The Bulldogs beat the Saints 4-3 in Overtime on Sunday their first overtime game of the season. On Flo tv Scott Stinson was joined by Chex who announces the goals at the home games. He did a great job hope they use him again. The Spruce Grove Saints dug deep into the archives, dusting off their classic 1975 Spruce Grove Mets jerseys for a retro night. They came out buzzing with energy, but ultimately fell just short, dropping a 4-3 overtime decision to the Blackfalds Bulldogs.
On the Power Play the Saints make it 1-0 when James Richards spots Austrian Felix Haibock who makes it a 1-0 game just 2:04 into the game. The other assist on the goal went to goalie Ryan DeKok.–Felix Haibock. The Austrian forward picked up his 10th goal of the season on a stretch pass from James Richards while on the power play that saw him carry the puck in alone and snap a shot through the glove side of Bulldog goaltender Oliver Kiraly
Saints make it 2-0 on the Power Play on another call that was crap and they scored almost the exact same way but with the second assist going to Kohyn Pipke. Time of the goal was 5:24 of the first period.
Nikita Meshcheryakov scores a beauty to get the Bulldogs on the board at 19:23 of the first period unassisted. Thats his 4th goal of the season.–after a Saints turnover as Nikita Meshcheryakov fired a shot from the right face-off circle that crept over the shoulder of Ryan De Kok in the Spruce Grove goal to get Blackfalds on the board in the final minute.
Shots on goal in the first period were 10-7 for the Saints
Joey Melo tied the game up on the Power Play at 7:31 of the second period. The assists on the goal went to Noah Mertz and Nikita Ivashchenko.–The momentum carried into the 2nd period as Joey Melo evened the score with a centering pass that banked off a Saints defender and past De Kok while shorthanded to level the score at 2-2 heading into the final period.
Shots on goal in the second period were 9 a piece.
20 year old Warwick, Rhode Island native Ben Buckley makes it 3-2 game for the Saints just 57 second into the third period. with the assists on the goal going to Max Holland and former Portland Winterhawk Brodie Hankel.–Ben Buckley, for the second consecutive game, who pushed Spruce Grove in front by a goal just 57 seconds into the 3rd frame. Buckley threw a puck to the net from the left face-off circle that got through the blocker side of Kiraly for his 3rd goal of the season and allow for the Saints to hold the lead once again.
Nikita Ivashchenko ties the game up with his 10th goal of the season with the assists going to Nikita Meshcheryakov and Dean Toskos. That is what the BCHL website has us to believe. Yet I watched the game and it really looked like the Saints couldn’t clear the zone and screwed up. With Saints players assisting on the goal. Either way its a tie game.
Shots on goal in the third period were 12-7 for the Saints
Thomas Neu scored the overtime winner 3:09 in with the assist on the goal going to Matthew Croxall and Noah Mertz.– it was Thomas Neu for the Bulldogs who ended the game with a slick move at the net and elevating the puck over the shoulders of De Kok to give Blackfalds a come-from-behind victory at 4-3 in overtime
Shots on goal in overtime were 1-0 for the Bulldogs according to the BCHL website, but the Bulldogs got at least 3 and the Saints got at least 1. The Saints outshot the Bulldogs in the game though 31-24.
Oliver Kiraly made 28 saves on the 31 shots that he faced for the win for the Bulldogs. For the Saints Ryan De Kok made 20 saves on the 24 shots he faced.
Three Stars of the game were 1) Felix Haibock 2) Joey Melo 3) James Richards
Attendance in Spruce Grove was 1500
Bulldogs next game is Friday November 28th at home against the Salmon Arm Silverbacks
