The Bulldogs headed up to Spruce Grove for their first exhibition game of the season. Most of the returning Bulldogs were sitting out with the exception of 3. Saints scored 21 seconds in with Ashton Hutchinson potting his first of the preseason with assists to veteran Evan Sundar and former Fort McMurray Oil Baron Ryder Matter. Ethan Morrow had no help the puck did have numerous times to get cleared, huge miscommunication🤪. Then at the 13:01 into the first Coaldale native Jed Magarrell scored for the Saints on a nice shot from the point 2-0 Saints assist on the goal to Ryder Matter. The Saints outshot the Bulldogs 18-9 in the first period.
St. Louis, Missouri native Ben Winkelmann scored the first goal of the season for the Bulldogs 53 seconds into the second period with Jack Plandowski and Josh Knittig getting the assists. Winkleman had another great chance to score in the second also.
Former Trail Smoke Eater and New Jersey native Trey Fechko scored to make it 3-1 Saints 12 minutes into the second period. 17 year old Calgary native Joshua Polak picked up the assist on that goal.
Brady Magarrell head hunted Connor Dick and got a penalty along with a 10 and a game. Bulldogs power play. League may look at that one looked alot worse once I seen the replay🤔I mean if they want them wearing cages and don’t allow fighting the league will not like that one very much.🙄
Massachusetts native and RPI commit Mathew Hanscome scored on the Power Play to make it 3-2 bulldogs. Assists on the goal to former Pickering Panther Alex Dimitradis and Jack Plandowski. Shots were tied at 16 apiece in the second period.
Connor Dick ties the game up at 3 in the 3rd with a great shot from the high slot 5:53 into the third period. Assists to Prince George native Josh Sale and Connecticut native Collin Eschricht, who played for Brunswick School last season.
With 2 minutes remaining the Saints scored. After getting outplayed and outshot horribly for the last 40 minutes. This makes the game 4-3 Saints and it looks like at this point the game is in the bag for the Saints.
Then Rhode Island native Bobby Corkery scored with a BOMB of a shot with a pass from Carter Patterson and Brody Dupont right off the draw with 1:22 remaining in the game. Tie game. That was a beautiful play.
Just when it looked like the game was about to go into overtime with 13 seconds left the Bulldogs scored, but on Ethan Morrow😉. A strange deflection off a D-mans stick led to a goal credited to Saints veteran and Calgary native Carter Oakenfold.
Saints outshot the Bulldogs 42-37. Stars via the AJHL website were Connor Dick for the Bulldogs and Ryder Matter for the Saints.
Bulldogs next game is Friday September 1st in Blackfalds against the Drumheller Dragons. Both goalies played a full 60 minutes. Veteran goaltender Zac Onyskiw got the win for the Saints.
Saints D-man Hudson Whitney is the son of former NHLer Ray Whitney. Teo Pisani is the son of Fernando Pisani. Not that you couldn’t of probably guessed that anyway.
Intersquad Game- The Bulldogs had their Intersquad game on Monday. Just like the year before they had no printed rosters at the arena or online. You basically waited for someone to score or get a penalty to figure out who they were. The days of fight filled Intersquad games are also long gone. Names that stuck out (minus the returning players) Nolan Dupont, Eddie Moskowitz, Ben Winkelmann, Bobby Corkery, and Owen Masteroni? Maccaroni? I think the kids name was.🤷♂️
Where are they now?- This year during every game I am also going to do a write up on former Bulldogs players how they are doing, where they are playing, ect… Former Bulldog Ty Gordon (playoff game) suited up for the Drayton Valley Thunder on Tuesday (Aug 29th). The Thunder beat the Whitecourt Wolverines 5-3 and Ty Gordon had a goal and an assist.
The Bulldogs played the Saints last season in an exhibition game also the rosters then looked alot different than they do now.
