The Alberni Valley Bulldogs split back-to-back games against the Powell River Kings in their final two home games of 2017.
Both games on Saturday, Dec. 30 and Sunday, Dec. 31 ended 3-2 in double overtime, but Saturday’s game did not end in the Bulldogs’ favour.
Although the Bulldogs opened the scoring with two goals in the first period, Powell River retaliated with two goals of their own in the second. The game remained tied at 2-2 until late in the second overtime, when Powell River’s Ethan Kimball scored off the referee’s foot to take the game, 3-2.
On Sunday, the Kings were the ones to open scoring in the first, but the Bulldogs answered back at the end of the period with a goal from Darren Rizzolo. The Kings took the lead early in the third, but the Bulldogs answered back again with a goal from Jackson Doucet.
Once again, the game went to double overtime—this time ending in the Bulldogs’ favour. Saturday’s OT scorer, Kimball, took a tripping penalty in the second overtime, which led to a powerplay goal by Connor Welsh. The Bulldogs took their final game of the year, 3-2, with goaltender John Hawthorne making 46 saves.
Both games were chippy, with the Bulldogs receiving seven penalties on Saturday and the Kings receiving eight on Sunday. Bulldogs’ defenceman Mitch Oliver received a match penalty for abuse of official at the end of the Saturday’s game, resulting in a three-game suspension.
The Bulldogs will be back at Weyerhaeuser Arena for their first game of 2018 on Wednesday, Jan. 3 to take on the Nanaimo Clippers. Puck drop is at 7 p.m.
elena.rardon@albernivalleynews.com
