The Belleville Bulls came to Mississauga Friday night feeling good about themselves. Last weekend they took four of a possible 6 points, and look pretty good doing so. They defeated Kingston at home on Wednesday. And tonight they defeated St.Mikes 4-2.
On February 3 the Belleville Bulls coaching staff broke the 21 remaining games in to three 7 game series, saying that if they could win 4 out of each 7 and maybe a few more, that they should be in a playoff position. After tonight's win the Bulls are 8-6 in the first 14 games. They didn't win the 1st series of games but picked up the desired 8 wins in 14 games. The Eastern Conference is still tight for the last 3 playoff spots :
6-Belleville 63 pts
7-Mississauga 63pts
8-Oshawa 60pts
9-Peterborough 59pts
The Sudbury Wolves sit in 5th with 69pts and are in reach with a good run and some luck.
The Belleville Bulls have a pretty good goalie in Malcolm Subban who was starting his 12th straight for the Visitors. Subban played good and is starting to return to form. He made 25 saves on the night and none bigger then when with less than a minute to go he stopped the Majors on two attemps. He was named the games 3rd star. The home team Majors have a pretty good goalie of thier own in Brandon Maxwell the reigning OHL player of the week. Maxwell made 20 saves in the lose.
Before the game we learned that Bulls rookie Alex Carnevale was suspended for 8 games for a hit on Bo Horvat of the London Knights. I'm not sure why this happened, but I have seen the hit , He doesn't leave his feet, doesn't use his elbow, knee, or stick. It looks like he delivered a good hard clean hit. Horvat was hit with a suicide pass, put his head down and got caught. The belief is that with his helmet popping off it made the penalty so harsh. On the OHL website video, the Discipline Rationale was - unsuspecting player (He put his head down)- Blind side hit( Carnevale hits him in the middle of his chest with his shoulder) - then a funny one that says "- Contact to the head, is not the head, what does that mean ? So he is disciplined for hitting to the head , but didn't ? It also says -No injury on the Play, but we knew that because after the hit Horvat scored a beauty.
Fresh off signing his 1st NHL contract, it was announced that Adam Payerl could miss up to 2 weeks with an upper body injury. John Chartrand returned to the lineup, so that meant Charlie Graham would be a healthy scratch along with Branden Morris.
Belleville and Mississauga traded goals in the 1st. For the Bulls it was Daniil Zharkov at 12:44 with a beauty his 21st from Brendan Gaunce and Austen Brassard. For the Majors it was Mika Partanen on the PP with his 16th from Riley Brace. Shots were even at 10 each.
In the second frame the Bulls where out shot 9-5 but still hit the score sheet with a goal when Carter Sandlak jumped out of the penalty box and scored his 4th from Brady Austin and Jordan Subban at 5:42.
The 3rd started slow with Belleville protecting their lead. With less then 5 minutes to go at 14:26 Tervor Carrick tied the game with his 5th from Partanen and Brace. Belleville's go a head goal and the game winner was originally gave to Brady Austen his 5th from Jordan Subban. It was later given to Sandlak for his 2nd of the night. Rookie Jordan Subban's assist was the 20th point of the season for the rookie rear guard. Micheal Curtis rounded out the scoring with his 12th at 19:54 in to an empty net. Belleville out shot the Majors 9-8 in the third, Mississauga had the edge in the game 27-24. Bulls PP was 1/2 and the PK went 4/5. Attendance: 2080
3 Stars:1-Bulls Carter Sandlak 2G, 2-Majors Mika Partanen 1G 1A, 3-Bulls Malcolm Subban 25 saves.
Bulls will face the Niagara Icedogs Saturday night at the Yardman.
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