16U Prep

16U Midget Minor Prep: In one of the most exciting games in Alliance history, the 16U Prep Bulldogs went to five 10-minute overtimes before beating Boise in the Semi-Finals of the 2007 Rocky Mountain District Championships late Saturday night/early Sunday morning in Frisco.

The game may have taken a little jump out of the their legs early in the Championship game against Arapaho, but the Bulldogs recovered to make the final game just as exciting. After battling back from an early 2-0 deficit to tie it 2-2 at the end of 2 periods, Alliance was staring at another OT game when Arapaho got the game winner late in the 3rd period to capture the championship with a 3-2 win.

16U Tier II Midget Minor: The Alliance 16U Prep team swept through the Texas State Championships undefeated in 4 games and earned the State Title with an exciting and close 3-2 win over the Houston Wild '91 in the Championship Game at the StarCenter in Grapevine on Sunday. The Bulldogs will now advance to the Tier II 2007 Rocky Mountain District Championships in Dallas March 8th-11th.

The Texas State Championships are starting to wind down, with the finals set in 2 of the 4 divisions at the Dr. Pepper StarCenter in Grapevine. The Alliance 16U Prep has gone 3 and 0 to gain the #1 Seed in the 16U bracket, and will face the Houston Wild '91 in the Championship set for 11:30am Sunday. The other final already set is in the 14U bracket, where the Attack '93 will face the Ice Jets '92 for that championship.

In the 18U Division, the Alliance Midget Major AA needs a win over the DJHA Penguins at 9:30am Sunday morning to gain a spot in the championship game, which is scheduled for 4:00pm. The 12U PeeWee Division is still up for grabs as well, with early Sunday games determining those finalists. Winners will advance to the Tier II 2007 Rocky Mountain District Championships in Dallas March 8th-11th. To see the State Championship schedule and results of all games, click HERE...

The pairings for the Tier II Divisions of the Texas State Championships have been posted, with all games being played at the Dr. Pepper StarCenter in Grapevine. The 18U, 16U, and 14U Divisions will start play on Friday, with the 12U PeeWees joining in on the action beginning Saturday.

Alliance has 2 teams participating, in the 16U and 18U age groups. To see the schedule and results of games, click HERE...

The 2007 version of the Dallas Cup was concluded in exciting fashion Sunday, and there are 4 new Champions. In the 16UAAA Division, PF Chang's used the momentum of a 3-2 double overtime win in the Semi-Finals to propel themselves to a 4-1 win in the Championship over the Colorado Thunderbirds. In the 16UAA Division, the Alliance Bulldog Prep team turned the tables on the Palm Beach IceHawks, handing them their only loss of the tournament after losing to them earlier in preliminary play, and won when it counted most in the final, 4-0.

In the 14UAAA Division, the Florida Everblades did the same, taking down the Texas Attack in the final 4-3, after having lost to them on Saturday. In the 12UAAA Division, the Phoenix Firebirds completed their sweep through the tournament, beating the Alliance Bulldogs in the final 4-2, the same score they posted against one another on Saturday as well.

It was a great weekend, and the Alliance Hockey Association congratulates all the participating teams on a well-played tournament, great competition, and camaraderie among all players, parents, and coaches during the tournament. A huge THANK YOU goes out to all the Alliance parents that helped out and extended a hand of Texas hospitality to our out of state visitors, and we look forward to another great Dallas Cup in 2008.

Day 2 of the Alliance Dallas Cup today provides for 28 more games of expected intense and competitive action, carrying forward from the momentum of Friday's contests. Of the 22 games played Friday, there were 4 ties and 14 games with margins of 2 goals or less. All spots in the playoffs are still up for grabs in every division, with Saturday's games looming big.

There are 2 Alliance teams in NTXHL action this weekend, the 18U Midget Major AA and Squirt Prep teams. You can click on the "Weekend Games" tab at the top of our home page, which will take you to a page with a schedule indicating all the Alliance games being played this weekend, with results as they become available.

