Bulldogs face elimination at home
Griffins take 3-2 series lead

Garry McKay
The Hamilton Spectator

GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. (Apr 25, 2009)

The Hamilton Bulldogs have been digging themselves out of big holes in this year’s AHL playoffs.

They better do it again tomorrow – or it’s all over.

The Grand Rapids Griffins beat the Dogs 4-1 last night at Van Andel Arena to take a 3-2 lead in their best-of-seven North Division semifinal.

After dropping the first two games at home, the Bulldogs rallied to tie the series 2-2, including coming back from being down 3-0 midway through the third period in Game 4.

But last night’s loss pushes the Dogs to the brink of elimination.

Griffins 4, Bulldogs 1

They’ve been down 3-2 in five previous playoff series in their history and won Game 6 three times.

If they can do it tomorrow (6 p.m. Copps Coliseum) they will force a seventh and deciding game on Monday at 7:30 p.m. at home.

The last thing the Dogs wanted to do last night was give the Grand Rapids Griffins and their vaunted power play any opportunities with the man advantage early in the game. Of course that’s exactly what they did.

In his first game back with the Bulldogs and on only his second shift of the game, Greg Stewart took a silly hooking penalty and Tom Galvin took advantage by backhanding a rebound past Marc Denis at the eight minute mark.

Jacob Kindl made it 2-0 at 15:06. Although Chad Anderson’s penalty had technically expired, he hadn’t made it back into the play yet when Kindl lofted one in from the blueline.

The Bulldogs had a two-man advantage at 17:51 when Mike Glumac scored his first goal of the playoffs, on a shot from the high slot to cut the deficit to one.

The Griffins got the take-charge goal at 10:11 of the second when Milton’s Darren Haydar beat Denis on a on a shot from the high slot. Again Stewart was in the penalty box after taking another bad hooking penalty in the offensive zone.

Haydar got his second of the game on a two-on-one at 7:17 of the third, to make it 4-1, and this time there was no miracle comeback for the Dogs.

* * *

Notes: The Montreal Canadiens have made the decision to shut down Max Pacioretty (groin) and Sergei Kostitsyn (shoulder) for the rest of this season because of their injuries.

Hits and Misses

Molson Cup Three Stars: 1. Darren Haydar, Grand Rapids. 2. Tom Galvin, Grand Rapids. 3. Jakub Kindl, Grand Rapids.

Scratches: Steve Gainey, Andrew Conboy, Max Pacioretty, T.J. Kemp, Ryan Flinn.

Shots on goal: Grand Rapids 34 Hamilton 15.

Attendance: (Van Andel Arena) 5,110.

Results

Game 1. Grand Rapids 4 Hamilton 3.

Game 2. Grand Rapids 3 Hamilton 1.

Game 3. Hamilton 5 Grand Rapids 4.

Game 4. Hamilton 4 Grand Rapids 3 OT.

Game 5. Grand Rapids 4 Hamilton 1.

Schedule:

Game 6. Grand Rapids at Hamilton, tomorrow, 6 p.m.

Game 7 (if necessary). Grand Rapids at Hamilton, Monday, 7:30 p.m.