The Bulldogs bus was at the Eagle Builders Centre around noon today, I would of assumed they would of stayed over in Brooks or Calgary last night. After last nights performance the players should of all got luxury suites at the Fairmont Palliser Hotel in Calgary.
Justin Barker opened the scoring with a nice goal splitting the Bulldogs D and sneaking it past Charlie Zolin. Thats Barker’s 22nd goal of the season assisted by Caden Steinke. Zolin stoned Sanders 8 minutes into the first which seemed to flip the momentum to Blackfalds. One goal I would of loved to see is when Ross tried a baseball swing goal with 7:40 left in the 1st. Brett Meerman sniped his 23rd of the year he was left all alone in the slot and there was just no doubt. Assist from Tyler Wallace and Tanner Willick. (It looked like Joly though)
Canucks responded before the period ended with Former Canmore Eagle Dylan Bidik netting his 4th of the season from Daniel Rozsival and Matt Corbet. Tyler Wallace tied it up to start the second with a nice shot on the right side to tie the game at 2. *Patterson got credited on the AJHL site though? The gray numbers on those white jerseys. Bulldogs Third goal was amazing behind the back pass by Connor Dick to Meerman WOW 3-2. Meerman’s second of the night and 24th of the year. (Wish I had a better angle shot of it above there.) Evan Mitchell taps in a rebound as he was right there to push it in. Assists to Ross and Jason Seidem. 4-2 Bulldogs Mitchell’s second of the season.
Prazma got pulled and then wasn’t back on the bench to start the 3rd. Spencer Borsos took over the goaltending duties for the Canucks. Former Okotoks Oiler Bowden Singleton scored on the power play for the Canucks to make it 4-3 from Barker and Ty Hipkin. Connor dick stepped right down at 11:27 of the third and shot it past Borsos to make it 5-3 assists on that goal to Otto Hanson and Kody Willick. Then a minute later on the Power Play Daniel Rozsival son of former Chicago Blackhawk and Swift Current Bronco Michal scored making it 5-4 unassisted.
Cole Unger made a beautiful highlight reel pass to Tyler Wallace who scored. 6-4 Bulldogs. I am still not sure what feels worse. Admiring a beautiful pass you made to a team mate and getting your head taking off by a hit or making a beautiful pass to the wrong team. You should get credited for an assist on the later somehow. If Tyler Wallace keeps going at the rate he is going he could lead the AJHL in goals by the end of the season. Even players on other teams want to help him!
With the goalie pulled the Canucks Cale Sanders scored from a Barker centering pass. Canucks are only down by 1. Pressuring hard The Canucks came close but not enough. Bulldogs win 6-5 and get a 4 point weekend. The Bulldogs are now tied for third place in the entire AJHL.👍
Other Notes
Bulldogs next game is January 27th in Drumheller. Drumheller hammered Grande Prairie 9-1 tonight and play Fort McMurray on Tuesday before facing Blackfalds. Bulldogs beat the Dragons 3-2 in their previous meeting January 27th.
Canucks outshot the Bulldogs 36-32.
Meerman and Wallace both had 3 points Connor Dick had 2. Justin Barker had 3 Points and Daniel Rozsival had 2 for the Canucks.
If I were to have a second favorite team in the AJHL it would have to be the Canucks. Enjoyable players to watch on the Canucks were Riley Hearn, Justin Barker, and Matt Corbet thats just naming a few.
Every announcer complains about the visibility of the numbers on the white jerseys. It is hard the dark name bars help a bit though. The way the Bulldogs have been playing lately it doesn’t matter what guy is there they all get the job done.
Attendance at the Max Bell was 328 and it appeared to have more people there than I have ever seen for a Canucks game.
My First Canucks game in Calgary was back in about 2010. I had obviously heard of the Calgary Canucks just had no idea where they played. I had a break from work one winter and was taking the C train. It had to make a stop at Max Bell as some gentlemen got into an argument on the train and one decided to stab the other one. So with all the cops there and the train stopped I went down to the max bell. No one around, I also had a back pack full of beer. Walked in no one at the gate, but also at this time had no idea what kind of hockey was going on. Looked too good to be beer league and too young. Took me a bit then realized it was the Canucks and they were playing the Mustangs (what the Bulldogs are now). I sat in the rink watched the game had a few beers. Never even said boo to anyone. Almost no one was there. Technically I owe the Canucks for a ticket from back then. Good times🤔😉👍
