Early Deficit Downs Dogs in Game 3 Defeat

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OHL Brantford Bulldogs

Early Deficit Downs Dogs in Game 3 Defeat

April 15, 2025 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Brantford Bulldogs News Release


OSHAWA, ONTARIO. With a 2-0 series lead in hand, the Brantford Bulldogs saw their Eastern Conference semi-final switch locale for Game 3 on Tuesday night at the Tribute Communities Center in Oshawa. Following the injury in Game 2, Nick Lardis joined starting netminder Ryerson Leenders as unavailable as the Bulldogs hit the road for the first time in the series, while Andrew Gibson served the first of a two- game suspension for the play that took out the CHL's leading goal scorer.

Braeden O'Keefe drew into the Bulldogs lineup for the first time in post-season, centering a line with Aiden O'Donnell & Nikolas Rossetto while Josh Avery moved into the top nine to begin the contest. The Bulldogs had the game's opening chance with a Jacob Oster mishandle falling to Jake O'Brien who looked to toss it into the open cage only to be denied twice by a sprawling Oster to keep the game scoreless. The Generals followed up with a run of offense, starting at 6:25 on the power-play with Colby Barlow tipping a faceoff win back to the blueline for Luca Marrelli who sent a shot into a pile at the front of the Brantford net that was tipped by Callum Ritchie to give the Generals a 1-0 lead on Ritchie's 3rd of the playoffs. After another positive shift for the Bulldogs top line in the Generals zone, a break the other way cashed for the hosts. At 10:33, Owen Griffin carried over the Brantford blueline, dropping off for Luca D'Amato whose net front toss deflect off a skate to Noah Powell to knock in his 2nd of the post-season making it 2-0. Quickly following the Powell goal, Ben Danford picked off an out pass in neutral ice and carried back over the Brantford blueline, rifling a shot past David Egorov's glove to give the Generals a 3-0 lead at 10:49. The Bulldogs wrestled some of the momentum back at 14:26, with Simon Wang failing to gather a Jacob Oster pass at the back of the Generals net with Noah Nelson streaking in to steal the puck and center for Dylan Tsherna who notched his quick release over Oster's glove for his 2nd of the playoffs getting the Bulldogs on the board to make it 3-1. Nearly drawing one closer, Luca Diplacido, off a tremendous offensive zone cycle rang the crossbar stepping in from the right point.

The puck shot back off the bar past everyone other than Colby Barlow who raced in on a breakaway, turning to his backhand net front, Egorov made a brilliant split stop to keep the Bulldogs within striking distance at the end of 20 minutes.

Fighting their way back into the game, the Bulldogs struck early in the middle frame with Owen Protz, as if shot out of a cannon, rushing forward off the left-wing in a 4-on-4 situation, drawing all four Generals as he emerged on the right side and fed it front for Patrick Thomas who sent it across the crease for Marek Vanacker and had it returned for the captain to knock in his 3rd of the post-season to draw the Bulldogs to within one. Nearly tying the game moments later, Thomas and Tomas Hamara exchanged the puck high in the Generals zone, waiting on Jake O'Brien as the trailer who sent a drive off the goal post to Oster's left. The score was nearly tied again when Jake O'Brien fed the puck across the front of the net for Marek Vanacker who just had it twist wide off his re-direct. With the Bulldogs continuing to mount pressure in the middle frame, Calvin Crombie chased a puck to the end boards sending a pass around the back of the net, and on the follow through caught Simon Wang as Wang missed body contact. Referee Scott Ferguson called a penalty on the play to the bewilderment of the Bulldogs bench with the Generals scoring on the ensuing power-play. Luca Marrelli set Colby Barlow for a one-timer in the right circle that just managed to squeeze through David Egorov for his 7th of the playoffs making it a 4-2 Generals lead. Just 1:30 later, as the Generals entered the Bulldogs zone, Luca Diplacido was tripped down as he turned back for the puck, with the Generals gaining possession in the corner, Luca D'Amato was able to take advantage, skating open to the middle of the ice where he was able to lift a shot over David Egorov to give the Generals a 5-2 lead at 15:53 where the game stood heading to the third period.

Bad luck struck the Bulldogs early in the third period, as a Generals shorthanded clear struck the end boards behind David Egorov and shot right back out front of the Bulldogs net where Callum Ritchie collected the puck and tucked the puck past Egorov's pad to give the Generals a 6-2 lead 15-seconds into the final frame. A scary moment towards the mid-point of the final period as Bulldogs defenceman Thomas Budnick was caught with a baseball swing of a stick to the face from Ritchie who cross-checked the Bulldogs defender while he was on the ice. Budnick remained on the ice for several moments but was able to get back to his skates and return to the game. The Generals picked up one more before it was over with Zachary Sandhu knocking a Noah Powell feed across the goal mouth into the Bulldogs net giving the Generals a 7-2 lead at 13:05 which would stand as the final score, pulling the Generals back in the series winning Game 3.

The Brantford Bulldogs will return to action on Thursday, April 17th when they look to push the Generals to the brink at the Tribute Communities Centre in Game 4 with a 7:05pm start.

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