With 28 teams from 22 different organizations in 4 divisions, the Alliance Dallas Cup is bigger and better than ever in 2007, and play starts to this morning at Valley Ranch and Polar Ice, with 6 total Alliance teams participating. The 18U Prep Bulldogs actually started play Thursday afternoon in the 18UAAA Division, hosted by the Dallas Stars Major Midget AAA at Farmers Branch.

Come out and see some of the best youth hockey in the country this weekend. Game schedules, results, box scores, stats, rosters, and more can be seen by going to our Dallas Cup page HERE....

The Alliance 16U Prep team came into their early morning game against the Swift Current Legionnaires hoping to recover from a couple of tough losses the day before, the last one coming late in a 7-2 loss to the Portland Jr. Hawks. The Bulldogs responded well, and battled toe to toe with the boys from Saskatchewan, right up until Swift Current tallied the game winner with only :03.8 left in Game 4 of the Richmond International Midget Tournament in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Alliance will have to wait until play is completed in their Elite AAA Gold bracket before they will know who they play in their playoff game on Saturday. The Bulldogs still have an opportunity to play as many as 3 more games, should they get on a roll with the momentum they gathered this morning.

The schedule does not get any easier, as the Bulldogs play a late night game Thursday against the Portland Jr. Hawks, followed by an early Friday morning tilt against another top Canadian bunch, the Swift Current Legionnaires.

Alliance – 2, Attack ‘92AAA – 0: The Bulldogs improved their winning streak to 4 games on Sunday, shutting down the Texas Attack '92AAA Bantams 2-0 in exhibition action at Valley Ranch. The Bulldogs were short handed for the game, with six players out of the line-up. The first period was scoreless, with the Attack favoring the shots on goal 9-5, with most of the shots coming on the two Attack power plays.

The second period was end to end hockey, and the Bulldogs found themselves taking 4 of the 5 penalties in the period. The first penalty came with in the first minute of the period, and Alliance got a break when the Attack defense misplayed the puck at the blue line, and the Bulldogs went in on a two on one play with a perfect pass for a tip in to make the score 1-0 in favor of the Bulldogs.

The shots on goal in the second period were 17-13 in favor of the Attack. The Bulldog’s special teams played outstanding in the second period, only allowing the Attack power play to shoot from outside the box. The Bulldogs managed to kill off a 5-3 for a full two minutes, and the second period would end with the Bulldogs leading 1-0.

The third period was all Bulldogs, as they were able to take the momentum away from the Attack and play some great defense. With less than 2 minutes remaining, an Alliance forward was able to break into the Attack zone and split the defensemen, and walk in alone and score on the short side to make the score 2-0.

The Bulldogs out-shot the Attack 12-7 in the final period, and the final shots on goal were 33-30 in favor of the Attack. The Bulldogs had 8 of the 12 penalties, but were able to score a short handled goal in the second period. Great Job Dogs…

Alliance – 5, Welland Tigers - 2: The Alliance Bulldogs 16U Midget Minor Prep team finished their Canadian weekend on a very strong note, as they beat the host Welland Tigers Major AAA in a Friendship Exhibition contest Sunday in Welland, Ontario. The Bulldogs had just finished their competition in the Top Shelf Midget AAA Showcase, and found they were just getting used to the Major AAA competition before they were eliminated from playoff contention. Alliance went 3-2-0 on the trip, and improved their overall season record to 10-3-1.

Alliance – 4, Petrolia OIlers - 3 (SO): The result was the same, but the path was significantly different than earlier in the day, as the Bulldogs come away with another shoot-out win, this time over the Petrolia Oilers Major AAA in Game 4 of the Top Shelf Midget AAA Showcase in Welland, Ontario on Saturday afternoon. The Oilers scored all of their goals within a 3-minute span of the first period, and then spent the rest of the afternoon chasing Bulldogs and trying to hang on.

After trailing 3-0 going into the 2nd period, Alliance drew close at 3-2 with two goals to give themselves a chance in the final frame. The Bulldogs got the tying goal they needed about halfway through the 3rd, but were unable to get the win in regulation. For the second consecutive time, the Alliance goalie shut-down the opponent in the shootout, and the Bulldogs come home from the cold white north with 2 straight wins, running their overall season record to 9-3-1.

