Bulldogs catch Grand Rapids for second place
By Garry McKay
HAMILTON SPECTATOR
April 04, 2009
The pursuers have become the pursued.
The Hamilton Bulldogs beat the Grand Rapids Griffins 4-2 Saturday night at Copps Coliseum. The result means that the Bulldogs who have been chasing the Griffins for second place in the AHL’s North Division have finally caught them.
With three games left in the regular season for both teams they’re tied for second and the Bulldogs have the tie-breaker based on having more wins.
At stake is home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs when the Griffins and Bulldogs will meet in a best of seven.
“I’m not sure if it’s wanting the home ice advantage as much as it’s just wanting to be playing well going into the playoffs,” said Hamilton coach Ron Wilson of the Dogs two wins over Grand Rapids on the weekend.
“But if playing well gets us second place that’s a bonus.”
The Dogs also beat Grand Rapids 6-3 in a wild game Friday night.
Wilson said he preferred Saturday’s game better because he felt his team tightened up defensively.
Yanick Lehoux had a goal and an assist to pace the Dogs. Brock Trotter and Yannick Weber had the other Hamilton goals.
P.J. Atherton and Brian Lashoff scored for Grand Rapids, who have now lost four in a row.
They get a chance to snap that streak and move back into second on Sunday when they visit the Rochester Americans. After that they’ll have two games left, Friday at home to the Bulldogs and Saturday in Peoria.
The Bulldogs don’t play again until Wednesday when they host Manitoba. Then, they’ll have two games left as well, in Grand Rapids on Friday and in Toronto on Saturday.
Weber’s goal gives him 44 points on the season and ties him with Sven Butenschon (01-02) for most points by a Hamilton defenceman in a season. And with power play goals Friday and Saturday he passed Ron Hainsey for most goals on the power play by a defenceman in a season with 10.
Notes: Marc Denis was called back up to Montreal and the Dogs brought in Loic Lacasse to back up Cedrick Desjardins on Saturday.
The Bulldogs release left winger Ryan Kinasewich from his PTO (professional tryout contract).
Hits and Misses
Molson Cup Three Stars: 1. Ryan Russell, Hamilton. 2. P.J. Atherton, Grand Rapids. 3. Yanick Lehoux, Hamilton.
Flamboro Downs Workhorse of the Game (hardest working Bulldog): T.J. Kemp.
Scratches: Marc Denis, Chad Anderson, Steve Gainey, Andrew Conboy, Max Pacioretty.
Shots on goal: Hamilton 27 Grand Rapids 20
Attendance: 5,412
Up next: The Bulldogs host the Manitoba Moose on Wednesday.
Weber is having a great season as a first year pro. What is more he is a really bright guy and a character player. He looks like the logical successor to fellow Swiss powerplay quarterback Mark Streit. What is more, he was a fourth round draft pick, I believe. Gainey just traded a 3rd AND a 2nd for a burnt out Mathieu Schneider and his $6 million per season contract. The team’s second round pick the same year was P.K. Subban.
Bozo lets Mark Streit go for nothing in the off season, then trades valuable assets for a similar player who is 10 years older and even more of a defensive liability. Not to mention the fact that Schneider makes a lot more money than All Star Streit.
…how did Schneider go from being a waiver wire castoff who the Thrashers eventually took in exchange for dumping some deadweight contracts on the Ducks, in the summer, to someone worth a second and third round draft pick with no salary dump 6 months later?
Not by tearing up the league or getting any younger or healthier as far as I can tell.
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