PORT ALBERNI, B.C- The Alberni Valley Bulldogs (24-19-1-2) will host the West Kelowna Warriors (13-28-5-3) tonight at the Dawg Pound. Game time is 7:00 pm.
This game marks the first of 3 straight games for the Bulldogs who after tonight will play in Nanaimo against the Clippers tomorrow and then return home to face the Victoria Grizzlies for the final time this season on Saturday night.
Entering the week, the Bulldogs find themselves 2 points behind the Powell River Kings for 3rd place in the Island Division standings. The Bulldogs do however hold 3 games in hand over the Kings, one of which will be used tonight against a resurgent Warriors club.
Despite having just 13 wins on the season, the Warriors are hot of late under new interim head coach Simon Ferguson. The Warriors are 6-3-0-1 in their past 10 and have pushed their lead over Merritt to 10 points in the Interior Division standings for the BCHL’s final playoff berth. Simon Ferguson coached the Okanagan Rockets during the 2014-2015 season, while current Bulldogs president served as the Rockets general manager.
The Warriors handed the Bulldogs a lopsided 6-2 loss back on Sunday January 12th in their only other meeting this season. Safe to say, the Bulldogs will look to return the favour tonight against a Warriors team that is playing for the 3rd straight night. The Warriors lost to the Grizzlies 5-4 in a shootout on Tuesday, and 3-2 last night in Nanaimo.
Tonight’s game is a make up game from Saturday November 9th when the clubs were originally supposed to meet. Fans can use their tickets from that original game to enter tonight.
Doors open at 6:00 pm and puck drop is set for 7:00 pm.
