Four second period goals was the difference as the Spruce Grove Saints suffered a 5-2 loss to the Blackfalds Bulldogs to conclude their exhibition schedule on Friday night at Eagle Builders Centre.
The Saints first period was their best in the hockey game, scoring twice after giving up the first goal of the night as Alex Holland tied the game with his 2nd preseason tally, walking down the left wing and snapping a shot over the glove shoulder of Brady Smith in the Bulldogs net to even the score at 1-1.
Jadon Iyogun pushed the Saints to their first lead of the game at 12:18 of the opening frame, burying a rebound on of a Brady Witkin shot that went off the right pad of Smith that gave the visitors a 2-1 advantage that would hold through the remainder of the 1st period.
The Bulldogs rattled off six consecutive goals, including four in the 2nd period, to take control of the game. Nikita Ivanschenko and Jared Langdon scored 20 seconds apart in the early stages of the middle frame to give the Bulldogs their lead back once again before Chance Adams and Tanner Nettleton added to the lead to give the Bulldogs a 5-2 edge heading into the final period of play.
Spruce Grove played more consistently in the third period but the Bulldogs tacked on two more goals in the final frame courtesy of Austin Boorgaard and Antoine Gauthier to push their lead to 7-2, the eventual final score.
Joseph Quintilio turned aside 20 of the 27 shots he faced in the game in his 2nd preseason start while Brady Smith made 33 saves on 35 shots in the victory in the Blackfalds net.
The regular season kicks off for the Saints with their inaugural game in Thompson Family Arena as they host the Brooks Bandits on Friday, September 19th at 7:00 PM. Tickets are available for purchase online at tickets.sgsaints.ca.
