Hamilton was playing the final game of a three in three which included stops in Montreal and Rochester, both losses.
Captain Martin St. Pierre said that playing three games in three nights in three different cities was rough but not an excuse.
“The travel this weekend has been hectic… but we’re not a team that makes excuses,” said St. Pierre. “If we lose working hard we’ll take the loss but we felt like we played well this weekend and just didn’t get the bounces.”
The Bulldogs came out firing on all cylinders but in what is becoming a familiar refrain this season they only managed a single goal in the opening frame.
St. Pierre would open the scoring after the Dogs controlled play through most of the first eight minutes. Greg Pateryn would fire a shot from the circle and Jacob Markstrom let up a juicy rebound that St. Pierre pounced on for his ninth of the season.
Hamilton would continue it’s trend of taking bad penalties and with Louis Leblanc in the box for hooking it was Quinton Howden jumping on a rebound and firing it into the gaping cage to tie the game.
Despite being outplayed for most of the second period it was the Dogs who would regain the lead with eight minutes left in the second period. Nathan Beaulieu would one time a shot from the point creating another juicy rebound off Markstrom and it was St. Pierre diving over the Rampage goalie to backhand in his second of the game.
Hamilton would come out of the intermission playing well controlling the play and eventually adding to the lead on the powerplay. Another shot from the point by Greg Pateryn caused a rebound that was deposited home by Mike Blunden.
Coach Lefebvre was impressed with the guts shown by his team.
“Guys just dug deeper, and that’s a sign of character,” said Lefebvre. “Guys showed up and played hard.”
Attendance was once again weak with 3,854 showing up to take in some Sunday afternoon hockey. Though to be fair many may have been sleeping off the celebrations from this morning’s Olympic final.
This afternoon’s three stars were: 3. Dustin Tokarski, 2. Greg Pateryn, 1. Martin St. Pierre with the premium player of the game going to Mike Blunden.
The Bulldogs next game is Friday when they host the Lake Erie Monsters.
