Email
Print
Bulldogs End October on a Winning Note
2019-10-30
Bulldogs forward Ryan Kennedy drives the net around a Colts defender during NSJHL Action at the Antigonish Arena (photo courtesy of Richard MacKenzie of the Casket Newspaper).
Bulldogs' solid play continues as the season progresses.
The last weekend in October saw the Bulldogs playing the Cumberland Blues for the second time in two weeks and a hotly anticipated matchup against the Cole Harbour Colts. Despite the winning record thus far this season, head coach Donnie Grant said continued improvement in all three zones has been the goal the past couple of practices. “We came into the third week of October thinking we were playing well for the most part, but we sat back a little too long in a few games and we unfortunately, let a couple of them get away from us”, he stated. “With the league as good as it is, you have to stick to the game plan or it will came back to hurt you on the scoresheet, and could cost you a couple of valuable points.”
On Friday October 25, the Dogs rolled into Cumberland to play the Blues. The Blues outplayed and outshot the Dogs in the first period and held an early 3-1 advantage, with the Dogs first period goal coming off the stick of Jacob Nobbe (3rd year, Halifax) assidted by Cory MacLellan (2nd year, Antigonish). The second period saw a very different Dogs squad roar back with three goals, started by a beautiful one-timer by Spencer Barron (2nd year, Country Harbour), set up by Fearghus MacDonald (2nd year, Antigonish) and Dylan MacDonald (1st year, Sherbrooke). Matt Melanson (1st year, Truro) got the Dogs ahead for the first time in the game with two goals in a four-minute span assisted by Jacob Nobbe and Ryan Kennedy (3rd year, Antigonish). Both teams traded chances for the second and the third, with Dogs netminder Jared Green making key saves to preserve the lead, before the Blues managed to tie it up near the end of the second. The score remained deadlocked until late in the third when Keegan Gauthier (2nd year, Bedford) sniped a power-play marker from Sam Legere (1st year, Halifax) and Jake MacDonald (2nd year, Sydney) to seal the victory for the Dogs. Green was solid in the pipes with a number of timely saves to allow the Dogs to net the come-from-behind win.
On Sunday October 27th , the smooth-skating Cole Harbour Colts visited the Pound; both teams came out of the gate hard with the Colts opening the scoring early in the first period. Spencer Barron knotted the game at one late in the first with a one-time snipe set up by Ryan Kennedy and Sam Mattie (1st year, Rockland ON). The Dogs took the lead when Barron blasted his second of the game on gorgeous saucer pass from Fearghus MacDonald and Jagger Statton (2nd year, Bridgewater). The Colts responded late in the second when an unfortunate rebound landed right on the stick of the Colts Damien Sutton, who wasted little time in burying it to knot the contest at two. The tie lasted until the midway point in the third when Andrew Boyle (4th year, Antigonish) finished off some excellent forechecking by linemates Sam Mattie and Ryan Bakker (1st year, Truro) to put the Dogs in front. Spencer Barron capped off the hattie with an empty net goal set up by Jake MacDonald. Cody MacEachern was excellent in the Dogs net for his fifth victory in six starts. “If someone had told me that at the end of October that we would be able to execute as well as we have done in this first part of the year, I would not have believed them. I can honestly say that we have had great commitment and buy-in from the entire team with respect to implementing game plans,” said coach Grant. “You don’t get that without tremendous leadership from within the room and on the ice, and a lot of respect for each other as teammates. As a coaching staff, obviously we are thrilled with how these first ten games have gone, but one thing this group realizes is that there is still lots of learning to be done and hard work ahead. It’s been fun to watch how much these young men have grown together as group in the last 8 weeks.”
The Dogs see action this weekend with a home game against the Eskasoni Eagles and an away match against their division rivals the Strait Pirates. Puck drop at the arena is 7:30 PM on Friday November 1st against the Eagles. The team thanks the community for their support so far and they hope that the fans continue to come out and see some great hockey!
On Friday October 25, the Dogs rolled into Cumberland to play the Blues. The Blues outplayed and outshot the Dogs in the first period and held an early 3-1 advantage, with the Dogs first period goal coming off the stick of Jacob Nobbe (3rd year, Halifax) assidted by Cory MacLellan (2nd year, Antigonish). The second period saw a very different Dogs squad roar back with three goals, started by a beautiful one-timer by Spencer Barron (2nd year, Country Harbour), set up by Fearghus MacDonald (2nd year, Antigonish) and Dylan MacDonald (1st year, Sherbrooke). Matt Melanson (1st year, Truro) got the Dogs ahead for the first time in the game with two goals in a four-minute span assisted by Jacob Nobbe and Ryan Kennedy (3rd year, Antigonish). Both teams traded chances for the second and the third, with Dogs netminder Jared Green making key saves to preserve the lead, before the Blues managed to tie it up near the end of the second. The score remained deadlocked until late in the third when Keegan Gauthier (2nd year, Bedford) sniped a power-play marker from Sam Legere (1st year, Halifax) and Jake MacDonald (2nd year, Sydney) to seal the victory for the Dogs. Green was solid in the pipes with a number of timely saves to allow the Dogs to net the come-from-behind win.
On Sunday October 27th , the smooth-skating Cole Harbour Colts visited the Pound; both teams came out of the gate hard with the Colts opening the scoring early in the first period. Spencer Barron knotted the game at one late in the first with a one-time snipe set up by Ryan Kennedy and Sam Mattie (1st year, Rockland ON). The Dogs took the lead when Barron blasted his second of the game on gorgeous saucer pass from Fearghus MacDonald and Jagger Statton (2nd year, Bridgewater). The Colts responded late in the second when an unfortunate rebound landed right on the stick of the Colts Damien Sutton, who wasted little time in burying it to knot the contest at two. The tie lasted until the midway point in the third when Andrew Boyle (4th year, Antigonish) finished off some excellent forechecking by linemates Sam Mattie and Ryan Bakker (1st year, Truro) to put the Dogs in front. Spencer Barron capped off the hattie with an empty net goal set up by Jake MacDonald. Cody MacEachern was excellent in the Dogs net for his fifth victory in six starts. “If someone had told me that at the end of October that we would be able to execute as well as we have done in this first part of the year, I would not have believed them. I can honestly say that we have had great commitment and buy-in from the entire team with respect to implementing game plans,” said coach Grant. “You don’t get that without tremendous leadership from within the room and on the ice, and a lot of respect for each other as teammates. As a coaching staff, obviously we are thrilled with how these first ten games have gone, but one thing this group realizes is that there is still lots of learning to be done and hard work ahead. It’s been fun to watch how much these young men have grown together as group in the last 8 weeks.”
The Dogs see action this weekend with a home game against the Eskasoni Eagles and an away match against their division rivals the Strait Pirates. Puck drop at the arena is 7:30 PM on Friday November 1st against the Eagles. The team thanks the community for their support so far and they hope that the fans continue to come out and see some great hockey!
“GO DOGS GO!!!!