CLEVELAND, OHIO – Hamilton Bulldogs forwards Charles Hudon and Connor Crisp gave Hamilton a 2-0 lead midway through the second period, but the ‘Dogs (34-29-12-0) couldn’t hold on from there and went on to lose 6-3 to the Lake Erie Monsters (34-29-8-4) on Friday evening at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.
With the loss, the Bulldogs were officially eliminated from playoff contention.
Hudon got the scoring started when he tipped home a point shot from defenceman Mac Bennett for his 19th goal of the season at 13:35 of the first period. Forward Daniel Carr had a second assist. 
The ‘Dogs took a 2-0 lead at 8:20 of the middle frame when Crisp re-directed a rebound with his skate into the net for his second goal of the year. Forward Drayson Bowman had an assist on the play.
Twenty-two seconds later, Lake Erie forward Joey Hishon started a three-goals-in-six-minutes run by the Monsters. Forward Andrew Agozzino followed Hishon and made it 2-2 at 9:02, with assists from forwards Reid Petryk and Ben Street. Then 5:48 later, forward Michael Schumacher gave the Monsters a 3-2 lead with a wrist shot in close, with assists from forwards Troy Bourke and Mitchell Heard.
Lake Erie forward Tomas Vincour scored on the power play with less than eight minutes left in the third period to put the game out of reach, 4-2, with assists from Agozzino and Hishon.
After that, the Monsters got into some penalty trouble, but with ‘Dogs goaltender Mike Condon on the bench for an extra attacker, Street scored two empty-net, shorthanded goals. Street’s first empty netter was scored on a two-on one, when he one-timed a pass from Agozzino at 13:37. Just 1:10 later, Hamilton forward Gabriel Dumont fired his 20th goal of the season to get the game back within two, 5-3, with assists from forward T.J. Hensick and Carr. But Street scored on a clearing attempt from his own end to restore the Monsters’ three-goal lead, 6-3, with 3:51 remaining.
Condon made 30 saves on 34 shots for the Bulldogs in the loss, while Sami Aittokallio (48:17 ice time, 21 shots, 19 saves) and Calvin Pickard (11:43 ice time, 11 shots, 10 saves) combined for 29 saves for the Monsters in the win.
Hamilton was 1-for-5 on the power play, while Lake Erie went 1-for-4 on the man advantage.
Dan Lawrie Insurance Premium Player of the Game (Hardest Working Player): Charles Hudon
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