The Bulldogs 18 game losing streak came to an end Friday night in Blackfalds when they defeated the Salmon Arm Silverbacks in overtime. The Bulldogs very easily could of and should of won both games against the Okotoks Oilers though. Either way it is very awesome to see watchable hockey in Blackfalds again. The last few months have been very rough. It was a scoreless yet very entertaining first period. Including Chiovetti banging one of the cross bar that even got reviewed later.
Shots on goal in the first period were 16-7 for the Silverbacks. Even with the Bulldogs missing the net a dozen or so times, it still appeared like they had alot more shots than 7.
The Silverbacks got a fluke of a goal and they are lucky that they did as they could not seem to score normally. Tanner Walos got his second goal of the season to make it a 1-0 game for the Silverbacks. The assists on the goal went to former Surrey Eagle Antonio Bevacqua and Sawyer Prokopetz.
Shots on goal in the second period is 9 to 7 for the Silverbacks
After numerous chances upon numerous chances the Bulldogs finally scored when Joey Melo potted his 8th goal of the season at 2:13 of the third period with the assists on the goal going to Matthew Ronn and Tyler Chiovetti.
The Silverbacks were assessed a 5 minute major at the end of the game for boarding. Riley Ashe was given a 5 and a game misconduct. The amount of scoring chances the Bulldogs had on the Power Play were both very entertaining to watch yet very frustrating at the same time.
Shots on goal in the third were 12-9 for the Silverbacks
Juan Copeland scored the overtime winner for the Bulldogs at 5:15 of overtime with the assists going to Tyler Chiovetti and Jason Davenport.
Shots on goal in overtime were 3-1 for the Bulldogs with the Silverbacks outshooting the Bulldogs 38-26
Kirill Kapustin who looks like he is wearing a welders mask in goal made 36 saves on the 37 shots he faced for the win for the Bulldogs. For the Silverbacks Woodbridge, Ontario native Daniel Dirracolo made 24 saves on the 26 shots that he faced in his BCHL debut. For the second game in a row at home everyone in the crowd was really questioning the shot clock count.
Three Stars of the game were 1) Juan Copeland 2) Kirill Kapustin 3) Joey Melo
Attendance in Blackfalds was 731
Bulldogs next game is Saturday January 11th in Salmon Arm to take on the Silverbacks. The following afternoon on Sunday they go to West Kelowna to take on the Warriors. The Bulldogs don’t return home until January 25th where they play the Penticton Vees.
Not certain where a bunch of other players ended up after the Christmas break but Croxall ended up back in Maryland of the NAHL.