Alliance – 3, Mississauga Senators - 2 (SO): The Bulldogs were able to make the adjustments necessary, and came away with nice shoot-out win over the tough Mississauga Senators Major AAA in Game 3 of the Top Shelf Midget AAA Showcase in Welland, Ontario on Saturday. After a scoreless first period, the Bulldogs took their first lead of the tournament with 2 goals within a minute of each other to take a 2-0 lead into the final frame. The Senators were not about to be shut-out by the boys from Texas, and they responded with 2 of their own late in the game, also both less than a minute apart. In the shootout, the first Bulldog shooter scored, and that was all the Alliance net-minder needed, as he stoned each of the 3 Senator shots for the win. More on this game later...

London Jr. Knights - 12, Alliance – 1: Game 2 of the Top Shelf Midget AAA Showcase was quite a bit more daunting, as the Bulldogs faced one of the top Midget AAA teams in Ontario, and the result was not pretty as the London Jr. Knights Major AAA jumped out to a 5-0 lead after one period of play. The pace slowed in the 2nd, with Alliance holding London to 2 tallies, and the Bulldogs ruined the shutout bid with a goal in the final frame.

Welland Tigers - 4, Alliance – 1: The Alliance Bulldogs 16U Midget Minor Prep team faced the host Welland Tigers Major AAA in Game 1 of the Top Shelf Midget AAA Showcase in Welland, Ontario, and found out quickly that they would have to adjust to the older Major AAA competition. The Canadian Major AAA teams are comprised of about half birthyear '89s and the other half '90s, whereas the Bulldogs have four '90s and the rest are '91s. The Bulldogs played tough, and drew to within 1 at 2-1 about halfway through the 3rd period, but the Tigers responded right back with a goal, and then added another late tally for the 4-1 final score. More on this game later...

The Bulldogs will be in Welland, Ontario for a Midget AAA Showcase starting Friday, just in time to get their first taste of cold weather this year, as the forecast calls for highs in the low 40's, with a possible chance of snow flurries Friday night. It appears that scores and standings for the tournament will be posted on their web site. To see it, click on the Top Shelf logo at the top of our home page, or on the logo to the right --->

Florida Jr. Panthers - 5, Alliance – 0: The Alliance Bulldogs 16U Midget Minor Prep team ran into a hot team in the Quarter-Finals of the Silverstick Regional Regional Tournament in Philadelphia on Sunday, and the result was a 5-0 white-washing at the hands of the Florida Jr. Panthers. The Panthers would go on to win in overtime in both the Semi-Finals and the Final to take home the Championship. It was still a good tournament for the Bulldogs, as they return home with a nice 7-1-1 record to start the season.

Alliance – 7, Vineland Patriots – 0: The Alliance Bulldogs 16U Midget Minor Prep is heading to the playoffs in the Silverstick Regional Regional Tournament in Philadelphia, with a convincing 7-0 win over the Vineland Patriots Saturday Afternoon. The Bulldogs needed the win to guarantee a place in Sunday’s playoff game.

The Bulldogs didn’t take long to start the avalanche of goals, as just 50 seconds into the game, the Dogs found themselves on a 2 on 1 break-away that opened the scoring on a perfect pass across to the open side for a 1-0 lead.

Six minutes later, the Dogs lit up the score board again with a pass from the corner to a stretched out Dog who was able to redirect the puck into the net to make it 2-0. One minute later at 3:03 of the first period, a Dog broke free sent a perfect shot soaring to the top corner. 1st Period ended at 3-0 with shots on goal 11-8 of the Dogs.

The Dogs dominated the second period, as they added 3 more goals, including 2 while on the power play. They took a 6-0 lead heading into the third period. The shots on goal were 12-6 for the Bulldogs.

The Bulldog coaches lead by example, and no one demonstrated being tough and gritty more than Coach Mudgett. Teaching the boys how to block pucks, Mudgett took a puck to the forehead, left the game for stitches, and showed up hours later for the team dinner. That’s one tough Dog!!

