XHEKAJ PAIR DRIVES DOGS TO VICTORY OVER NIAGARA
BRANTFORD, ONTARIO. The Brantford Bulldogs opened their first 3-in-3 weekend of the season hosting the Niagara IceDogs for the first of six meetings this season. The Bulldogs entered the night looking for their 19th straight win over Niagara, dating back to the 2019-20 season.
The IceDogs opened the night strong, putting the Bulldogs on their heels early but Matteo Drobac’s 10 first period stops gave the Bulldogs the time they needed to right the ship. The Bulldogs got on the front foot at 13:05 as Patrick Thomas fed Nick Lardis for a slot top shot that snuck through Owen Flores and laid in the crease behind the IceDogs netminder. Ben Bujold was the only player on the ice to see the loose puck and the opportunity and swept it to the back of the net for his 2nd of the season, giving the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead. Brantford doubled the advantage at 17:23 as Calvin Crombie set Florian Xhekaj through the right circle where the Canadiens draft choice powered his way low and flipped the puck over the glove of Flores for his 5th of the season, giving the Bulldogs a 2-0 lead they carried to the intermission.
The middle frame was more of the same with Matteo Drobac heroics sandwiching Bulldogs offense. Drobac opened the frame with a brilliant splitting save across the goal line to deny Brody Crane his first as an IceDog and once again his team fed off of it. With the Bulldogs on a 5-on-3 power-play at 7:02, Patrick Thomas navigated the puck to the top of the formation for Jorian Donovan and though his shot was stopped, Marek Vanacker was able backhand it past Flores for his 6th of the season giving the Bulldogs a 3-0 lead. Again on the power-play at 12:15, Marek Vanacker delivered the puck to Nick Lardis who’s shot from the left circle was stopped but the rebound was pounced on by Luca Testa, knocking home his 7th of the season and putting the Bulldogs up by a 4-0 count. Before the frame wasout Zackary Lavoie earned a penalty shot for the IceDogs and coming in off the right wing was denied by Drobac who continued to keep the momentum firmly on the Bulldogs side through 40 minutes.
The IceDogs managed to crack through in final frame as former Bulldog Ryan Humphrey deflected home a Daniil Sobolev point drive to record his 100th point in the Ontario Hockey League, cutting the Bulldogs lead to 4-1 at 9:24. The Bulldogs responded at 14:22 as Vanacker sprang Dylan Tsherna up the left wing, hitting a hard stop and curl in the offensive zone Tsherna fed Florian Xhekaj through the left circle. As Xhekaj stepped in, he unleashed a rocket that beat Flores before ringing off both sides of the back crossbar for his 2nd of the game and 6th of the season to put the Bulldogs ahead 5-1. Niagara would claw a pair back late with Michael Podolioukh & Kevin He striking at 17:14 & 19:47 respectively but it wouldn’t be near enough as the Bulldogs skated home a 5-3 home ice victory to open their busy weekend.
The Brantford Bulldogs continue their 3-in-3 weekend at home, playing host to the Sudbury Wolves on Saturday, November 11th with a 4:00pm start time before finishing the weekend on Sunday, November 12th, paying a visit to the defending OHL Champion Peterborough Petes with a 4:00pm start.