Bulls bash Battalion at home opener

By John Boldrick

The first Wednesday night home game of the season ended in dramatic fashion with the Bulls Jordan Subban playing the role of the hero.

Subban scored the shootout winner as the Bulls tied up their season series with the Brampton Battalion at one game apiece with a 2-1 victory.

While Subban didn’t know if he would be used in the shootout, he said he was ready to go if called upon.

“I think it’s my third time being in the shootout in two years, so I wasn’t too surprised. I was just getting ready to go- I didn’t know if I was going to go then I got my opportunity and I was lucky enough to get the goal,” he said, “I had a bit of an idea. I talked to Malcolm and he told me his weaknesses, but obviously when you go in you have got to take what’s there and that’s what I did on the goal.”

The game featured the Bulls facing off against The Brampton Battalion. The two teams met earlier this season, with the Battalion coming out with a 1-0 victory on a goal by Patrik Machac.

Wednesday’s game started out much the same, as the Battalion jumped out to an early 1-0 lead on a power play goal by Brenden Miller after a Mack Lemmon holding penalty.

The first period was marked by the physical play of Bulls forward Garrett Hooey, which include some big hits and even a tussle with Brampton winger Brendan Childerley. The Bulls were outshot 13-7 after one period of play.

The game stayed much the same until the third period, when Belleville turned up the heat. Were it not for a number of key saves by Battalion goaltender Matej Machovsky (who recorded the shutout against the Bulls last time out), the score could have been much different.

The Bulls were finally able to score with 1:18 remaining in the game, as captain Brendan Gaunce was able to sneak one past Machovsky, putting an end to the goaltender’s shutout streak against Belleville, which last over 118 minutes. Jordan Subban and Gaunce linemate Sergey Kuptsov picked up assists on the play.

After a scoreless final minute, followed by much of the same in overtime, it was time for the teams to battle it out in the shootout. Brampton sent forward Blake Clarke in first, who put the puck in the net past a sprawling Malcolm Subban. The Bulls tied it up after Joseph Cramarossa beat Machovsky on his own breakaway attempt.

Following goals by Brampton’s Machac and Gaunce, Malcolm Subban came up big, stopping Barclay Goodrow. Then it was Jordan Subban’s turn. The young Bulls D-man skated into the zone and beat Machovsky with his shot, giving the Bulls the win.

Joseph Cramarossa said that while the Bulls may have started slow, they quickly got things together and started to put more pressure on Brampton quickly.

“I think we started off a little slow but regrouped at intermission and I think we all came harder in the 2^nd and even harder in the third, so it was a good comeback win and we’ll see them again Friday so we got to bring it again,” he said.

Wednesday night wasn’t the last time the two teams will meet, as they play each other again on Friday in Brampton. Bulls captain Brendan Gaunce said that he expects more of the same in their next game.

“It’s the same game we play with Brampton every time- it’s going to be a low scoring game,” he said.