Dolphins silence Bulldogs in a rout

   Dorchester wins home opener to 2017-18 season, blanking Mt. Brydges, 9-0 

By Rob J. Ross

Friday, September 15, 2017

DORCHESTER - The Yeck Division champions have continued on where they left off from last season.

The Dorchester Dolphins went undefeated during the 2016/17 regular season (39-0-1), in the Provincial Junior Hockey League, winning many games with lop-sided scores.

That trend has carried into the new season, at least for the Dolphins' home opener, with a 9-0 silencing of the Mt. Brydges Bulldogs.

"We played well. We had a lot of chances. We had all four lines going," Dolphins' head coach Tim Flynn said. "Our back-end, not only did they play well defensively, they chipped in offensively."

Defenceman James Newland scored the Dolphins' first two goals, while Nick Whitworth, made it 4-0, with an unassisted short-handed marker.

The Dolphins led 1-0 after one period despite 21 shots on net. Over the next two periods, the Dolphins just had 21 shots total, but exploded for eight goals on Bulldogs' goalie Morgan Reed.

"We figured out where to beat him and started going there after the first," Flynn said. "We made a few adjustments and that really helped, switch the fore-check up a bit and we got more pressure on them."

Both Lucas Wilson and Dylan Buckholtz scored twice, while Mike Tuffin and Brent House, had singles.

Braedon Dorion, on a line with Buckholtz and House, drew four assists. The line combined for 10 points.

"We had a slow start today, but we just had to find the net and that came in the second and third periods," said Buckholtz, who also picked up two assists. "We weren't getting much traffic in front of the net in the first period."

Riley Brown made 27 saves in the Dolphins' net, for his fifth career PJHL regular season shutout.

"We have a few things to work on, but it's coming along. The kids are buying into the system," said Flynn.

Buckholtz was part of last year's amazing record, but understands this is a different team in a new season. Still, the goal is "to finish first and carry that success into the playoffs."

The Dolphins visit Port Stanley on Saturday.