bulldogs

The Hamilton Bulldogs had their Disney story put to a halt last night in Houston. A controversial goal and a missed call in the dying seconds of the game ended the Bulldogs season. The referees misjudged a play with just 1:13 remaining in the final period in game 7 of the Western Finals. They also failed to see the covering of the puck in the blue paint with just a few seconds remaining that would have given the Bulldogs an automatic penalty shot to give them a chance to take the game to overtime.

181:03, that’s how long it took the ‘Dogs to get their first lead in a game in this Western Conference Finals. Ryan Russell scored the game’s first goal while shorthanded in the opening minute, the goal that could potentially change the series around. The big guns for the Bulldogs all displayed determination and leadership by putting goals on the board. Dustin Boyd was a huge factor in this game with 2 goals, 2 assists, 8 shots on goal and an amazing +5 rating. His line mates Aaron Palushaj picked up a goal and 2 assists while Nigel Dawes had two goals of his own.

The epic battle between the two remaining Canadian clubs ended in a splash and into the AHL history books. Going into the series, it was expected it would be a clash of the goalies between Drew MacIntyre and Eddie Lack. The series could have gone either way, but it was Hamilton who got the bounces. The Moose had hit the cross bar three times just in the overtime alone, centimeters away from sending the ‘Dogs packing for next season. Dustin Boyd’s goal in the third OT just 6 seconds in caught everyone, including the players on the bench, off guard.

The Hamilton Bulldogs dominated in every aspect of the game except where it counted the most, on the scoreboard. For the first time in this series, the Bulldogs scored first. They were able to keep that lead until the dying minutes of the final period. With just 2:02 remaining in the game, the Moose avoided to be back in the same position they were in the previous series against the Lake Erie Monsters and also repeated history by coming back from a two game deficit to tie the series up just like last year against this very same team.

Every Canadian hoped to see the only two Canadian teams in the NHL playoffs, the Montreal Canadiens and the Vancouver Canucks in the Stanley Cup Final. That wish was quickly extinguished after the elimination of the Habs. On the bright side a quarter of that wish was granted, as the only two Canadian teams remaining in the AHL who are the Manitoba Moose, the affiliate of the Vancouver Canucks and the Hamilton Bulldogs as we know are the affiliate of the Habs, meet in the second round  of the AHL playoffs.