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OHL Brantford Bulldogs

Bulldogs Press Late; 67's Even Series 1-1 In 6-3 Final

April 1, 2024 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Brantford Bulldogs News Release


BRANTFORD, ONTARIO. An Easter Sunday Special as the Brantford Bulldogs hosted Game 2 of their Eastern Conference Quarterfinal against the Ottawa 67's on Sunday night, entering the game holding a 1-0 series lead.

Game 2 got off to a dream start for the Bulldogs, just 1:01 into the opening frame as Patrick Thomas bolted through neutral ice laying the puck along into the offensive zone for Nick Lardis. Drawing a defender and spinning puck middle, Lardis hit Florian Xhekaj on the tape to the slot where the power forward snapped a shot past Collin MacKenzie giving the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead on Xhekaj's 1st of the postseason. Samuel Mayer looked to quickly equalize on an opportunity off the right point, but Matteo Drobac blockered his attempt aside. Jake O'Brien earned an opportunity off a 67's turnover in neutral ice, in alone on Collin MacKenzie, trying five-hole but the Ottawa netminder denied the chance. The 67's clawed back to even up the frame at 17:31. After Caden Kelly's shot clattered off the end boards, Cooper Foster collected the carom and managed to beat Drobac to the post with his shot to score his 1st of playoffs tying the game 1-1. The 67's then took their first lead of the series, with both goals coming 36 seconds apart as at 18:07, Chris Barlas sends the puck around the boards back to the right point where Frankie Marrelli is able to keep the puck in on his backhand and send a shot netfront that deflected off two Bulldogs and past Drobac to give the 67's a 2-1 lead they carried into the first intermission.

The Bulldogs openeed the middle frame gaining a 5-on-3 opportunity for 56 seconds with the best opportunity coming from Nick Lardis but the 67's penalty kill came up massive and killed the advantage. At 3:27, Calvin Crombie evened up the game by picking up the puck deflecting off the boards and getting it through a diving 67's defenceman to score his 2nd of playoffs knotting the game at 2-2. The 67's regained the lead short-handed at 6:29, with a Bulldogs turnover Jacob Maillet drops the puck to Luca Pinelli scoring his 2nd of the playoffs on a right circle bullet to put Ottawa ahead 3-2. Nick Lardis tried to create an opportunity for the Bulldogs with him Daniil Sobolev galloping to try and join the rush, but Lardis' drive was turned aside. Matteo Drobac held the Bulldogs in with Ottawa on the power-play making a pair of tremendous stops, first on Will Gerrior with the rebound stop on Brady Stonehouse. While short-handed Marek Vanacker has a break, and after his shot tailed wide, the 67's turned transition and added to their lead with Luca Pinelli attacking left, spinning it middle for Jack Dever who turned it to the right circle for Samuel Mayer to make it 4-2 at 16:53 on Mayer's 1st of the playoffs. Florian Xhekaj tried to inject some life into the Bulldogs as the middle frame was coming to a close, dropping the gloves and getting the better of a bout with Matthew Mayich, igniting the Brantford crowd heading to the intermission.

The final frame was held quiet until 15:46 when the Bulldogs turned it back into a one goal contest. Florian Xhekaj's drive deflects and finds Adrian Rebelo whose blast deflected off the end boards. Off the bounce back to the front of the Ottawa net, Patrick Thomas tipped the puck over MacKenzie to score his 1st of playoffs making it a 4-3 game. Luca Pinelli followed with two opportunities to stretch the 67's lead again, but Matteo Drobac came up big once more and turned aside. With the Bulldogs putting on a late press, Matteo Drobac was called to the Brantford bench. Getting the offensive zone set they were looking for, the Bulldogs worked it quick around the perimeter but a shot deflected to the end boards allowed the 67's to work it up the wall where Cooper Foster hammered it all the way down the ice for the empty net goal giving Ottawa a 5-3 lead. Braden Kressler added one more into the empty net to finish Game 2 with a 6-3 win for the 67's evening the series at 1-1.

The Eastern Conference Quarterfinal series continues on Tuesday, April 2nd, switching to The Arena at TD Place in Ottawa with a 7:00pm puck drop.

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