Season ends for Puck Hogs














MARCH 16, 2008 - A collision course between the Puck Hogs and Ice Dawgs in round two of the playoffs left one team standing, as the Dawgs put down the Hogs 3-1 on Sunday night.  For the Hogs, the Winter 2007-2008 season has ended, while the Dawgs move on to face the Pints in the Bronze Championship game. [GAME PHOTOS]

During the regular season, the three games played between the two teams were all one-goal games.  As the first and third seeds in the playoffs, the game between the Puck Hogs and Ice Dawgs promised to be a good one.  With the teams so close, the one that wanted it more would take the ticket to the final.

The question of which team was on their game started to become clear quickly in the first period.  The Dawgs began to take the edge in play and took the lead in shots on goal, while the Hogs seemed to have difficulty containing the fast skating pups.  As the period progressed, the Dawgs were able to establish their cycling game, and kept much of the play in the Hogs zone.  However, Hogs netminder Jake Bradt stood tall in net and kept the Dawgs off the scoreboard, and the Dawgs goalie was equal to his task as well, denying the Hogs on several breakaways.  A continual parade to the penalty box for both teams seemed to keep the game from flowing, and at the end of the first period, the score was 0-0.

Bradt's efforts were rewarded when the Hogs' Kinney and Kula connected for the game's first goal, putting the Hogs up by one at just over five minutes into the second period. But, as was the case most of the game, there were as many changes in and out of the penalty box as there were from the benches, and five minutes after the Hogs had scored, the Dawgs answered back and tied the game at one on point shot on their powerplay. 

As the game continued into the third, the Dawgs continued to press while the Hogs began to falter under the pressure.  As a result, the Dawgs increased their shot margin but couldn't increase their goal total.  But, as the away team started to take a 2:1 margin in shots, it was inevitable that they would take a 2-1 lead in the game partway through the period, when M. Mann's point shot deflected of a Hog's player and found its way into the net.  The Dawgs could smell blood, and three minutes later, they put the final nail in the coffin when they scored from the high slot after continual pressure in the Hogs zone, at over four minutes left in the game.

The Hogs threw everything they had in the final few minutes to try and tie the game, and despite pulling their goalie for the extra attacker, the team was unable to get another puck past the Dawgs goalie.  The final buzzer sounded the Hogs exit from the playoffs and from the Bronze League.  When both these teams meet again, it will be in the summer.

The Ice Dawgs earned their win and their ticket to the Bronze Final game against the Pints, who would defeat the Volcanoes 6-2 later that night.  For the Puck Hogs, the team will enjoy a month-long offseason before starting play in the new Silver B league.

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