Bradford Bulldogs Novice A team, after its elimination from the OMHA Playdowns, charged into the York-Simcoe Playoffs – taking on the King Rebellion in a semi-final series.
The Bulldogs took the first two games, with a 6-1 victory on March 9, playing on home ice, and a 3-2 win at the Nobleton Recreation Complex on March 12.
They were back in Bradford West Gwillimbury for Game 3 on March 14, hoping to wrap up the series – but the Rebellion, facing elimination, dug deep to take the game 4-3.
Bradford was first on the scoreboard, at 8:44 left on the clock in the first, with a goal by Andrew Reid from Julian Sedgewick and Luca Berenguer.
They fended off the Rebellion attackers to taketheir 1-0 lead into the second, but the second period was all King – with the Rebellion scoring three unanswered goals to take a 3-1 lead, and then making it 4-1 less than two minutes into the third.
The Bulldogs woke up and pressed hard, swarming the King’s end. Berenguer scored Bradford’s second goal, from Jacob Hardill and Logan McCarthy, with 13:03 left on the clock.
Goal 3 followed, with 5:12 remaining, on a breakaway by Sedgewick, from Berenguer.
Trailing by one goal, Bradford continued to fire shots at the King goalie, but ran out of time – leaving the Rebellion with the 4-3 win.
The Novice A Bulldogs lead the series, two games to one.
Game 4 takes place March 18 at the King City Arena. Game 5, if necessary, will be back in Bradford at the BWG Leisure Centre March 19 at 6 p.m.
Bradford’s Atom A Bulldogs are also in the York-Simcoe Playoffs, playing a series against the East Gwillimbury Eagles. The Atoms won Game 1 in Bradford 5-1, and Game 2 in East Gwillimbury, 3-1, but lost Game 3 in Bradford, yielding to the Eagles 3-1.
They played Game 4 on Thursday night back in East Gwillimbury and again went down to defeat, 3-2 – setting the stage for a decisive Game 5, with the series tied at two games apiece, on Saturday, March 16 at the BWG Leisure Centre’s Green Rink at 4:15 p.m.
After winning all of its Round Robin games, the Midget A Bulldogs started its York-Simcoe series against the Georgina Blaze on Thursday, with a game in Sutton - and took a 6-4 victory.
They play Game 2 at the BWG Leisure Centre at 7:15 p.m. on March 16; Game 3 in Sutton on March 18 at 9 p.m.; Game 4 at 7 p.m. on March 19 back in Bradford; and a final Game 5, if needed, back in Sutton on March 21 at 9:15 p.m.
