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Bulldogs stun Gaels for spot in East final
Wednesday July 23 2008 By Eamonn Maher, Staff Writer Facing their third fifth-and-deciding game on the road in the last two post-seasons, the Halton Hills Bulldogs improved their record to 3-0 in those series finales after an 8-3 victory over the Green Gaels of Clarington on Monday night in Bowmanville.
The fourth-seeded Bulldogs somewhat shockingly knocked off the second-place Gaels on their home floor for the second time in the series, after swiping the opener 6-4.
Clarington had lost just twice all season at home and had thrashed visiting Halton Hills 13-3 in game three on Thursday evening, but the Bulldogs clinched their second consecutive berth in the Ontario Lacrosse Association Jr. B East Conference final series by winning at home convincingly 9-4 on Saturday, followed by Monday’s comeback triumph.
Next up for head coach Blaine McCauley’s squad is a potentially riveting matchup with division-rival Mimico, tentatively set to begin Saturday at George-town’s Alcott Arena beginning at 7:30 p.m.
“I can’t say how proud and happy we are for our guys. They worked hard for this and made a lot of sacrifices to get to this point,” said McCauley, in his third season as coach of the club.
“To go into their barn with all the history and tradition there and put in that type of effort, especially after what happened there Thursday night, is a great achievement. Clarington got a boost with some of the guys they had come back from the World Under-19 Field Lacrosse Championships, and then we came back ourselves with a great game on Saturday night.
“It’s exciting to be going back to the conference finals, but we have to put the second round behind us now and focus on trying to beat a very strong Mimico team.”
In Monday’s clincher, Bulldog goalkeeper Michael Cregan and his Green Gael counterpart, Zack Higgins, were superb, resulting in a scoreless opening period. The hosts took a 2-0 lead before defender Daniel Patterson, who scored just twice during the regular season, potted the first of his two goals on the night to cut the lead to one heading into the final frame.
Backstopped by more big saves by Cregan, the ’Dogs received goals from Kyle Davis, Evan Whillans and Mike Burke in the opening 3:19 of the third to grab the momentum and then added an exclamation point with a pair of shorthanded markers by Davis and defenceman Nik Matwijszyn. Peter Laidlaw rounded out the scoring.
In game four Saturday, Pat Saunders scored three times for the Bulldogs, including an empty-netter in the game’s final minute.
Davis (2), Chad Cummings, Mike Brown, Michael Licata and Kody Lyons contributed to the attack for Halton Hills, which owned intermission leads of 5-0 and 7-1. Burke chipped in four assists.
The ’Dogs were facing elimination in the best-of-5 series after being blown out 13-3 Thursday in Clarington.
Burke led the Bulldogs with a goal and two assists while Ryan Haynes and Cummings also scored. Halton Hills trailed 3-0 after the first period and were down 9-2 after 40 minutes, also losing veteran sniper Nic Grasby to an injury for the rest of the series. He is expected to return this weekend.
“We’re fortunate that with the depth on our team, we have some extra players to step in when they’re called upon and they don’t complain when they’re not playing. That’s the sort of thing that makes a team a better team,” McCauley noted.
“And as much as we like to talk about putting the team first, you have to sometimes acknowledge individual players, and Cregan was just spectacular. You’re not going to go anywhere in the playoffs without good goaltending.”
Mimico finished as the sixth seed in the conference but defeated Nepean in the first round and then eliminated top-ranked Oakville last week, both in four games.
The Bulldogs won the season series 3-1 with the Mountaineers and also knocked off Mimico in five games during last year’s second round of playoffs.

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