle, Xhekaj rifled a shot off the back bar past Salajko for his 32nd of the season giving the Bulldogs a 3-2 lead. The Fronts wouldn't give up and after the Bulldogs killed a penalty just prior to the midway point of the period, a goal mouth scramble ensued with the puck rolling out high to Tyler Hopkins who took his time and with Matteo Drobac unable to get back into position was able to launch a shot over the Bulldogs goaltender to tie the game 3-3 at 9:35.

Three periods wouldn't be enough and the game required overtime, but wasn't without it's controversy. Off the opening faceoff while dueling with Paul Ludwinski, Owen Protz was given a penalty for high sticking. After the Bulldogs had killed all but 7-seconds of the power-play, and on a zone entry that appeared to be offside in live motion, Roman Schmidt's top of the formation slapshot carried through a screen past Matteo Drobac for his 2nd of the game and 8th of the season giving the Fronts a 4-3 overtime victory at 1:57.

The Brantford Bulldogs close out the season on Sunday, March 24th, at the Arena at TD Place in Ottawa, visiting the 67's in a clash with massive playoff implications with puck drop at 2:00pm.

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