GrayJay Sports
League News
Limited defence as Bulldogs take-down Jr. Miners 8-6
It was the opening game of the 24-25 season for the Antigonish Jr. Bulldogs and Membertou Jr. Miners Saturday evening in Membertou but it appeared as if the defence forgot to show up for the game. In a wild-scoring catch your breath every minute game, the defending Atlantic Champions the Jr. Bulldogs outscored the Jr. Miners 8-6.
Owen Forsythe, Nick Marshall and Tully Grant all recorded three point nights for the Jr. Bulldogs as as Forsythe recorded a pair and added an assist, Marshall scored once and added a pair of assists while Tully Grant recorded 3 assists. Forsythe and Marshall made 2-0 and 3-0 in the opening period after Zachary Stewart opened the game’s scoring for the Bulldogs. The goals all came in the opening nine minutes of the first to give Antigonish a 3-0 lead but the Jr. Miners were not to be outdone as they rallied to tie the game at 3-3 after one period on goals from Trey Sturge, Alex Chenhall and Ryland Hannrahan who tied it with 46 seconds to play in the opening period.
In the second period, Forsythe’s 2nd of the evening put Antigonish back in front 4-3 before the second period was 2 minutes old. Garrett MacIntosh tied the game again at 4-4 before Will Normandeau and Daniel Chaisson tallied to put Antigonish up 6-4 after forty minutes.
In the third, the Jr. Miners closed to within a goal twice but simply could not tie it. Early in the third Landon Clark made it 6-5 Antigonish before Kellen Fuller put the Bulldogs up by a pair at 7-5. Then with under four minutes left in regulation, Tyler Seymour tallied for Membertou to bring them to within a goal of tying the contest but it was as far as they could get as Venel Campbell scored with 1:14 remaining for the Bulldogs to make the final 8-6.
It was not a great night for goaltending as the Jr. Miners Lucas Fraser was removed from the game after only ten minutes allowing 4 goals on 7 shots. He was replaced by Darian MacInnins for the duration of the game and he allowed 4 goals in 49 minutes. Ryan MacDonald turned away 26 of 32 shots for the Jr. Bulldogs.
Antigonish returned home Saturday night to prepare for their game Sunday night against the South Shore Lumberjacks who they defeated in 6 games in the Provincial Championship last April. The Lumberjacks lost their opener to the Capstone Colts Friday at C.F.B. Shearwater. Game time in Antigonish is 7:30 p.m. Membertou will also play a second night in a row as they travel to Eskasoni for 7:30 start.