Scott Radley: Bulldogs have to win on Monday or it’s goodbye Hamilton, hello Brantford

Someone might want to cue up that maudlin Sarah McLachlan song that always plays over those painful commercials of sad-looking dogs.

In the arms of the angel, fly away from here ...

Because right now, the Hamilton Bulldogs are hockey's version of those TV pups. After coming out on the wrong side of a 4-1 decision to Barrie on Thursday, they're just one more loss away from not being here anymore. In this series or this city.

The defending champs have reached the point of no more margin for error. That said, there's still hope.

After two games in Barrie they'd rather forget to start the series - a 10-2 loss and a 6-3 loss that was more lopsided than the score suggests - they were really solid in Game 5. This was not a team that was rolled for a third time on the road.

They scored first and despite falling behind 2-1 in the first period on a pair of power-play goals, had chances to pull even. Meanwhile, they held strong on defence to keep the score within one. It was only two empty-net goals that finally put it away. This one truly could've gone either way.

About those two empty-netters, though.

One was scored by Brandt Clarke. He of the 14 points already in this series despite missing half of one game for a game misconduct and another game with a suspension.

Bear with us if this is getting repetitive but the Colts are an entirely different team with him in the lineup. When he's dressed, they're organized and dangerous. When he's out, they're often not any of that.

He had two assists in addition to the late goal. Hamilton clearly still hasn't figured out how to stop him. They'll have to now or they're in big, big trouble.

The other empty-netter? It was scored by Anson Thornton. As in, Barrie's goalie.

This is the kind of moment that can lead to one of two responses. The Colts are either going to be feeling they've thrust a dagger into the Bulldogs' psyche and are now riding a wave of unstoppable confidence or Hamilton's guys are going to be motivated by being shown up and they'll be even tougher to put away.

We'll find out Monday night at 7 p.m. at FirstOntario Centre.

The narrative is now simple. Win that one and then win again in Barrie the next night or this thing is done. And by this thing, we mean the series and the Bulldogs' stay in Hamilton.

As you surely know, the minute they're eliminated - if that happens - they begin packing their bags for a three-year stay in Brantford while FirstOntario Centre is being renovated. Though some suspect it might be longer than that.

It's unfortunate that the storyline is so loaded right now. This isn't just about prolonging a season but prolonging an era. Yet it is what it is, as the kids say.

The way they've played the past three games, coming back and claiming this series is hardly impossible. The black and gold have showed up and played well the past three games. But there's no question, it's a tall order. Especially with the seemingly unstoppable Clarke back.

So tall that we might need to start cue up a second Sarah McLachlan song. Just in case.

I will remember you. Will you remember me ...

Scott Radley is a Hamilton-based columnist at The Spectator. Reach him via email: sradley@thespec.com