Last night, the Blackfalds Bulldogs beat the Spruce Grove Saints 4-3 in a tight game at Grant Fuhr Arena. The Bulldogs took an early lead, but the Saints fought back, tying it up before Blackfalds sealed the win with a penalty shot in the third. It was the Saints’ last game of the season, knocking them out of playoff contention.
Austin Borggaard got the Bulldogs on the board first at 9:53 of the first period with the assists on the goal went to Dean Toskos and Tyler Chiovetti.
Shots on goal in the first period were 14-11 for the Bulldogs
Former Bulldog Matheson Mason tied it up for the Saints at 4:39 of the second period with the assists going to Toronto native Carsen Lloyd and 20 year old Lyndenwood commit Ryan Johnstone.
Stephen Kirkpatrick gave the Saints the lead at 18:51 of the second period to make it a 2-1 Saints game. The assists on the goal went to former Notre Dame Hound Marko Djordjevic and Adam Perron. Like their second goal a player standing fully in the crease. You can not really blame the Saints as it was apparent taking actual shots on Kapustin would not work.
Thomas Neu tied the game back up for the Bulldogs at 19:34 of the second period with the assist on the goal going to Antoine Gauthier who set him up beautifully on the one timer.
Shots on goal in the second period were 18-5 for the Saints
Thomas Neu scored on a penalty shot to give the Bulldogs the 3-2 lead.
Jason Davenport made it a 4-2 game for the Bulldogs at 8:51 of the third period on a very strange curve or knuckle puck shot with the assists on the goal going to Joey Melo and Liam Hoff.
Josh Polak got the Saints within one goal at 11:12 of the third period. The helpers on the goal went to Marko Djordjevic and Frederic Deschenes.
Shots on goal in the third period were 14-10 for the Saints. The Saints outshot the Bulldogs in the game 43-29 in the game.
Kirill Kapustin made 40 saves on the 43 shots that he faced for the win for the Bulldogs. For the Saints former Bonnyville Pontiac Bodee Weiss made 25 saves on the 29 shots that he faced. That was the final game of junior hockey for both of them.
Three Stars of the game were 1) Kirill Kapustin 2) Stephen Kirkpatrick 3) Thomas Neu
Bulldogs next game is probably in September some time.
This would of been the only game ever that the Bulldogs played that I really wouldn’t of cared if they won. Not because they have been out of the Playoffs since the season started or because I like the Saints. I just thought it would be funny to not see Okotoks make the playoffs. Last time couple of times I watched that team play with their constant whining from players and the whining from the coach on the bench embarrassing himself and the team. I figured it would be funnier to watch them not even make the playoffs. Instead they can get swept by Penticton in 4.
