MARTONE & MACDONELL TAME THE DOGS 6-1 ON SUNDAY
BRANTFORD, ONTARIO. Following the success of the team’s inaugural home opener at the Brantford Civic Centre on Saturday night, the Bulldogs had a quick turn around to face-off with the Mississauga Steelheads at the Paramount Fine Foods Centre for a Thanksgiving matinee on Sunday.
David Egorov took the pipes for the first time in the 2023-24 season and was outstanding in the opening period. First denying a point blank one time shot from the Steelheads’ Marc Boudreau and following that up with a 2-on-1 save on Mason Zebeski to keep the game scoreless. The Steelheads did strike first, on the power-play at 9:17 as Jack Van Volsen set the puck into the wheelhouse for a Chas Sharpe one-timer for the defenseman’s 3rd of the season giving the hosts a 1-0 lead. Just past the midway point of the period with the Steelheads leading 10-3 in shots on goal and David Egorov keeping the door shut, the Bulldogs found their legs and tilted the ice. Outshooting the Steelheads 7-3 the rest of the way, the Bulldogs power-play went to work late in the period and it paid off at 17:25. Jake O’Brien moved the puck high to Lucas Moore at the top of the formation who slid it over to Cole Brown at the left circle, Brown paused drawing a defender down to block and fired it over the leg and past goaltender Ryerson Leenders to tie the game 1-1 on his 1st of the season. The Bulldogs kept the pressure on the rest of the frame with each of Sherk, Vanacker & Lardis having opportunities before the 20 minutes expired but skated down the tunnel knotted 1-1.
In the middle frame, the Steelheads nosed ahead once more as Angus MacDonell tossed the puck forward for Luke Misa who raced ahead past the Bulldogs defense and fired the puck over David Egorov on the mini-breakaway to give the Steelheads a 2-1 lead at 5:48. Egorov bounced right back denying Misa on a second breakaway attempt with a brilliant sprawling blocker save to keep the Dogs within a goal. Ryerson Leenders wouldn’t be outdone, turning aside a scramble out front of his own net with Lawson Sherk taking a couple whacks at the puck followed by Marek Vanacker & Cole Brown. The Steelheads extended the lead late in the frame, just as a Noah Roberts penalty expired and initial save by David Egorov couldn’t be cleared and Marc Boudreau was able to hop on the puck and score his 3rd of the season at 19:36 to close the middle frame with a 3-1 lead.
The final frame was all Steelheads with Porter Martone recording a showstopping between the legs goal at 5:38 to give the Steelheads a 4-1 lead. At 10:52 Angus MacDonell extended the lead one further recording his 3rd point of the game on an unassisted goal putting the hosts ahead 5-1. The scoring came to a close at 15:28 as Mason Zebeski lifted a backhand over David Egorov to put a final bow on the Steelheads 6-1 win.
The Brantford Bulldogs return to action on Friday night, October 13th at the Brantford Civic Centre to open a home and home weekend matchup of the last two OHL Champions against the Peterborough Petes with puck drop at 7:00pm.