With Coach Mudgett off to get some repairs, the Bulldogs got back to business and finished the third period adding one more goal. Final score was 7-0 with shots favoring the Bulldogs 30-20.

The Bulldogs will face the Florida Jr. Panthers in the Quarter finals on Sunday at 8:45am.

Alliance - 3, Summit Saints - 3: The Wake-up call came early this morning, as the Bulldogs gathered in Coach Jaz's room at 4:15am preparing for a 6:00am game on the Silverstick Regional Tournament in Philadelphia against the Summit Saints.

The Saints were ready to play, as they took total control of the game early. Hard work and intensity paid off for the Saints at 7:52 of the first period, when a pass come from behind the net and found a wide open player in the slot. The period ended with the Saints up 1-0 and out shooting the Bulldogs 10-4.

In the second period, the Saints continued to put the pressure on the Bulldogs, and the frustration started to show, as the Bulldogs took 8 straight penalties in the second period. With the Bulldogs two men short, the Saints passed the puck back to the Defense who fired a shot from the blue line, and found a stick to deflect the puck into the top corner. At 6:18 in the second period the Dogs found themselves down 2-0 and facing the first loss of the season.

As the period started winding down, the Bulldogs began to pick up the pace. The Dogs began putting pressure on the Saints in their own end, and at 1:28 the Bulldogs took a lose puck in front of the net and poked it in for their first goal of the game. The period would end with the Dogs down 2-1 and the Saints out shooting the Bulldogs 8-4.

At 7:35 in the third period, the Bulldogs missed a clearing opportunity, and the Saints capitalized on the miss-clearing pass and increased their lead to 3-1. With less than 3 minutes remaining in the game, the “Wake Up Call” came thru for the Bulldogs! The Bulldogs broke off their leash to take over the game. Their newly awoken intensity paid off, as they found the top corner and cut the lead to 3-2.

At 1 minute with both teams playing 4 on 4, the Bulldogs took a timeout to regroup. The timeout paid-off, as the Bulldogs won a battle behind the net and walked in front to find the top corner and tie the game at 3-3. The Bulldogs were unable to close the game as the siren sounded, but were happy with a tie after their shaky start. The Bulldogs and Saints finished the game 3-3.

The Bulldogs are 1-0-1 and will face the Vineland Patriots at 3:30pm this afternoon.

Friday, September 8, 2006

Bulldogs Take Silver Stick Opener in a Shutout...

Alliance - 5, Hershey Jr. Bears – 0: The Bulldogs 16U Midget Minor Prep team opened the Silverstick Regional Tournament in Philadelphia today against the Hershey Jr. Bears. The game started out with both teams playing cautiously in the first period, and the period ending scoreless. The Bulldogs out shot the Bears 5-3. In the second period, the Bulldogs decided it was time to “play”, as they turned up the heat and took control of the game.

The Dogs opened the scoring 3 minutes into the second period with some hard work in front of the net, and a loose puck found the open corner for a 1-0 lead. A quick second goal came after the face off at center; the Bulldogs came across the blue line and fired a bullet to the top corner of the net. The goals were 14 seconds apart and the Bulldogs found themselves up 2-0 early in the second period.

At the 4:00 minute mark, the Bulldogs got their first power play opportunity. Capitalizing on the man advantage, they scored 30 seconds into the power play with a great pass from the corner to a wide open Dog in front of the net. The period ended 3-0 with shots on goal favoring the Bulldogs 8-3.

The Bulldogs controlled the third period, adding 2 more power play goals on seven shots, and allowed the Bears only 1 shot on net. The Bulldogs out shot the Bears 20-7. The next game is Saturday morning at 6:15 AM as the Bulldogs meet the Summit Saints...

The Saints also won their first game, 6-2 against the Vineland Patriots. The Bulldogs will face the Patriots on Saturday afternoon to close out the round robin competition.

Thursday, September 7, 2006

16U Preps Win Silver Stick Tune-up...

Alliance – 5, West Chester Quakers - 3: The Alliance Bulldog 16U Midget Minor Prep team is in Philadelphia this weekend to compete in the Silverstick Regional. The Dogs kicked off the weekend with an exhibition match Thursday night against the West Chester Quakers. It was an entertaining game to watch as the game showcased two very fast teams. The Bulldogs opened scoring with an even strength goal to take a 1-0 lead at 10:16 of the first period.

