Bulldogs earn playoff spot at Memorial Cup

REGINA, Sask. – After opening the event with a loss on day one, the Ontario Hockey League’s Hamilton Bulldogs finish the round robin portion of the 2018 MasterCard Memorial Cup with a 2-1 record thanks to a key win on Tuesday night.

Robert Thomas scored the eventual game-winner 1:04 into the third period as the Bulldogs skated to a 3-2 win over the Quebec League’s Acadie-Bathurst Titan at the Brandt Centre in Regina, Sask.

Just 24 hours after getting into the win column with a victory over the Swift Current Broncos, the effort wasn’t as good on Tuesday for the Bulldogs.

“We played good for 30 minutes and we didn’t play so much in the other 30 minutes,” Bulldogs Coach John Gruden said.

“We weathered the storm in the first ten minutes,” Gruden also said. “Once we got going, we got some momentum and really started to play the way we’re accustomed to playing.”

Thomas and Ben Gleason had a goal and an assist for Hamilton. Brandon Saigeon assisted on a pair of goals. Nicholas Caamano also scored for the OHL champs.

Kaden Fulcher made 33 saves for the Bulldogs.

“He looks extremely comfortable,” Gruden said. “He doesn’t give up many rebounds. He really enjoys the spotlight.

“He’s been outstanding,” Gruden added.

The Titan finish the round robin with a 2-1 record.

“Our execution and our penalty kill, we gave them two goals on the same type of play and it’s a mistake that we can’t repeat against a team like Hamilton,” said Titan Coach Mario Pouliot.

Jeffrey Truchon-Viel had a goal and an assist for the Titan. Samuel Asselin also scored for the Quebec League champions. Noah Dobson assisted on two goals.

Goaltender Evan Fitzpatrick made 31 saves for the Titan.

The Bulldogs assured themselves of at least a spot in Friday’s semifinal with the win. Pending the results of Wednesday’s game between the Western League’s Swift Current Broncos and Regina Pats.

A win by the Broncos would send Hamilton to the final and mean a tie-breaker game on Thursday between the Broncos and Pats. A Regina win on Wednesday would send the Titan to the final and a semifinal meeting between the Bulldogs and Pats.