DIACO’S SLICK MITTS LEAD BULLDOGS TO 3-2 SHOOTOUT VICTORY
HAMILTON, ONTARIO. Coming off a loss against the Frontenacs on Sunday afternoon the Bulldogs looked to bounce back & start a new streak on Wednesday night, meeting the Oshawa Generals for the 4th time this season.
The first period, the Bulldogs took control starting from the first faceoff with Logan Morrison winning it back to defenseman Gavin White and immediately creating offensive pressure. The Bulldogs fourth line consisting of Cole Brown, Ethan Sims and Giordano Biondi had a cross ice goal line chance, but Zachary Paputsakis was able to shut the door in the Oshawa goal keeping the game scoreless. The Bulldogs broke the ice with Captain Colton Kammerer, in his second game back in the lineup, scoring his first goal of the season and first as a Hamilton Bulldog, coming off the drop pass of Avery Hayes and Ryan Humphrey garnering the secondary assist at 8:02. The Bulldogs finished the period with a 1-0 lead, with 41 seconds on the power-play and an 8-4 shots advantage with a definitive territorial edge.
Opening the second frame with a 41 second man advantage, Hamilton was unable to capitalize due to the wall Paputsakis put up in the Generals goal to keep the game at 1-0. Going end to end the Generals had their best chance with Brett Harrison coming in close on Marco Costantni, with Costantini shutting the door in impressive fashion. The Generals got to level ground with Ty Tullio ripping a shot from the bottom of the circle to tie up the game at 4:39. With 9 minutes left of the second period Costantini kept the game at 1-1 calming a scramble in his goalmouth. The Bulldogs shook the tie with Lawson Sherk sneaking the puck through the 5-hole on Paputsakis for his 8th goal of the season from the pass of Mark Duarte and help of Kammerer at 13:23. In short order the Generals looked to knot the game up again, but a Dawson McKinney opportunity was again turned aside by Costantini and after 40 minutes of play the Bulldogs led the Generals 2-1 all while killing off over a minute of 5-on-3 time.
Paputsakis played a starring role to open the third with the Bulldogs whistling 8 shots to his net in the first 5 minutes of the period, the Gens netminder stood tall. With 12 minutes left of the third period the Bulldogs once again found themselves at a 5-on-3 deficit for more than a minute and a half, through the incredible work of the trio Patrick Thomas, Artem Grushnikov & Colton Kammerer, and marvelous work of Marco Costantini in goal the Bulldogs once again got out unscathed. The Generals however did find a way to lock up the game again though as Tullio found the puck from a net front scramble for the tying goal on the power-play at 11:29. Through 60 minutes of hockey nothing was solved, and it was off to overtime. Paputsakis and Costantini stole the show in overtime, each stopping every shot that came their way with a couple each in spectacular fashion to finish the 5 minutes the way it started and forcing the teams to go into a shootout. Costantini and Paputsakis held off until George Diaco came out with his slick mitts on a Diaco-Datsyukian deke to send it through Paputsakis’ five-hole and into the Oshawa net to lead the Bulldogs to 3-2 victory to start the new win streak.
The Hamilton Bulldogs are headed to Erie Insurance Centre Friday night to face off against the Erie Otters at 7:00pm.
For more information on Hamilton Bulldogs 2021-22 season tickets, flex packs or single game tickets call 905-529-8500 or visit hamiltonbulldogs.com
