The Bulldogs dropped the Bandits 4-3 in overtime while wearing their gold helmets in front of a large crowd Saturday night in Blackfalds. The win cemented the Bulldogs hold on first place in the Interior East Division. I am also wondering how some of the Bandits ankles are feeling this morning. I seen 3 maybe 4 guys leave the ice from shots off the ankles that looked like they would of been crippling.
Nikita Ivashchenko scores his 19th goal of the season while waiting at the doorstep of the goal at 6:04 of the first period while on the Power Play. The assists on the goal went to Joey Melo and Noah Mertz. That also marks Ivashchenko’s 101st junior career point.
Alexi Zhukov ties the game up for the Bandits at18:53 of the first period with the assist on the goal going to 20 year old Swede Harry Ahlberg.
Shots on goal in the first period were 17-11 for the Bulldogs
Nikita Ivashchenko scores his second goal of the game and 20th of the season at 7:44 of the second period with the assists on the goal going to Nikita Mescheryakov and Luke Dahlen. Meshcheryakov found Ivashchenko in the slot and it pretty much wrote itself after that.
After a Bandit took a shot of an ankle that looks like it broke his ankle Luke Dahlen finished of a beautiful play to make it a 3-1 game at 10:48 of the second period. The assists on the goal went to Nikita Ivashchenko and Brady Smith.
Russian Alexei Zhukov scored his second goal of the night to get Brooks within one and make it a 3-2 game at 18:31 of the second period. The assists on the goal went to Harry Ahlberg and Latvian Harjis Cjunskis.
Shots on goal in the second period were 13-9 for the Bandits
Pickering, Ontario native Jack Good tied the game up for the Bandits at 16:08 of the third period with the assists on the goal going to Princeton commit Jack Rosensteel and Harjis Cjunskis.
Shots on goal in the third period were 8-5 for the Bandits
Noah Mertz scored the winner for the Bulldogs in overtime at 3:34 of the overtime frame. Unassisted.
Shots on goal in the overtime frame were 3-0 for the Bulldogs. The Bulldogs outshot the Bandits 34-32.
Carson Mertz made 29 saves on the 32 shots that he faced for the win for the Bulldogs. For the Bandits Zach Zahara made 30 saves on the 34 shots that he faced.
Three Stars of the game were 1) Noah Mertz 2) Nikita Ivashchenko 3) Alexi Zhukov
Attendance in Blackfalds was 1003
Bulldogs next game is Friday February 6th at home against the Spruce Grove Saints.
