Bulldogs left to rue missed chances as they fall to shoot-out loss
NET PRESENCE: Josh Stockton scored twice for Bradford Bulldogs against Altrincham Aces and again in the shoot-out, but the hosts fell 4-3 overall. Picture courtesy of Andy Bourke/Podium Prints.
BRADFORD BULLDOGS’ head coach Andy Brown felt his team missed an opportunity to extend their winning run to four games after going down on home ice to play-off chasing Altrincham Aces.
The NIHL North Two encounter at Bradford Ice Arena eventually required a shoot-out after being tied at 3-3 after regulation and overtime, with the visitors prevailing 2-1 to secure an overall 4-3 win.
But Brown felt the game should have been resolved in 60 minutes by his team, who squandered numerous chances throughout to make their superiority count, particularly in the second period when they had 26 shots on the Aces goal but failed to convert any.
They then found themselves trailing 3-1 in the third period before fighting back in impressive fashion to earn themselves a point.
“I felt we were the better team throughout the game but we weren’t clinical enough in front of net and missed several chances that we’ve been putting away over the past few weeks,” said Brown.
“To have 26 shots in the second period for no return is simply not good enough and, ultimately, we paid the price.
“On the flip side when we went 3-1 down in the 3rd we showed good character to pull it back and take the game to OT.
“Again we had two clear chances to take all the points but failed to convert so going into the shoot out I wasn’t filled with confidence.”
FRUSTRATION: Bulldogs’ head coach Andy Brown felt his team should have converted more goal-scoring chances.
The deadlock was broken at 14.06 when Connor Medley drove into the Aces zone and, from the left circle, squared for Josh Stockton who finished past Evan Coles from a tight angle.
It wasn’t long into the second period, however, that the visitors pulled level, the play breaking down in the neutral zone with the puck falling kindly for Billy King to drive down the middle and beat Sam Bolwell at her left-hand post with 22.48 on the board.
The failure to convert their second period dominance into goals came back to hurt the Bulldogs early in the third when Dylan Harcourt was given time and space to beat Bolwell stick side at 41.43, the lead increasing just under seven minutes later when Carl Price tipped in from Max Sullivan’s effort from distance near the left boards.
But the Bulldogs were quick to respond and were back within one through some neat play off the boards by captain Dean Boothroyd who created space for himself to fire home from the top of the right circle at 52.40.
Only 75 more seconds had elapsed when the hosts were level, Stockton driving towards the bottom of the right circle from where his effort on net deflected in off the unsuspecting Coles.
Chances came and went at both ends in the subsequent 3-on-3 overtime but a shoot-out was required. Although Stockton converted his shot, nobody else on his team could get the better of Coles, while at the other end, the Aces’ Harcourt and Charles Phillips got the better of Bolwell to secure the extra point on offer to boost the visitors’ play-off ambitions.
Brown added: “It was frustrating, but we’re still unbeaten in regulation over the past four games so there’s plenty to be positive about finishing this season off.”