Bulldogs crushed by Toronto Marlies
TheSpec.com
By Garry McKay
HAMILTON SPECTATOR
The Toronto Marlies handed the Hamilton Bulldogs what may have been their worst loss of the year in more ways than one.
The Marlies pummeled the Dogs 7-1 Saturday night before 7,163 at Copps Coliseum. It was Hamilton’s most one-sided loss of the year and their worst at home since a 6-0 defeat at the hands of the Iowa Stars, Feb. 29 of last year.
What makes the crushing defeat even worse is that Dogs, who are already reeling from injuries and illness, lost three more players.
Defenceman Ryan O’Byrne, who was going to be called up to the Montreal Canadiens after the game, left in the first period after a head-to-head collision with Andre Deveaux of the Marlies.
Hamilton winger Tyler Shelast hurt his back in the third period and centre Ryan While suffered an undisclosed injury during a third period fight with Ryan Hamilton.
Bulldogs head coach Don Lever didn’t know what the status of any of the injured players is for Sunday’s 5 p.m. game in Cleveland against the Lake Erie Monsters.
The Marlies jumped on Hamilton for three, unanswered, first period goals and although the Bulldogs played better in the second they were never able to get untracked.
“Our second period was pretty solid but when they scored the first goal in the third we just packed it in,” said Lever.
“With the bodies we have right now we just don’t have the guys who can respond up front. They’ve got more grit than us, and if our skilled guys aren’t playing a skill game it’s tough.”
Ryan Hamilton scored twice for Toronto.
Anton Stralman had a goal and three assists.
Jiri Tlusty, Jeremy Williams, Stefano Giliati, and Alex Foster also scored for the Marlies.
Sergei Kostitsyn had the lone Hamilton reply, his first goal in five games since being sent down by the Habs.
Marc Denis started in goal for Hamilton but was replaced by Cedrick Desjardins at the start of the second.
Adam Munro picked up the win in net for Toronto.
Both Munro and Desjardins stopped penalty shots. Referee David Banfield awarded Hamilton of the Marlies and Ben Maxwell of the Bulldogs penalty shots in the second period but both were denied by the goaltenders.
It’s the third time in the AHL this season, but only the sixth time since 1992, that there have been two penalty shots in a period.
The Dogs, who have lost three in a row, and only scored three goals in the three games, will try and snap out of it in Cleveland Sunday against the Lake Erie Monsters.
They expect to have a new player in the lineup.
Defenceman Doug Janik, acquired by Montreal in a trade, has cleared waivers and bee assigned to Hamilton.
Hits and Misses
Molson Cup Three Stars: 1. Jeremy Williams, Toronto. 2. Ryan Hamilton, Toronto. 3. Anton Stralman, Toronto.
Flamboro Downs Workhorse of the Game (hardest working Bulldog): Ben Maxwell.
Scratches: Chad Anderson, Andrew Conboy, Mike Glumac, Ryan Kinasewich, Mathieu Aubin, Shawn Belle, Mathieu Carle.
Shots on goal: Toronto 37 Hamilton 24.
Power plays: Hamilton 0-2. Toronto 3-8.
Attendance: 7,163.
Up next: The Dogs are in Cleveland Sunday at 5 p.m.
gmckay@thespec.com