Sometimes you just run into a hot goalie.
Hamilton Bulldogs' 15th rounder Tristan Malboeuf had the game of his life against the Kitchener Rangers.
He stopped all 40 shots, and the Bulldogs blanked the Blueshirts 4-0 Monday afternoon.
"He played unbelievable," said Rangers general manager Mike McKenzie. "We couldn't find the first one. It felt like if we found the first one, we could go two, three, four, five, six."
"We had open nets, we had cross ice passes, we had Grade-A after Grade-A after Grade-A [chances] and it just felt like we were controlling the play. We just couldn't find goals tonight."
The Rangers dominated both the first and third period, where they combined with 31 shots, but couldn't find a way to beat Malboeuf.
"If we play that kind of hockey for 60 minutes the way we did today you're going to be on the right side more often than the wrong side," said McKenzie. "That was really the message; keep playing this way and we'll be really successful."
"I like what we've seen offensively, but we do need to tidy up a couple areas defensively."
Former Bulldogs goalie Marco Costantini was honoured before the game, and given his framed Bulldogs sweater to honour his overage year.
"A little bit weird, to be on the other side," said Costantini. "It was really nice of them to do that. It meant a lot to me. I loved playing in Hamilton for the last two or three years. It was really nice."
Regardless of the excellent play by the Dogs goalie, Kitchener has to stop losing points. They've taken just three of their last possible eight points.
The Rangers had a chance to move into sixth place in the Western Conference this weekend, and be within striking distance of home-ice advantage in the first round.
But, they remain in eighth place, four points back of the Flint Firebirds, with three games in hand. They're also six back of the Guelph Storm, and Owen Sound Attack.
The Attack are in town at The Aud, Friday. The pregame show begins at 7:00 p.m on CityNews 570.
