The Bulldogs beat the Drayton Valley Thunder 5-1 Friday night winning the season series also 3-1.
Thunder outshot the Bulldogs 13-10 in the opening period of the game.
Layne Loomer got the Bulldogs on the board first at 5:12 of the second period from Brendan Ross shorthanded to make it 1-0.
The Thunder’s Turner McIntyre scored a garbage goal banking it off Maxfield’s skate for the Thunder to tie the game up at 1. The assist went to 16 year old Landon McFadden who got his first junior league point. McFadden played in 3 games last season for the Moose Jaw Warriors.
Josh Sale gives the Bulldogs the lead at 8:01 of the second frame with the assist on the goal going to Josh Knittig. The line of Sale-Willick-Knittig have been playing awesome lately. As a fan these 3 guys are so entertaining to watch when they get clicking.
Jayden Joly made it a 3-1 game while playing 4 on 4 with 6 seconds left in the second period with the assist on the goal going to David Brandes. It was a strange shot that from the angle it looked as if he missed the net at first. He clanked it off the post and in.
Shots on goal in the second period were 14-12 Blackfalds.
Layne Loomer makes it 4-1 Bulldogs when he toe dragged the puck and ripped a shot past Thunder netminder Nicholas Cristiano 30 seconds into the final period while the Bulldogs were on the Power Play. Assists on the goal went to Ryan Shaw and Tanner Willick. That is Loomer’s second goal of the night also and his 15th of the season.
Kody Willick (who looks like a raccoon with that black eye you can visibly see from the TV) scored to make it 5-1 from Josh Sale. Willick shot it from the right side circle I am assuming and who ever was operating the camera sort of missed it so just use your imagination.
Shots on goal in third period were 18-8 for the Thunder. The Thunder outshot the Bulldogs in the game 43-32.
Wilson Maxfield stopped 42 of the 43 shots that he faced for the win for the Bulldogs while Nicholas Cristiano stopped 27 of the 32 shots that he faced for the Thunder. Cristiano is a 19 year old native of Langely, BC. He was previously playing with the WHL’s Victoria Royals.
Three Stars of the game were 1) Wilson Maxfield 2) Layne Loomer 3) Josh Sale
Attendance in Drayton Valley was 338
Bulldogs next game is Saturday January 13th in Drumheller against the Dragons. The Bulldogs next home game is against the Sherwood Park Crusaders on Tuesday at noon for the hockey hookey game. There are only 7 more home games for the Bulldogs. Who ever did this schedule it is obvious has never watched hockey or understands who economics work. As mean as it may sound it appears the schedule was made to purposely sabotage the league.
Gabe Gratton joined the team and dressed. Was kind of thinking there would be a few other names on the roster after the trade deadline. The Bulldogs have a good squad but with only 2 spares (one which has been injured since October) one can just hope they all stay healthy.
I always thought it very strange that the top ranked Junior A franchise in Canada does not own their own bus. Especially being kind of geographically out of the way of the rest of the teams in the South East corner of the province. I was really looking forward to watching that Bandits/ Crusaders game too. They still have a day to find a way to get there so I am wondering if there isn’t more to the situation than meets the eye.
It’s a little cold out there and should continue until the weekend
