COSTANTINI RECORDS OHL LEADING 5TH SHUTOUT IN OSHAWA
HAMILTON, ONTARIO. The 7th of the Bulldogs 8 game road-trip was a rematch from the Outdoor Showcase with the Oshawa Generals at the Tribute Communities Centre on Sunday evening with the Bulldogs seeing the return of goaltender Marco Costantini.
There was a tentative start on both sides with both teams finishing up a busy weekend and both Zachary Paputsakis and Marco Costantini seeing shots from distance early. Just before the halfway point of the frame, both teams came close with Brett Harrison ringing a backhand off the post and Logan Morrison tipping a hard pass in the crease that Paputsakis had to paddle off the goal line. After the puck was sent out of play from the Oshawa zone, the Bulldogs found themselves on the first power-play of the game and it took just 27 seconds to make it count with Nathan Staios feeding Mason McTavish in the right circle and sending a laser pass to the left circle for Logan Morrison who threw a shot to the net that wrong-footed Paputsakis for Morrison’s 32nd of the year at 13:00. Costantini stopped all 7 he faced in his return sending the Bulldogs to the intermission up 1-0.
Hamilton extended the lead early in the second period as George Diaco hit Jan Mysak coming across the Oshawa line, feeding off to the left circle for Giordano Biondi who had his initial shot blocked but found the puck and buried his second chance for his 7th of the year at 2:21. The Bulldogs surrendered only 3 shots on goal in the second frame, while Ryan Winterton & Brenden Anderson each came close to extending the lead if not for a pair of outstanding stops from Paputsakis to keep the Bulldogs lead to 2-0 heading into the locker rooms through 40 minutes.
It was a defensive clinic in the final frame with the Generals chasing the game, Hamilton would surrender just 6 shots while piling 12 of their own towards Paputsakis. The only goal of the third period came with the Oshawa net empty, Artem Grushnikov stole the puck from the skates of Cam Butler in front of the Hamilton goal and sent a 180-foot shot down the frozen river hitting the net for his 5th of the year, making it 3-0 and securing the Bulldogs victory. Marco Costantini stopped all 16 shots he faced in the game, giving him his OHL leading 5th shutout of the season & 26th win overall.
The Hamilton Bulldogs finish their 8-game road trip on Tuesday March 29th taking on the Peterborough Petes at the Peterborough Memorial Centre with a 7:00pm start.
For more information on Hamilton Bulldogs 2021-22 season tickets, flex packs or single game tickets call 905-529-8500 or visit hamiltonbulldogs.com
