The Alberni Valley Bulldogs won a Family Day matinee 7-3 against the visiting Prince George Spruce Kings.
After a scoreless first period, the Spruce Kings opened scoring in the second, but Jax Wismer tied things up with his fifth goal of the season for the Alberni Valley Bulldogs. The Spruce Kings got one back to take a 2-1 lead to the second intermission.
The Bulldogs tied things up again early in the third with a marker from Matt Kursonis but the Spruce Kings took the lead once more. That would be all for the visiting team, as the Bulldogs scored five unanswered goals at the end of the third period to take the game 7-3. Scorers were Hayden Stavroff (two goals), Jacob Terpstra, Nicholas Beneteau and Ronan Buckberger with his first for the Bulldogs.
Bulldogs goaltender Hlib Artsatbanov made 36 saves, but was pulled from net shortly after a goalie interference penalty by Skogen Schrott of the Spruce Kings. Artsatbanov was replaced in net by Callum Tung for the last few minutes of the third period.
The Bulldogs will be headed to Powell River next weekend for a pair of games against the Kings. They will be back at the Dawg Pound on Wednesday, Feb. 28 for a game against the Victoria Grizzlies. Puck drop is at 7 p.m.
ICE CHIPS…The visit from the Spruce Kings also marked the return of defenceman Kai Greaves for the first time since the Bulldogs traded him to Prince George at the start of last season…The Bulldogs announced last weekend that 2007-born forward Wyatt Blace has committed to play NCAA hockey at Dartmouth College. Blace is the 17th member of the Bulldogs to earn a scholarship.