The Blackfalds Bulldogs finally looked like a team that could string three full periods together. A night after they managed just a pair of goals and dropped a 4-2 decision to Victoria, they came out and methodically put the visiting Alberni Valley Bulldogs away 5-0, snapping a six-game skid in the process. Ryul Kwon finished with two goals and two assists, Da Sol Kim chipped in a pair of his own, and Nico Armellin turned aside all 19 shots he faced for the clean sheet. Alberni Valley had just come off an emotional overtime win in Brooks the night before, and their assistant coach figured that might have taken some of the edge off. Even when the Islanders pushed hard in the second, the bounces didn’t fall their way and Blackfalds still walked away with period leads of 1-0 and 3-0 before adding two more in the third.
This was only the second meeting ever between the two Bulldogs clubs, and Blackfalds took both—last year’s 4-2 decision came on the road in Port Alberni. Watching them go head-to-head always brings to mind those old Saskatchewan Roughriders versus Ottawa Rough Riders games from way back, long before any of these kids were born. A big chunk of Saturday’s game lived in the neutral zone, which helped keep the shot totals relatively modest (27-19 in Blackfalds’ favour), but the home side controlled the pace and didn’t let the visitors generate much sustained pressure. The New addition Korean guys were amazing and Denis Kuzmenkov didn’t hit the scoresheet, yet he looked dangerous enough that the points should start coming. For a team that has spent most of the young season searching for answers, a complete 60-minute effort and a shutout win against a road-weary opponent was a step in the right direction.
Da Sol Kim made it a 1-0 game when he scored his second goal of the season at 12:32 of the first period. The assist on the goal went to Ryul Kwon.–Kwon found his fellow countryman sitting in front of the net and Kim made no mistake firing it in.
Shots on goal in the first period were 10-6 for the Blackfalds
Ryul Kwon makes the game 2-0 Bulldogs at 1:40 of the first period unasssited.– Kwon outworked and hustled the Alberni players that were casually public skating backchecking. God that was pathetic and lazy on their part.
Matthew Croxall makes it a 3-0 game at 14:12 of the second period. The assists on the goal went to Antoine Gauthier and Dean Toskos.– Alberni Valley made a costly turnover in the neutral zone and the three veterans made no mistake with Gauthier and Toskos teaming up to find Croxall who score dhis fourth of the season.
Shots on goal in the second period were 6-5 for Blackfalds
Da Sol Kim scored his second goal of the game and third of the season at 8:15 of the third period to make it a 4-0 game for Blackfalds. The assist on the goal went to Ryul Kwon.– Kim scored what had to be one of the nicest goals seen in the EBC. Made the Alberni defence look like drunken sailors.
Ryul Kwon makes it a 5-0 game at 17:10 of the third period unassisted. Kwon again capitalizes on Alberni Valleys laziness and unawarness and strips the puck right off the stick of the Alberni Valley player and goes in and scores.
Shots on goal in the third period were 11-8 for the Blackfalds. Blackfalds oushot Alberni Valley 27-19 in the game.
Nico Armellin stopped all 19 shots that he faced for the shutout win. For Alberni Valley Dayton Kitchener stopped 22 of the 27 shots that he faced.
Three Stars of the game were 1) Ryul Kwon 2) Nico Armellin 3) Da Sol Kim
Attendance in Blackfalds was 657
Bulldogs next game is Tuesday November 13th in Nisku against the Nanaimo Clippers for the BCHL showcase at 11:30 at the Silent Ice Centre.
