The Blackfalds Bulldogs fell 4-2 to the visiting Victoria Grizzlies on Friday night at the Eagle Builders Centre in a game that showed real flashes of what this group can be when it finds its feet. The Dogs came out flying in the first period, looking sharper and more connected than they have at any point this season, and they did it with five new faces in the lineup. That included a pair of players from the Korean university team the Bulldogs faced earlier in the preseason, both of whom looked comfortable and dangerous right away, plus Denis Kuzmenkov (from the NAHL’s Houston Bulls), Kohyn Pipke (acquired from the Spruce Grove Saints in the Jeppe Bertram trade), and big defenseman Taylor Curtis (from the Surrey Eagles).
After that strong opening frame, the Bulldogs let the hard-working, undefeated Grizzlies seize the momentum in the second period and build a lead. Blackfalds pushed back with a solid third period, but defensive lapses from both the forwards and the blueline ultimately decided it, and too many pucks found their way straight into the strong glove hand of Victoria netminder Mikus Vecvanags. Still, the overall effort and the early returns from the new additions suggest this is a team that is getting better and trending in the right direction. Dropping a game to the league’s lone undefeated squad is a bump, not a setback.
Brand new Bulldog Korean Da Sol Kim scores his first BCHL goal to make it a 1-0 game for the Bulldogs at 11:58 of the first period. The assists on the goal went to another newly acquired Korean Ryul Kwan and Matthew Croxall.
Shots on goal in the first period were 14-7 for the Bulldogs
Matthew Croxall tips in a Herberts Laugalis shot at 8:38 of the second period. The other assist on the goal went to Korean Da Sol Kim.
Former Red Deer Rebel Parker MacDougall got the Grizzlies on the board at 14:21 of the second period. The assists on the goal went to Joey Brehmer and Levi Eiter.
Shots on goal in the second period were 12-4 for Victoria
Drummondville, Quebec native Gabriel Courchesne ties the game up for the Grizzlies at 1:17 of the third period. The assist on the goal went to former Steinbach Piston Evan Gradt.
Milton, Ontario native Alex Hendry give the Grizzlies the lead at 8:41 of the third period. The assists on the goal went to Evan Gradt and Savage, Minnesota native Levi Eiter.
William Leonard scored a soft weak goal at 16:12 of the third period which pretty much sealed the game. The helpers went to Winnipeg native Evan Gradt and former Kelowna Rocket Jackson Gillepsie.
Shots on goal in the third period were 19-7 for the Bulldogs. Shots on goal in the game were 37 to 26 for the Bulldogs.
For the Grizzlies Montreal Canadiens 2024 5th rounder Mikus Vecvangs stopped 35 of the 37 shots he faced for the win for the Grizzlies. For the Bulldogs Ivan Kastelan stopped 22 of the 26 shots he faced.
Three Stars of the game were 1) Da Sol Kim 2) Mikus Vecvangs 3) Matthew Croxall
Attendance in Blackfalds was 650
Bulldogs next game is Saturday October 10th against the Alberni Valley Bulldogs
