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OHL Brantford Bulldogs

Lardis Leads Bulldogs To 5-2 Game 1 Victory Over 67's

March 29, 2024 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Brantford Bulldogs News Release


BRANTFORD, ONTARIO. The Brantford Bulldogs their Eastern Conference Quarterfinal series on Friday night hosting the Ottawa 67's for Game 1. Friday night's game marked the first time in 40 years that OHL playoff hockey has been hosted at the Brantford Civic Center, the last game coming on April 8th, 1984 when the Brantford Alexanders hosted the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds.

The Bulldogs began Game 1 with a major boost to the team welcoming back Nick Lardis and Cedricson Okitundu to the lineup. Nick Lardis wasted no time making his return count, on the power-play at 2:18. Zakary Lavoie and Jake O'Brien played catch with the puck on the left side with O'Brien finding Lardis on a cross-seam feed from the left circle to the right where Lardis hammered home his 1st of the playoffs past netminder Collin MacKenzie, giving the Bulldogs an early 1-0 lead. The Bulldogs doubled their lead on the power-play at 14:35 on a downright wacky one. Daniil Sobolev held the puck onside battling through a Jack Dever check at the left point feeding to the bottom of the left circle for Marek Vanacker who found Nick Lardis in the right circle. Lardis' shot deflected off the end boards, back through the crease, off the skate of Collin MacKenzie and trickled over the goal-line and into the net for Lardis' 2nd of the game, giving the Bulldogs a 2-0 they held to the locker room after the opening 20 minutes.

The Bulldogs opened the middle frame with a 3-on-1 opportunity with Lawson Sherk, Calvin Crombie, and Marek Vanacker on the rush. Sherk's drive rattled around end glass, springing an odd man opportunity for the 67's the other way that Matteo Drobac held off. The 67's cut into the Bulldogs lead at 6:56, as Jacob Maillet dropped the puck back from the right circle to the right point to an open Derek Smyth whose shot was deflected by Luca Pinelli at the hash marks giving the 67's captain his 1st of the playoffs cutting the lead to 2-1. The hosts bounced right back at 9:59, gaining at 2-on-1 with Jake O'Brien left finding Marek Vanacker on the right, putting the pass on a tee, where the Bulldogs leading scorer sent his drive back bar down marking his 1st of the playoffs and giving the Bulldogs a 3-1 lead. The Bulldogs attempt to keep the momentum flowing in the final moments with an opportunity coming from Florian Xhekaj in the slot, but Collin MacKenzie turned aside his drive from the top of the slot, keeping it a 3-1 game through 40 minutes.

In the early moments of the final frame Nick Lardis drove the net and was able to pick up his own rebound but both shots were turned aside by Collin MacKenzie. At 6:46, the play began with Lucas Moore sending the puck around the boards to Cole Brown where he finds Lawson Sherk at the right post, rolling the puck through the crease to Calvin Crombie who rolled the puck over the goal line for his 1st of the playoffs giving the Bulldogs a 4-1 lead. Moments later, Cole Brown was sent away for a break chance but his attempt is turned aside. The hosts continue to add to their lead at 10:15, with Patrick Thomas finding Nick Lardis where he took the initial shot through a crowd that was stopped by MacKenzie, but Lawson Sherk is able to backhand the rebound around the 67's netminder's pad and into the back of the net giving the Bulldogs a 5-1 lead on the captain's 1st of the playoffs. At 15:04, the 67's were able to claw one back with Caden Kelly scoring his 1st of playoffs and Jack Dever getting the assist. Ottawa pressed a little further late with Cooper Foster jumping on a turnover infront of the Bulldogs goal only to be denied by a spectacular Matteo Drobac save, who stopped 26 of 28 backstopping the Bulldogs to a 5-2 Game 1 victory, taking a 1-0 series lead.

Game 2 of the Brantford Bulldogs opening round series against the Ottawa 67's takes place on Sunday, March 31, 2024, with puck drop at 7pm at the Brantford Civic Center.

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