Captain Pieper leads Dolphins

  Dolphins eliminate Bulldogs, with game five 9-5 victory led by new captain

Friday, February 16, 2018

By Rob J. Ross 

DORCHESTER - First game as team captain will be a memorable one for Tim Pieper.

In a wild offensive shootout, the Dorchester Dolphins managed to finally tame the growl of the Mt. Brydges Bulldogs, with a 9-5 win, clinching the Provincial Junior Hockey League series in five games, in front of crowd of 400 spectators, at the Flight Exec Centre.

The Dolphins held leads 4-1 and 6-3, but the Bulldogs pulled to within a goal before the end of the second period.

Not wanting to have to play a game six on the road, the Dolphins came out in the third period on a mission. Shots on net were only 15-13 in favour of the home side, but the flying ‘Phins were finally able to break through on Bulldogs' goalie Morgan Reed, with three goals.

"It was a good game by everyone. We had our lapse in the second but everyone came together in the third. We managed to get the job done," said Pieper, who picked up an assist on the game winner. "Maybe we got a little too anxious, thinking the game was over, but they (Bulldogs) came back and played us hard. We realized that during the intermission and came out flying in the third."

Goals came from throughout the line-up, with Ryan Root, Ryan Poley and Turner Balasin, each scoring twice. Dylan Buckholz, Andrew Bugeja and Dylan Van Dusen, had singles.

Brent House and defenceman Nick Whitworth, both picked up three assists, while James Newland, Nolan Blewett and Lucas Wilson, each had a pair of helpers.

"We got some good secondary scoring. You expect your top two lines to carry you, but you need your depth to kick in and our depth kicked in tonight," said Wilson, who led the Dolphins in scoring, with five goals and six assists in the series. "Poley played a great game, same with Duser."

Alex Cox led the Bulldogs with two goals and an assist. Dan Stretton, Jason Poulin and Tanner Lafrance also scored for Mt. Brydges.

"Their season was on the line. Cox is a pretty good player and kind of took control," said Wilson, a former teammate with the Bulldogs, 2014-16. "It was tough to contain him. Tonight he stepped up."

Riley Brown made 44 saves in the Dolphins' net, while Reed stopped 38 pucks.

Mobile defencemen and forwards aggressively pursuing the puck, benefited Dorchester head coach Tim Flynn's team.

"We had the D move the puck quick and that gave us a lot of odd man rushes," Flynn said. "We did a real good job fore-checking. Guys went in separating the guy from the puck and gaining control."

Examples of separating Bulldogs from the biscuit, were Brent House on Dorchester's opening goal by Root and David Henshaw and Wilson, setting up Van Dusen's red lamper.

The Dolphins enjoyed putting nine in behind a goalie that gave them trouble all series, but that amount won't occur every game and neither can surrendering five goals.

"Offensively we did great, but we'll not be able to get into a gun slinging contest further into the playoffs," said Pieper. "Defence is the big thing we have to focus on. (Allowing) five goals is not acceptable."

 A few key points from the new captain.

"Pieps is a good leader," Flynn said. He doesn't take a shift off. He back-checks, he fore-checks and he's respected for that by the guys in the room. He was pretty nervous (hearing he earned the C). He said he'll do his best."

Pieper, from Dorchester, off to a great start for his hometown team.

The Dolphins had four players wear an 'A' during the regular season, but opted on having a captain for the playoffs.

Forward Aiden Reid from the Dorchester midget team, has played in two playoffs, scoring in his debut, in game four. Reid replaces Zach Robertson, out for the season due to injury. Robertson was actually in line for the captaincy until his injury prevented him from returning.

The Dolphins will play either Exeter or the winner of the Thamesford-North Middlesex series, in the next round.