The lead was short-lived, as the Quakers came back and tied the score at 1-1 one minute later at 9:02. Both teams had numerous scoring opportunities, and the Quakers capitalized when the Bulldogs ran into trouble clearing their zone. The Quakers took a 2-1 lead at 4:03 of the first period. At the two minute mark, the Quakers were called for elbowing, and the Bulldogs took the man advantage and scored with 32 seconds remaining in the period to make it 2-2. Shots on goal at the end of the first favored the Bulldogs 10-8.

The Bulldogs dominated the second period, and out-shot the Quakers 12-5, and added another goal at 4:42 to take the lead again at 3-2 going into the final frame. The Quakers came out strong and physical, but the Bulldogs resisted temptation to retaliate and lose their focus. At 11:47 remaining, the Dogs took a two goal lead with a great play in front of the Quakers net. The Quakers came back at 9:10 with a goal of their own to bring the game a little closer with a 4-3 score favoring the Bulldogs.

That was as close as the Quakers could come, the Bulldogs secured their fifth win of the season with an empty net goal with five seconds remaining. Shots on goal favored Quaker in the third period 12-7. Overall shots on goal were 29-25 in favor of the Bulldogs.

The Bulldogs open with their first Silver Stick Tournament game on Friday against the Hershey Jr. Bears. Game time is noon (EST).

Monday, September 4, 2006

Bulldogs Win Texas Shootout Championship!!!

Alliance – 2, Houston Wild '90AA - 0: The Alliance Bulldogs Midget Minor Prep team advanced today to the 3rd Annual Texas Shootout Labor Day Tournament Championship against the Houston Wild '90 AA team. The Bulldogs defeated the Houston Wild ' 91 team on Friday night, and were hoping to do the same to the Wild's '90 team.

Both the Bulldogs and the Wild 90's made it to the Championship showdown undefeated, and both were equally determined to extend their winning streak to four games and take home the Championship Trophy.

The game opened with both teams ready to play, skating hard and controlling the puck well. The players for both teams had their chances on several breakaways, but the Goaltenders on either side shut the door early. The first penalty in the game came with 9:00 remaining in the first period. The Bulldogs controlled the power play, but were only able to register 1 shot on net during the man advantage.

Minutes later with 6:00 remaining, the Bulldogs were called for tripping and the Wild were given their first power play opportunity. The Bulldogs were tenacious and displayed penalty killing, allowing the Wild only 2 shots on net and creating a couple of shorthanded breakaway opportunities. Seven seconds after the Bulldogs killed the penalty, they were slapped with a second one, putting the Wild on the power play advantage one more time.

This time the Wild was able to control the puck in the Bulldog zone, but were getting a little frustrated as the Bulldogs kept them to the outside. The Bulldogs would come out of that shorthanded situation allowing only 4 shots on net. The period would end scoreless, and shots on goal favored the Wild 12-8.

In the second period, both teams came out hitting hard and more intense. The period was very fast paced, with both teams using the entire surface to create scoring opportunities. Like the first period, both goalies stood up to the challenge. The second period would end scoreless, with one penalty called against the Wild, and the shots on goal 13 - 7 for the Wild.

The third period opened with both teams coming out hard trying to get that first goal. Both teams had numerous opportunities, but could not get the puck across the goal line. Early in the third, the Bulldogs found themselves facing back to back shorthanded situations. Not to be discouraged, they showed how they were able to register 6 short-handed goals throughout the tournament. The Dogs attacked the Wild every chance they had, and were rewarded with 3 shorthanded breakaways.

With 6:00 remaining in regulation time, the Wild took a high-sticking penalty in their zone. The Bulldogs controlled the puck from the face- off, and kept hammering at the net trying to find a deflection. At 5:20, the puck came back to a Bulldog defenseman who shot the puck towards the goal.

