Belleville Bulls Weekend Review, Feb 3-4 2012

Belleville Bulls @ Kitchener Rangers February 3 2012

Coming off a emotional 5-4 shootout win over The Sarina Sting at home, to crawl back to .500, The Belleville Bulls headed out on the road with stops in Kitchener and Owen Sound.

Before Friday nights game Vs the Rangers at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium. The Belleville Bulls were saying all the right things, looking and sounding like a focused club, ready to turn the ship around. The 6482 that bought a ticket, were in for a treat as the number 1 ranked goalie in the CHL would return to action. Malcolm Subban would make his first start since Dec 17th. The Rangers would answer with Franky Palazzese.

The last time these two teams played, Kitchener won 5-4 on a late goal by Ryan Murphy. It was easily Belleville's best game of January. To start this game both teams really used the first as a feeling out period, with the only goal scored by Andrew Crescenzi at 15:58 from Zach Lorentz & Brandon Francisco to give the Rangers a 1-0 lead. In the first period Belleville out shot Kitchener 14-10. Something they would do all night. The Bulls went 0/2 on the PP.

Coming in to the 2nd ,things looked meek, The Rangers' record when leading after 20 minutes was a very impressive 18-1-1, the Bulls record when trailing after the 1st, 3-14-1
But Kitchener product and Bulls OA Adam Payrel had other plans when he scored his 14th of the year from Joseph Cramarossa & Brendan Gaunce 7:02 to tie the game. Not to be left out of the fun Bulls leading goal scorer Austen Brassard netted his 24th from Daniil Zharkov & Jordan Mayer, at 15:47 and the Bulls ended the 2nd leading the Rangers 2-1. They killed a penalty and missed on a PP opportunity. But again out shooting the Rangers 18-11 and 32-21 at that point in the game. Both goalies, Subban and Palazzese were playing great.

The Rangers tied the game early in the 2nd at 2:20 when Tobias Rieder lit the lamp for the 29th time from Cody Sol & Michael Catenacci. The Rangers weren't happy with a tie game when the always dangerous Ryan Murphy scored at 4:08 on the PP from Rieder & Crescenzi. That would be the last goal scored by the Rangers. But the Bulls, they weren't finsished, at 5:59, Brassard scored his second of the night and 25th on the year from Zharkov & Jason Shaw to tie the game 3-3. The game winner scored by Micheal Curtis was a beauty. Dylan Corson one the draw cleanly and Curtis buried his 11th on a one-timer at 11:14. Adam Payrel added two empty net goals . Giving him a hat trick his last OHL game in his home town. It also gave the Bulls a much needed 6-3 victory over one of the top teams in the CHL. Belleville out shot Kitchener 17-16 in the third and 49-37 in the game. The Bulls went 0/4 on the PP and 2/3 on the PK. And just like that the Bulls were on a mini 2 game winning streak.


Belleville Bulls @ Owen Sound Attack February 4 2012

After the win Friday night Vs the Rangers the Bulls record Vs Western Conference opponents was 11-5 this season. On Saturday night the Bulls made their way to Owen Sound to face the defending OHL Champs.. Captain Mike Halmo lead the "Attack", scoring their 1st goal at 8:25 of the 2nd from Daniel Catenacci & Artur Gavrus. and setting up the winner, a short handed marker by Catenacci at 18:32. Both teams took there share of minor penalties. Not out of character for the Attack they lead the OHL in Pims, with Hamlo leading the OHL in minor infractions, The Bulls killed all of there 7 penalties, but I'm sure it was something the coaching staff wasn't happy to have to do. Belleville did get on the the board at 10:08 of the 3rd on the PP(1/6). When Daniil Zharkov scored his 16th from Steven Silas & Jake Worrad to make the score 2-1. The goal was Zharkov's first in 13 games , after scoring 15 in his first 17 games. Belleville was out shot 33-30, both goalies played very well. Bulls rookie Charlie Graham was named the games 3rd Star and Owen Sound's Jordan Binnington was named the games 2nd Star. Halmo was named the games 1st Star to the delight of the 3320 fans at the game. Belleville next game also on the road is Friday in Kingston.