CHL’s Top-Ranked Bulldogs Win Hard-Fought Series
The CHL’s top-ranked Hamilton Bulldogs won their series 4-0 against the youngest OHL team in the playoffs in a hard-fought series. Emmett Sproule and Joe Carroll scored goals in their final OHL game while Michael Simpson turned away 24 shots.
Unfortunately, things got off to a rocky start for the Petes just one minute and 49 seconds in. George Diaco sent a shot into Michael Simpson’s pads that he struggled to get a handle on. Former Pete Mason McTavish pounced on the rebound, outwaited an outstretched Simpson, and deposited his 4th goal of the series to give the Bulldogs an early 1-0 lead.
At the 13:36 mark, Joe Carroll skated deep into the Bulldogs’ zone. As he attempted to cut back to make a pass to the point, he was cross-checked from behind by D Nathan Staios, sending the Petes to the powerplay. The powerplay lasted just 23 seconds due to an interference minor and 4-on-4 hockey commenced for the next 1:37.
Before the Bulldogs’ brief powerplay expired, they executed a perfect play off the rush from Gavin White to Jan Mysak to George Diaco, who put it past the blocker hand of Simpson.
The lack of discipline on the Petes’ side, which has been a downfall in this series, continued, as they quickly found themselves trying to kill off a 5-on-3 soon after surrendering the second goal. On the powerplay, Nathan Staios collected the puck at the dot, briefly surveyed his options, and then rifled a perfectly-placed wrist shot short side high on Simpson.
After a lengthy delay in play to discuss calls on the ice, it was time for some more 4-on-4 hockey. The Bulldogs capitalized on open ice effectively when Patrick Thomas made a cross-ice feed to Arber Xhekaj, who was creeping in from the right point. Xhekaj unleashed a powerful one timer to the left side of the net that Simpson was unable to get across.
The Bulldogs took a 4-0 lead into intermission.
The feistiness from both sides carried over to the second frame, as a large brawl caused another lengthy delay in play three minutes into the period. The end result was a minor penalty to Joe Carroll for slashing, a match penalty to Bulldogs forward Avery Hayes for cross checking, and a few off-setting 10-minute misconducts.
Just inside the 12-minute mark of the second, the Petes showed some life on the powerplay. Emmett Sproule worked the puck down low to Joe Carroll at the left dot. He skated near the goal line to the left of the net and Carroll turned to the middle to assess his next passing option, but instead fired a shot from a bad angle right beside Costantini’s head and in. Carroll’s second of the Playoffs had the Petes on the board.
Snipe it, @joe_carroll19 ????#GoPetesGo | @SUBWAY pic.twitter.com/e1sCxd8eJd
— X – Peterborough Petes (@PetesOHLhockey) April 29, 2022
Soon after, the Petes went down a man for roughing, sending the Robertson-Sproule PK unit to work. On the kill, Sproule broke up a play at the right point to send himself and Robertson in on a 2-on-1 from their own blue line. Sproule carried the puck the whole way up the ice. As he approached the hash marks, the Bulldogs D left his feet to take away the passing lane. Sproule made a toe drag move around the fallen D and placed a wrist shot under Costantini’s left arm. Sproule’s short-handed marker had the Petes back within two.
Sproule was all cleared for takeoff, leading to this shorthanded beauty ????#GoPetesGo | @Emmett9393 pic.twitter.com/4c8QbsxRUE
— X – Peterborough Petes (@PetesOHLhockey) April 29, 2022
With roughly three minutes left in the middle frame, the Bulldogs entered the Petes zone. Arber Xhekaj rimmed the puck around the boards from left to right out to Jorian Donovan at the right point. Donovan collected the puck, took one step in the middle, and delivered a point shot that beat Simpson blocker side to regain the Bulldogs’ three-goal lead.
The Petes did not sit back for long. Just 50 seconds later, Emmett Sproule pick up a pass from behind him just outside the Petes zone to go in another 2-on-1 with Robertson. He skated in along the right side of the ice, made a move to his backhand to evade the defender, and slid a cross-crease pass over to Robertson to put away.
Watching @Emmett9393 and Robertson on this play is like watching magic ????#GoPetesGo | #AlwaysAThreat???? pic.twitter.com/zWcN3AqYIA
— X – Peterborough Petes (@PetesOHLhockey) April 29, 2022
A strong surge from the Petes in the second had them within two, at a score of 5-3 heading into the second intermission.
In the third period, former Pete Mason McTavish fired a shot through Simpson and Lawson Sherk fired the puck into the empty to secure Hamilton’s Game 4 victory and the series win.
