The Yorkton Bulldogs played final home game of the regular season over the weekend.
Thursday night the Bulldogs hosted the visiting Regina Riot in what was one of the most dramatic games of the Bulldog's season as the Dogs went on to claim a 6-5 win in the dying seconds of the game.
Regina took a 2-1 lead after the first period with Dalton Bakke scoring Yorkton's opening goal.
The seond period saw the teams exchange two goals apiece with Justin Genaille and Brendon Turberfield each scoring once.
In the final frame with the Bulldogs trailing 5-3, Turberfield scored to pull Yorkton within one. Genaille scored the game tying goal. Dalton Bakke buried the game winner with one second showing on the game clock.
Dalton Bakke, who scored the game winner in what was probably the most dramatic finish to a Bulldogs lacrosse game this season, says, "That was the most amazing feeling of my lacrosse season so far."
Regina had possession of the ball. Yorkton forced a turnover and called a timeout. Yorkton took possession of the ball in the Regina end with 10 seconds left in regulation time. "I got a beautiful pass form Justin Genaille and faked about 20 times and out her in," Bakke recalls.
The Regina Riot are a big team which always comes out hitting, Bakke comments. "They use their physicality to win games but it didn't work on us today," he declares.
The win improves the Bulldog's record to 3-4-2 which lifts the team into third place depending on how the rest of the teams complete the weekend. The Dogs have one more regular season game and depending where they finish in the standings, they either head into Tier 1 or Tier 2 playoffs. Teams finishing one through four advance to the Tier 1 playoffs while those finishing 5 through eight advance to Tier 2 playoffs, Bakke reports.
"We have one more game that should decide our fate but if we come out playing like we didi today, we shouldn't have a problem," Bakke closes.
Yorkton Bulldogs head coach Joey Choptuik says he was pleased with the game result. Both teams played a strong defensive game which didn't allow many scoring opportunities which made for a relatively low scoring contest, Choptuik comments.
Yorkton's defense was particularly strong in the final period as the Bulldogs killed off a pair of penalties holding off the Riot who had a five on three two man advantage, Choptuik points out.
Justin Genaille tied the game on a short handed goal before Bakke put the game away in the dying seconds with the game winning goal. Choptuik notes the Bulldogs were short two players when Genaille scored his shorthanded marker.
The Regina Riot beat the Bulldogs 10-2 in their last meeting in Regina, Choptuik says. He admits the Riot had a relatively short bench Thursday which may have helped Yorkton tire them out. "But, that's what the game's all about," he suggests.
There's a change in the playoff format this year. Apparently the first place team meets the eighth place squad, second plays seventh, third faces sixth, and fourth meets fifth. The team will bet tiered after the first round, Choptuik reports.
Saturday the Bulldogs wrapped up their regular season with a 9-5 win over the Moose Jaw Mustangs in Moose Jaw.
Yorkton jumped into a 2-1 lead after the first frame on goals by Jatden Dozorec and Taras Ewen.
The Mustangs took control in the second period outascoring Yorkton 4-2 in the period. Genaille and Turberfield each scored once for Yorkton.
The third period was all Yorkton with the bulldogs dominating to score five times. Ewen sscored twice for a hat trick in the game. Genaille and Dozorec each added a goal for two apiece in gthe game and Dallas Bennet added a goal for the win.
The wins leave Yorkton in third place in league standings with 10 points for the regular season.
