Captain Morrison the OT Hero in Opening Win in Guelph
September 30, 2022 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Brantford Bulldogs News Release
HAMILTON, ONTARIO. The Hamilton Bulldogs opened the 2022-23 OHL season, and their defense of the J. Ross Robertson Cup, with their first trip to the Sleeman Centre in Guelph in nearly 3 years to take on a pre-season Western Conference favourite in the Guelph Storm.
The Storm did what their name implied early in the first period, attacking the Bulldogs zone and pressuring a young Hamilton defense but Matteo Drobac held the door shut allowing his teammates to get their legs under them. After Cam Allen was flagged for a delay of game penalty, the Bulldogs struck first with the man advantage. Avery Hayes carried the puck to the right-wing corner where the newly minted assistant captain spun and found Cole Brown in the slot who drew a pair of Storm defenders to him, sliding the puck to his right and finding George Diaco who roofed the wrister at 9:08 to give the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead. Guelph was quick to strike back after a batted puck in neutral ice found its way to Braeden Bowman, entering the offensive zone, Bowman dealt off to the slot for Matthew Poitras who beat Drobac for the only time in the opening frame, tying the game 1-1 at 10:06. After Avery Hayes took a high stick deep in the Guelph zone, the Bulldogs power-play went back to work. Great puck movement around the formation led to an exchange between George Diaco & Lucas Moore opened up Logan Morrison in the left circle who walked his way to goal and rang the puck bar-down at 11:50 for the new captain's 1st of the year giving the Bulldogs a 2-1 lead through 20 minutes.
After a history making season in 2021-22 the Bulldogs were able to make a little history on opening night for 2022-23 as Marek Vanacker recorded his 1st in the Ontario Hockey League at the 15:56 mark as Logan Morrison raced off the bench to steal the puck in the offensive zone, feeding Noah Van Vliet at the middle of the blueline who found Lucas Moore in the right circle and as Moore approached Jacob Oster's goal, Vanacker appeared wide open on the back post to deflect the puck into the back of the Guelph goal giving Hamilton a 3-1 lead. Hamilton extended the lead once again on the power-play at 17:36 as Marek Vanacker worked the puck from the right to the middle for Logan Morrison who drew three defenders and fed the puck to George Diaco who fired the puck passed Oster for his 2nd of the game making it a 4-1 game.
Guelph got one back at 19:00 minutes as Matthew Poitras fed Jake Karabela for his 1st of the season, shorthanded, but the Bulldogs would head to the locker room with a 4-2 lead through 40 minutes.
The third period went heavily against Hamilton as the Guelph Storm, stormed back, outshooting the Bulldogs 10-2 in the frame. Valentin Zhugin struck at 12:35 to get Guelph back within one followed by Ben McFarlane taking a corner board bounce at 16:34 and whacking the puck past Drobac to tie the game 4-4. A late power-play for the Storm went for naught as did a later 5-on-3 for the Bulldogs and we headed overtime 4-4 on opening night.
The Bulldogs outshot the Storm in the extra period 4-1 and were rewarded for their efforts late with Guelph taking a Too Many Men call with just 55-seconds to play. As the seconds ticked away, Avery Hayes rescued the puck on the left-wing side feeding middle for Lucas Moore, the defender swiveled the puck to Logan Morrison who toe dragged past one defender and fired a wrist shot that hit top corner with just 4-seconds remaining in overtime to give the Bulldogs the 5-4 overtime victory.
The Hamilton Bulldogs return to action on Saturday night, October 1st, as they travel to the Memorial Centre in Peterborough for the first meeting of the season with the Petes.
For more information on Hamilton Bulldogs 2022-23 Season Ticket packages call 905-529- 8500 or visit hamiltonbulldogs.com.
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