Dogs Streak Snapped at 6 in 5-3 Sunday Loss
Published on January 28, 2024 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Brantford Bulldogs News Release
BRANTFORD, ONTARIO. The Brantford Bulldogs closed out a back-to-back weekend home set squaring off with the Mississauga Steelheads for the second time in a week and third time in the month of January with the Bulldogs capturing both of the 2024 meetings.
The Bulldogs hit the power play early in the contest with the line of Marek Vanacker, Jake O'Brien & Zakary Lavoie setting a blistering pace from puck drop. Ryerson Leenders showed early and often why he sits second in the OHL in save percentage, turing aside several quality opportunities early on. The Steelheads fed off their goaltender's handiwork, opening the scoring on their first official shot of the game at 10:04, as Marc Boudreau tipped a left half-wall shot by Adam Zidlicky for his 9th of the season. Marek Vanacker answered back for the Bulldogs at 13:53, drawing a penalty shot off Finn Harding as he hauled the Bulldogs winger down on a breakaway. Going one on one with Ryerson Leenders, Vanacker worked from the right circle to the middle of the ice, beating Leenders five-hole to record his 26th goal of the season and run his point streak to 10 games. The hosts took the lead just over a minute and a half later on the power-play going tic-tac-goal as Jake O'Brien set up Zakary Lavoie on the right side who dealt it to Florian Xhekaj in front of Leenders, scoring his 16th of the season, making it 2-1 for the Buldogs. The Steelheads evened up the frame at 18:14 with a pass from Jack Van Volsen to William Eggleton who sent a long drive from the right point for his 5th of the season knotting the score 2-2. The Steelheads jump back on the lead at 19:51 as Jack Van Volsen won a faceoff directly to Jakub Fibigr whose shot from the top of the left circle deflected off Matteo Drobac's blocker and in the low corner to get his 5th of the season, staking the Steelheads to a 3-2 lead through 20 minutes.
The Steelheads added to their lead quickly in the middle frame at just 0:59 seconds, after Zakary Lavoie dented the goal post behind Leenders. Lucas Moore was felled blocking a left wing Jack Van Volsen shot from the top of the circle, with the Bulldogs defenseman down, Van Volsen was able to take immediate advantage and shortside shelf his 12th of the season and collect his 2nd point of the game, bubbling the Steelheads lead to 4-2. Van Volsen's goal marked the end of the afternoon for Matteo Drobac as the Bulldogs called on David Egorov, looking for a momentum change. Florian Xhekaj looked to cut into the Steelheads lead getting the puck to Calvin Crombie but Leenders came up with the best of his 11 stops in the period to keep the 4-2 lead. Just after a Steelheads power play advantage expired, Angus MacDonell scores his 16th of the season coming off a great keep in and set up from Parker von Richter working off the left half boards at 14:14. After 40 minutes, the Steelheads skated to the locker room holding the 5-2 lead over the Bulldogs.
The final frame saw the Bulldogs plow 16 shots on the Steelheads goaltender Ryerson Leenders in a valiant attempt to battle back into the game. The Bulldogs top line looked to spark a comeback with each of Vanacker, O'Brien, and Lavoie earning a chance only to have Ryerson Leenders turn them aside. The Bulldogs pressure paid off 6-on-5 and cut into the Steelheads lead. At 14:50, Florian Xhekaj notched his 17th of the season & 2nd of the game, jamming a Marek Vanacker rebound over the goal line after Tomáš Hamara helped to keep the puck in the attacking zone. In the last remaining moments, Tomáš Hamara earned a breakaway splitting all five Steelheads on the ice but one more time Leenders turned the shot aside to cap a 36-save, 5-3 win for the Steelheads.
The Brantford Bulldogs return to action at home, Friday, February 2nd welcoming the Sudbury Wolves into town at the Brantford Civic Center beginning there 3-in-3 weekend with puck drop at 7:00pm.
Ontario Hockey League Stories from January 28, 2024
- Dogs Streak Snapped at 6 in 5-3 Sunday Loss - Brantford Bulldogs
- Gervais Nets a Pair against Windsor as Spirit Win Seven Straight - Saginaw Spirit
- Spirit Defeat Spitfires 5-2 - Windsor Spitfires
- Spirit Host Spitfires Looking for Seventh Straight Win - Saginaw Spirit
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