A rebound bounced back and was picked up by a Bulldog standing beside the net, who then managed to squeeze the puck past the Wild goaltender on the short side. The Bulldogs took a 1-0 lead with 5:00 remaining in the game. After the puck dropped at center ice, the Wild took full control of the play for the next 3 minutes, but could not break through the Bulldog defense.

With 2:00 minutes remaining and a face-off deep in the Wild zone, the Bulldogs won the face-off back to their defense who floated the puck over the glove of the Wild goalie and into the net to make the score 2-0. The Wild controlled play in the Bulldog zone for the last two minutes, but the Dogs maintained their lead and skated away with the Texas Shootout Championship.

The shots on goal in the third period were 14-13. Total shots on goal favored with Wild 39-28. Congratulations Bulldogs..... best of luck next weekend at the Silversticks Tournament in Philadelphia!

Sunday, September 3, 2006

Bulldogs Go to 3 and 0, Headed to Final...

Alliance – 3, Texas Aces AA - 2: The Alliance Bulldogs Midget Minor Prep played their final round robin game late Saturday night against the Texas Aces AA in the Texas Shootout Labor Day Tournament. The stakes were high, as the winner would move on to the Championship game against the Houston Wild '90's team, and the loser would drop down to the third place consolation round.

The first period saw play going back and forth between the two teams, until an excellent backcheck by the Bulldogs moved the puck into the corner of the Aces zone. A quick pass to the front of the net found a Bulldog ready to drive the puck into the top shelf, and the Dogs moved forward to make the score 1-0 at the 12:54 mark. The Aces quickly evened things up, as they capitalized on a Bulldog turnover in front of the net, scoring at 11:57 of the first period to make the score 1-1.

The Bulldogs took control of the puck and after several failed attempts, were able to secure their 2nd goal with 4:49 remaining as a Bulldog defenseman shot the puck into the top corner after a successful pass from the face off circle. Minutes later a Bulldog forward controlled the puck as he came out of the corner, and took a hard shot to the far side at 2:52 to make the score 3-1. First period ended at 3-1, with shots favoring the Bulldogs 13-5. Penalties were even at two for each team.

The Bulldogs opened the second period with two penalties, 15 seconds apart and put the Aces on a two-man advantage. Fifty eight seconds later, the Aces scored a power-play goal with a quick shot from the slot to make it 3-2 at the 13 minute mark. The game would remain at 3-2, with shots on goal in favor of the Bulldogs 28-24. The win gave the Bulldogs a berth into the Championship game on Sunday at 9:45 AM at Dr Pepper Star Center Plano.

Alliance Gets 2nd Win...

Alliance – 7, Houston Aeros - 2: The Alliance Bulldogs faced off against the Houston Aeros A1 on Saturday afternoon for their 2nd game at the 3rd Annual Texas Shootout Labor Day Tournament. The first period was all Bulldogs, showing their speed and teamwork. Most of the first period was played in the Aeros end, it wasn't until 7:38 of the first period when the Bulldogs worked their way out of the corner with some great teamwork to get a pass in the slot for the first goal to make it 1-0.

After the face off at center, the Bulldogs dumped the puck into the Aeros' zone and kept cycling the puck around the perimeter. The Aeros a had an excellent opportunity to move the puck, but a great defensive play at the blue line allowed the Bulldogs to create a turnover and skate in to take a 2-0 lead.

The Bulldogs dominated the period until an icing call with 4:12 remaining in the second period. The Aeros won the face off clean, and took a shot to make the score 2-1. With 1:38 remaining in the period the Bulldogs were called for an elbowing penalty. Even though the Bulldogs were shorthanded, they were able to control the puck in the Aeros zone.

The Aeros finally managed to get the puck into the Bulldogs zone, and with less than 10 seconds remaining in the first period, the Aeros passed the puck the out of the corner to a wide open player in front of the Bulldog net, and the Aeros took a one timer to tie the score at 2-2 with a power play goal. The first period would end with both teams tied at two, and shots on goal 8-7 in favor of the Bulldogs.

