WHITE RETURNS & DROBAC STARS AS BULLDOGS BEAT PETES
HAMILTON, ONTARIO. After a light weekend, the Hamilton Bulldogs kicked off a four game week, with 3 of 4 coming on the road, on Tuesday night squaring off with the Peterborough Petes for the third time in the young season.
The Bulldogs came out of the gates with some jump in their stride but it was the Petes who found the scoreboard first. At 4:59, Tucker Robertson peeled the puck off the end boards and sent a seeing-eye pass to the front of Matteo Drobac’s goal for Tommy Purdeller who potted his 2nd of the season. Shortly after the opening goal, the Bulldogs got a boost from their netminder, as Tommy Purdeller attempted to return the favour to Robertson, feeding the prolific Pete in the slot, Drobac exploded off his line to the top of his blue paint making a stunning glove save to keep the game 1-0. Drobac’s efforts paid off after Noah Van Vliet drew a tripping penalty the Bulldogs power-play struck. With Logan Morrison and Avery Hayes working the wings, Morrison laid the puck middle for the returning Gavin White who wristed a shot through Michael Simpson and just over the goal line tying the game 1-1 at 12:01. Before the period was out, the Bulldogs has two separate shifts of nearly a full minute of zone-time with tremendous cycle work as they hunted for the go ahead but would have to wait as the period came to a close all knotted up.
The second period was all about special teams and the goaltenders as the Bulldogs went to the man-advantage three times, including 13-seconds of 5-on-3 time while the Petes countered with a power-play of their own. Even with all of the special teams time in the period, Matteo Drobac stopped all 14 he faced while Michael Simpson turned aside all 12 that came his way to keep the game all tied up 1-1 through 40 minutes.
The third period was more of the same with Matteo Drobac shutting the door on another 8, including a couple in tight from Connor Lockhart & Tucker Robertson. Michael Simpson held his end of the duel, turning aside 10 of his own in the third period keeping the game all square at 1-1 heading for overtime.
A great 5 minutes of 3-on-3 followed with the teams going chance for chance, with Matteo Drobac coming up big on a Tucker Robertson chance, while a pair of 2-on-1’s for the Bulldogs were both deflected away. Sending the Bulldogs to the shootout for the first time in the season.
The shootout took 7-rounds and opened with a bang as Matteo Drobac made the save of the night, jamming pad to post to deny Tucker Robertson. Advantage went back and forth as the Bulldogs couldn’t close out in the third round and Peterborough found themselves with an opportunity to end the game. Drobac again stood up, stopping 5 of the 7 he faced and Peterborough product Lucas Moore, closed it out, striding in off the left and ripping a shot over Simpson to give the Bulldogs a slump-busting 2-1 shootout victory.
The Hamilton Bulldogs continue a busy week on Thursday, November 10th travelling to Sadlon Arena in Barrie for the first meeting of the season with the Barrie Colts in a 7:30 start.
For more information on Hamilton Bulldogs 2022-23 Season Ticket packages call 905-529-8500 or visit hamiltonbulldogs.com
