Bulldogs bite back
Hamilton Bulldogs have drawn first blood in their Ontario Hockey League championship series with the top ranked Soo Greyhounds.
Marking their territory on enemy ground, the Bulldogs stole a 4-3 overtime win from the Greyhounds before a Thursday night audience of close to 4,800 at the Essar Centre.
Hamilton had a 3-0 lead midway through the second period before the Soo tallied twice in quick succession and then evened the score early in the third frame.
Bulldogs forward Mackenzie Entwistle then scored his second goal of the game in the second minute of OT and Hamilton skated off the ice with a one game to none lead in the best-of-seven series.
Game 2 is slated for Saturday night in downtown Houndtown.
Game 1 featured major shifts in momentum.
Hamilton was faster and quicker while building the 3-0 lead. But the Soo was the superior squad en route to making it a tie game and came close numerous times after to taking the lead.
Bulldogs goalie Kaden Fulcher, a National Hockey League prospect of the Detroit Red Wings, stood his ground with several really good saves after the Greyhounds had tied the score.
THEY SAID IT
“We had to find a way to win that game,” said Hamilton head coach John Gruden. “It would have been a tough pill to swallow to lose that game after being up 3-0.”
“It was a lot of fun,” said Hamilton forward Mackenzie Entwistle. “It was a great atmosphere out there. You could tell in warmups it was going to be fun to be out there.”
“Except for a few minutes here and there we played poorly,” said Soo head coach Drew Bannister. “The end result was what we deserved.”
PHOTO: Hamilton Bulldogs forward Mackenzie Entwistle celebrates his game-winning goal.