BULLDOGS CAPTURE BOBBY ORR TROPHY IN 6-0 GAME 4 VICTORY
HAMILTON, ONTARIO. With a chance to secure the second Bobby Orr Trophy in franchise history the Hamilton Bulldogs hit the ice for Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Final at the North Bay Memorial Gardens on Friday night.
The first period unfolded exactly as the Bulldogs wanted it, opening the scoring just 2:53 into the opening period as Gavin White got the puck in deep of the offensive zone for Patrick Thomas who found Jan Mysak stationed in the slot for his 1st goal of the 2022 playoffs giving the Bulldogs an important 1-0. Hamilton believed they had doubled the lead on the power-play with just passing the 8-minute mark with Logan Morrison tapping in a Mason McTavish backdoor feed only to have the goal called back for offside on the zone entry, nearly 20 seconds earlier. Still on the power-play at 7:40, Arber Xhekaj fired a rocket from the middle of the blue line off a brilliant high zone exchange from Morrison & McTavish to give the Bulldogs a 2-0 lead. At the other end of the rink, Marco Costantini walled off all 7-shots he faced, including keeping the door shut on the Bulldogs only penalty-kill of the first period to send Hamilton down the tunnel with a 2-0 lead through 20.
As the second period has tended to run all season long, it once again favoured the Bulldogs with Hamilton further extending the lead. With the puck in behind North Bay net, the Hamilton Huskies duo of Patrick Thomas & Mark Duarte played catch with Duarte turning a backhand to the slot for Jan Mysak to fire his 2nd of the game past Dom Divincentiis at 1:41 to give the Bulldogs a 3-0 lead. Marco Costantini, only seeing 14 shots through 40 minutes remained stellar in big moments, shutting off tight chances from both Kyle MacDonald & Matvey Petrov and Hamilton responded to their goaltenders’ handiwork. As Logan Morrison fed Avery Hayes on a breakaway, the white-hot Bulldogs winger was pulled down from behind leading to a penalty shot at 11:40. Hayes started right, cutting back middle with a serpentine stride, with a dip of the shoulder in the slot, Hayes shelved the puck over Divincentiis for his 8th of the post-season giving the Bulldogs a 4-0 through 40 minutes.
The third period was no different as the Bulldogs controlled the pace from the drop of the puck, surrendering just 4 shots to a desperate North Bay club. At 17:17, Jan Mysak completed his hat-trick from the right circle off a face-off play from Logan Morrison & Avery Hayes. The scoring was completed at 19:35 with George Diaco putting the final touch on the series from Humphrey & Sherk giving the Bulldogs a 6-0 lead. Eighteen Marco Costantini stops stood up for his third shutout of the playoffs and the Hamilton Bulldogs capture their second Bobby Orr Trophy in a 4-game sweep running their playoff record to 12-0.
The Hamilton Bulldogs will await the winner of the Western Conference Final between Windsor and Flint before hosting Game 1 at the FirstOntario Centre with date and time to be determined.
For more information on Hamilton Bulldogs 2022 playoff tickets or playoff flex packs call 905-529-8500 or visit hamiltonbulldogs.com
