OHL Brantford Bulldogs

Donovan Returns with 3 Points in Bulldogs' 4-1 Win

October 7, 2022 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Brantford Bulldogs News Release


HAMILTON, ONTARIO. For the first time in nearly three years the Hamilton Bulldogs bus stopped in Owen Sound to finish out the season opening 3-game road trip.

Looking for a better start than the team had in Peterborough, the Bulldogs got exactly what they needed. Back into the lineup, Jorian Donovan took a pass along the offensive zone blueline from right to left from Lucas Moore and let loose a laser through a three-man screen to give them Bulldogs a 1-0 lead at 6:32 with George Diaco collecting the secondary assist. Just 1:59 later, Donovan took the puck on a tour of the offensive zone from the left-wing side around the back of Nick Chenard's goal, emerging on the right-wing side, Donovan tossed the puck out- front to Patrick Thomas who recorded his 1st of the season at 8:31 to double the Bulldogs lead to 2-0. Before the final period was out, a familiar connection got back together, with Ryan Humphrey on the left-wing side moving the puck through the middle to Logan Morrison finding Avery Hayes through the middle of the ice for Hayes' 1st of the season at 19:54. On the play leading to the Hayes goal, Ryan Humphrey took an elbow to the head from Attack forward Julian Fantino leading to a 5-minute major for checking to the head that would spill over for 4:54 into the middle frame. The Bulldogs exited the opening period with their 3-0 lead intact with an offensive outburst and 12 saves from Matteo Drobac.

The second period saw more penalties piled on as the Bulldogs ended up with a full 2-minutes of 5-on-3 time and although they didn't hit the back of the net with that advantage, they did before the major power-play was out. As Jorian Donovan got a quick up to the right-wing side to Logan Morrison who tossed the puck middle for Cole Brown collecting his 2nd of the season at 4:07 giving Hamilton a 4-0 lead. At 7:55 of the second frame, Ryan Humphrey was whistled for a post-whistle cross-check, and was in turn slew-footed by Sam Sedley, leading to a second Attack player being ejected from the game while the ensuing scrum saw Jorian Donovan complete a "Gordie Howe hat-trick" among 6 different penalties on the play. While the Bulldogs were on the major power-play however Owen Sound did get themselves life as Ethan Burroughs jumped on a loose puck in his defensive zone and raced in on a shorthanded breakaway, besting Matteo Drobac to cut the Hamilton lead to 4-1 at 10:24. Drobac kept things tidy the rest of the way, exited the period with the three-goal lead after making a series of tremendous stops in a 4-on-3 penalty kill at the end of the second.

Drobac continues his stellar outing in the third, turning aside all 8 shots he faced in the period and 33 of 34 total while the Bulldogs smothered the Attack in the final period to take the 4-1 victory. With the victory, the Bulldogs finish their season opening 3-game road trip with a 2-1-0-0 record to head home.

The Hamilton Bulldogs return to FirstOntario Centre for the home opener tomorrow night, Saturday, October 8th, for a 7:00pm game time with the Oshawa Generals. The night will begin with 5,000 replica championship rings handed out to fans, 4 trophies on the ice and 4 banners raised to the rafters in celebration of the 2022 OHL Championship.

For more information on Hamilton Bulldogs 2022-23 Season Ticket packages call 905-529- 8500 or visit hamiltonbulldogs.com.

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Ontario Hockey League Stories from October 7, 2022


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