Imagine growing up in the same neighborhood as a Yankees fan. Yankees this, Yankees that. After a while you get really sick of the Yankees.

In Toronto, The Toronto Bulldogs have become the Yankees of Summer Squirt/Atom hockey. The last three Summers, the Bulldogs have won the Brick. Toronto Pro Hockey has done well, but has been a bridesmaid more than a bride.

No better script could have been written for this year's Toronto Pro team. They won their Division going 4-0-2, losing twice in Overtime. They won two clutch games on Friday (Chicago and CT) and then turned around and Junior Bruins Saturday to gain the finals. And guess who was their to greet them? Yes, you guessed it, the hated Toronto Bulldogs. Okay, we don't know for sure if their is actual hate. In fact, it seemed like many of the players knew each other and the atmosphere was somewhat friendly prior to face off.

But once the puck dropped, it was on like Donkey Kong. 

In the first period, Mick Thompson the scoring started for Pro Hockey on a pass from Matthew Jovanovic. At the end of the first period Bulldogs Forward Kocha Delic ran into Toronto Goalie Dominic Divincentis and was called for a five minute major and ten minute misconduct. This coupled with a minor by Isaiah George early in the second put Toronto Pro on the PP for a long time. The three time defending champs battled and were able to kill off both pealties. Later in the second, a period that the Bulldogs seemed to carry finally got on the board when Charlie Gollob made a great move to the net and Divincentis made a great save, but Rutger Mcgroarty picked up the loose puck and wrapped it around the back of the net for the equalizer. The score was tied 1-1 after two periods.

The third period was dead even, both teams had their chances and for much of the first half of the period, you got the sense that this game was headed to overtime. Neither team seemed to be getting many great chances. Until one series about six minutes into the third...Jovanovic and Thompson won a few puck battles to frustrate the Dawgs. On one such battle the puck squirted out to the point and Defenseman Ty Nelson walked it in a couple steps and beat Toronto Goalie Rowan Kimens with a high wrist shot to give the Pros a 2-1 lead.

Late in the game down by a goal was familiar territory for the Bulldogs, they had been there twice already and come back and won in the Tournament (Boston with :18 left and Montreal with 2:00 left). This writer could only assume it would happen again. But it didn't, the Yankees...oops....I mean the Bulldogs could not pull out any late game heroics and Toronto Pro Hockey won 2-1. The fifth straight year a Toronto team has won the Brick.