Saturday, April 25, 2009

Brampton meets Windsor

Press Release

The Belleville Bulls 2008-2009 season came to an end with a 7-4 loss to the Brampton Battalion Friday night in Brampton. The Bulls again held the lead heading into the third period but were unable to hold off the Battalion from winning their ever first Eastern Conference Championship.

It was the Battalion who got off to a quick start, opening the scoring less than four minutes into the first period when Jason Dale one-timed a quick shot from the slot past Mike Murphy. The Bulls did enjoy a glorious chance to tie the score midway through the period when they enjoyed a lengthy two man power play advantage but could not capitalize. Brampton increased their lead to 2-0 on the power play with just over five minutes remaining in the opening period when Matt Duchene fired a loose puck past Murphy after it had bounced to him at the top of the Bulls crease. Belleville did press to cut into the lead but Battalion goaltender Thomas McCollum was outstanding to keep the Bulls off the scoreboard. Shots on goal in the first period were 13-9 Belleville.

The Bulls came out hard to begin the second period and were able to cut the lead to 2-1 just over one minute into the middle frame when Brandon Mashinter was left alone at the side of the Battalion net to one-time a Cory Tanaka pass past McCollum. Luke Judson also assisted on Mashinter’s seventh goal of the playoffs. Belleville then tied the score on the power play nine and a half minutes into the period when Nick Palmieri took a breakaway pass from P.K. Subban and beat McCollum with a pretty deke. Murphy also assisted on Palmieri’s league leading 13th goal of the postseason. Palmieri then gave the Bulls the lead with less than six minutes remaining in the period when he backhanded a shot past McCollum from the front of the net. Nick Pageau assisted on Palmieri’s 14th goal of the playoffs and ninth in the past four games. Belleville pressed to increase their lead but were unable to beat McCollum. Murphy was very strong throughout the middle frame to help give the Bulls a 3-2 lead heading into final twenty minutes of play. Shots on goal in the second period were 11-9 Belleville.

Brampton was able to tie the score just two minutes into the third period on the power play when Duchene wired a hard shot past Murphy from the slot after the original Battalion opportunity had been blocked. Cody Hodgson then gave Brampton a 4-3 lead less than seven minutes into the third period when he one-timed a perfect no-look pass from Evgeny Grachev from the side of the net. Duchene completed his hat-trick just 37 seconds later when he skated off the boards and snapped a hard shot past Murphy to put Brampton ahead 5-3. The Bulls did not quit and were able to cut the lead back to 5-4 less than two minutes later when Mashinter backhanded a hard shot over the glove of McCollum from the slot. Judson and Shawn Lalonde assisted on Mashinter’s eighth goal of the playoffs and second of the game. Belleville pressed for the equalizing goal but were unable to beat McCollum. Murphy was also excellent to keep the score 5-4. Brampton rounded out the scoring with a pair of empty net goals from Grachev and Hodgson in the final 66 seconds of play to skate away with the 7-4 victory. Shots on goal in the third period were 14-6 Brampton and overall favoured the Battalion 32-30.

Murphy stopped 25 shots in a losing effort while McCollum made 26 stops in the victory for Brampton. The Bulls finished the game one for five on the power play while the Battalion converted twice in five opportunities with the man advantage. The three stars of the game were Duchene, Palmieri, and Dale. The Bulls will now prepare for the offseason beginning with the OHL Draft on Saturday, May 2nd. Be sure to continue checking bellevillebulls.com for all the latest news and information throughout the summer. The Belleville Bulls would like to thank their fans for all their wonderful support throughout another exciting season of OHL hockey.

(Nathan also is a writer for Maineiacs Post to Post and the Maine Hockey Journal. He can be reached at fourniern@students.nescom.edu)

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