BULLDOGS STAND TOE TO TOE WITH PETES BUT FALL 4-3
HAMILTON, ONTARIO. In front of a crowd of 8,777 for the School Day Game, Marco Costantini made 43 stops while Jan Jenik added another three points and Nathan Staios a pair but it wouldn’t be enough to overcome a second period onslaught from the Peterborough Petes, who led by a pair from captain Zach Gallant were able to edge the Bulldogs in a 4-3 final.
For the second straight game the Hamilton Bulldogs would get exactly the start they wanted, scoring the opening goal of the game as Arthur Kaliyev would take a bouncing puck from a Nathan Staios shot below the goal line and twirl it back on goal, banking off Hunter Jones’ right pad and squeezing inside the post giving Kaliyev his 25th of the season & the Bulldogs the 1-0 lead at 2:16. Peterborough would fight back fiercely, getting pressure and pucks to Bulldogs goaltender Marco Costantini, with the Hamilton netminder turning them aside until a Keegan McMullen shot would be kicked away but found immediately by Tucker Robertson who recorded his 3rd of the season, equalizing the game at 1-1 at 10:31. The Bulldogs wouldn’t let the first period expire on equal terms however as Jan Jenik, who recorded an assist on Kaliyev’s game opener, would follow another Nathan Staios shot through Hunter Jones, pushing the rolling puck behind the goal line for his 18th of the season at 18:40 pushing the Bulldogs to a 2-1 lead, which they would hold to the intermission.
The second period of the School Day clash would lean heavily towards the Peterborough Petes, while Marco Costantini would shine. With Peterborough outshooting Hamilton 22-6 in the period, Costantini would turn aside all but two, both of which coming from Peterborough captain Zach Gallant. At 7:02 on the power-play Mason McTavish’s initial shot would bounce off Gallant, giving him his 9th of the season and first of the game. At 18:22, the Bulldogs would have a marvelous chance on goal but see it turn into transition for a Gallant breakaway, faking across the goal and sliding the puck back past Costantini to give the Petes the 3-2 lead. Hamilton would nearly tie it before the end of the period with chances from both Jan Jenik & Logan Morrison but Hunter Jones would keep the Petes ahead after 40.
Peterborough would extend the lead to open the third, at 1:40 of the final frame Michael Little deliver his 3rd of the season. As a Jacob Paquette shot travelled into a pile in front of the Bulldogs goal it would be Little who would find it rolling loose away from traffic and have an open net to put the Petes up 4-2. With the clock ticking down on the game, it looked as if the Bulldogs would run out of track but while shorthanded at 15:38 Jan Jenik would steal the puck just inside the Hamilton line and race forward with Arthur Kaliyev, after a self-chip to the shot Jenik would pivot and fire his 2nd of the game & 19th of the season past Jones to give the Bulldogs a chance but it was as close as they would get despite a 43 save performance from Marco Costantini, the Dogs fell 4-3 to the Petes.
The Hamilton Bulldogs return to action on Friday, November 22nd at 7pm hosting North Bay and Saturday, November 23rd at 4pm hosting Guelph as the Bulldogs will spend the weekend fighting against cancer, with special black, white and lavender jerseys available for auction on both nights.
For more information on Hamilton Bulldogs 2019-20 season tickets, flex packs or single game tickets call 905-529-8500 or visit hamiltonbulldogs.com