The late goal in the first period seemed to push the Bulldogs to the next level of play. They came out hitting and skating hard. Thirty seconds into the second period with the puck in the neutral zone, a Bulldog defenseman set up one of the best goals of the tournament. The Defenseman passed to a forward moving across the blue line who crossed into the Aeros zone, and passed the puck to the front of the net. The Bulldog forward was wide open and scored to make it 3-2 for the Bulldogs...WOW.

The Bulldogs took a couple penalties at 11:23 for tripping, and then again at 10:45. With the Bulldogs down by two men, the Aeros got sloppy coming out of their zone. The Bulldog defense pinched, and was able to poke the puck forward. A Bulldog streaking forward took a shot over the Aeros goalie for a shorthanded goal at 9:43 of the second period, to put the Bulldogs up 4-2.

The rest of the period the Bulldogs had numerous opportunities to break the game wide open, but settled for a 2 goal lead heading into the third. Shots on goal in the second period were 12-9 in favor of the Bulldogs.

The third period opened the same as the second, with the Bulldogs scoring in the first minute of play. The Aeros were called for an interference penalty 30 seconds into the third period, and the puck was dropped in the Aeros zone. The Bulldogs won the face-off with a pass back to the defenseman. He passed it over to his defense partner, who was able to walk right in on the goal and score on the power play to make it 5-2. The Bulldogs would add 2 more goals at 7:37 and 7:01 remaining in the third period to make the final score 7-2. The shots on goal in the third period 10-6 for the Bulldogs. The total shots for the game were 30-22 in favor of the Bulldogs.

The Bulldogs play their third game Saturday night at 9:45PM at the Plano Star Center.

Saturday, September 2, 2006

Bulldogs Calm the Wild in Season Opener...

Alliance – 4, Houston Wild AAA - 2: The Bulldogs start the season with a win over the Houston Wild AAA at the 3rd Annual Stars Select Texas Shootout Labor Day Tournament in Plano, Texas Saturday night. The game started out fast paced, end-to-end and scoreless, until just under the 5 minute minute mark. The Bulldogs were shorthanded as the Wild opened the scoring with a power play goal, taking a 1-0 lead. A minute later, the Bulldogs came back to even things up with a quick goal to tie the game 1-1. With 2 minutes left in the first period, the Bulldogs were called for their third penalty of the period. Houston started the power play moving the puck very well in the Bulldogs end. Capitalizing on a missed play on the blue line by the Houston defense, the Bulldogs forced the turnover and used their speed to score a shorthanded goal, taking a 2-1 lead into the second period. The Bulldogs were out shot 8-7 in the first period.

The second period started off the same as the first, with some great opportunities from both teams. With 10:00 minutes left in the second period, the Bulldogs ran into some trouble clearing the puck, and Houston moved in to score the equalizer at 2-2. Thirty seconds later the Bulldogs were called for holding, opening an opportunity for the Wild, as the face-off was deep in the Bulldogs end. The Bulldogs won the face off, cleared the puck, and forced Houston to re-group in their own end. As the Wild tried to break out of their zone, the Bulldogs again forced a turnover on the Wild blueline, and went in to score their first short-handed goal of the season at 8:54 of the second period. Although the Bulldogs were outshoot 10-8 in the second period they maintained a 3-2 lead.

The third period was a fast paced and penalty filled, with both teams having a number of 5 on 3 opportunities. With under 1 minute left in the third period, the Bulldogs were again called for holding. After a Houston timeout and the face off deep in the Bulldogs end, the Wild pulled their Goaltender for an extra attacker. After some great scoring chances for the Wild, the Bulldogs used their speed to cause another Wild turnover on the blueline, and scored an empty end shorthanded goal with 15 seconds remaining. The game would end 4-2, with the shots on goal favoring the Houston Wild 25-23. The Bulldogs had three shorthanded goals in the game.

The Bulldogs face Houston Aeros A1, Sunday at 1:00 PM at Dr. Pepper Star Center Plano

Sunday, August 13, 2006

U16 Prep Roster & Preliminary Schedule Released...

The Alliance U16 Minor Midget Prep Roster and Preliminary Schedule for the 2006-2007 season was released today, and the remainder of the schedule up until December will be released following the NTXHL scheduling meeting, scheduled for later this month.