Bulldogs edge Marlies in Scotland

HAMILTON 1, TORONTO 0
The Hamilton Bulldogs opened its preseason with a 1-0 win over the Toronto Marlies on Thursday at the Murrayfield Ice Rink in Edinburgh, Scotland.

J.T. Wyman’s goal at the midway point of the third period proved to be the game-winner.

Following a scoreless first period, Robert Mayer replaced Hamilton starting goaltender Cedrick Desjardins halfway through the second period. Toronto forward Dale Mitchell nearly got the Marlies on the scoreboard when Eric Werner fed a pass to Mitchell who missed an open net when he shot the puck wide.

Halfway through the third period, J.T. Wyman opened the game’s scoring. A scrum in front of the net followed a save allowing Wyman to grab the loose puck and fire a shot past Toronto goaltender James Reimer to give the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead.

Desjardins and Mayer each made nine saves to split the shutout.

The Marlies begin the four-team Gardiner Cup tournament on Saturday against the Edinburgh Capitals at 8:30 a.m. ET, and the Bulldogs take on the Belfast Giants at 12:30 p.m. ET.

PROVIDENCE 2, LOWELL 1 (SO)
Rookie Jamie Arniel tallied the lone shootout goal for either side as Providence rallied for a 2-1 victory over Lowell on Thursday at Iorio Arena in Walpole, Mass.

Arniel, a fourth-round draft pick by Boston in 2008, beat Devils goaltender Mike McKenna in the opening round of the shootout, and B’s netminder Matt Dalton denied all five of Lowell’s attempts.

The Devils initially took a 1-0 lead when Stephen Gionta registered an unassisted, shorthanded goal at 7:37 of the second period. But Adam Pineault responded with an unassisted tally of his own for Providence at 8:55 of the third, scoring his second goal in as many nights.

McKenna stopped 29 of 30 shots through regulation and overtime prior to his perfect shootout performance, helping the Bruins improve to 2-0-0-0 in preseason action.

TEXAS 2, SAN ANTONIO 1
The Texas Stars opened their inaugural AHL preseason with a 2-1 win over the San Antonio Rampage on Thursday at the Ice Center at Northwoods in San Antonio.

Travis Morin and Greg Rallo netted goals for the Stars, with Rallo’s marker at 1:39 of the third period proving to be the game-winner.

Kenny MacAulay, Brandon Straub, and Justin Bowers each picked up an assist in the victory, and goaltender Richard Bachman stopped 30 of 31 shots in net.

Forward Matt Watkins tallied the Rampage’s lone goal shorthanded at 12:13 of the third frame, with Shawn Weller earning an assist.

The teams combined to go 0-for-12 on the power play, as Texas was scoreless on five chances and San Antonio could not convert on seven opportunities.