Thursday, March 31, 2005   Update on National Championships...

 

Bantam AAA: Alliance - 5, Long Island - 8:  The Bulldogs fell behind early, and trailed 3-1 at the end of the 1st period, then 6-2 after 2 periods and could never get within striking range of the Royals in Game 2 of the USA Hockey National Championships in Bensenville, Illinois.   The New York State Champions scored in the first minute of the game on a power play, got an even strength tally just a minute and a half later, then added a shorthanded goal for a 3-0 lead before the Dogs could get on the scoreboard.  

 

The Bulldogs made it a 1-goal game at 3-2 briefly just over 4 minutes into the 2nd period on a power play goal, but the Royals would respond with 3 unanswered goals themselves to make it 6-2 before the penalty-filled frame was over.  Both teams were trading roughing penalties as if they were baseball cards, and there was a total of 13 penalties in the 2nd period alone.

 

The 3rd period settled down quite a bit, but the Bulldogs could not make up any ground, as they traded the Royals goal for goal until Alliance got the last tally with just over 3 minutes remaining to make it 8-5.  The Bulldogs fall to 0-2 for the tournament, and play their final pool game Friday against the New Jersey Rockets, who are 2-0 after their 7-3 win over the Nashua Panthers.

 

 

 

Sunday, February 27, 2005

 

Bantam AAA -  Eaglebrook 6, Alliance 1:  In a rematch of their final preliminary game, the Bulldogs once again found themselves facing the bigger and older  Eaglebrook Varsity in the Semi-Finals of the Eaglebrook Varsity Hockey Tournament in Deerfield, Massachusetts Sunday morning.  The outcome was a little worse this time, as the Bulldogs were not playing as well as they have recently, and it certainly would not do against a good team.  The trip was a good one, though, as Alliance faced top AAA competition in preparation for the Tier I U14 Rocky Mountain District Championships in Colorado Springs March 9-13. 

 

Saturday, February 26, 2005

 

Bantam AAA -  Eaglebrook 2, Alliance 1:  Alliance played it close, but couldn't match the older and bigger  Eaglebrook Varsity in Game 4 of the Eaglebrook Varsity Hockey Tournament in Deerfield, Massachusetts Saturday morning.  The Bulldogs were playing a team that is composed of almost all 89s, with 4 or 5 90s tossed in, and kept it close with good goaltending and tight defense.  Despite their first loss of the tournament, the Bulldogs will more than likely be playing in the Semi-Finals on Sunday morning.   Their schedule and opponent will not be determined until late Saturday, as there is a full complement of games yet to be played.

 

Friday, February 25, 2005

 

Bantam AAA -  Alliance 6, Long Island 1:  Alliance went to work on the power play in this one, as the Gulls were intent on taking penalties in Game 3 of the Eaglebrook Varsity Hockey Tournament in Deerfield, Massachusetts Friday morning.  The Bulldogs refused to fall into the trap of that style of play, and made the Gulls pay by converting on the man advantages to take the win and go to 3 and 0 in the tournament.  The Bulldogs will now face the Hosts, Eaglebrook Varsity, which carries some 89s on their roster due to the fact that Eaglebrook is a boarding school for boys in grades 6th though 9th.

 

Thursday, February 24, 2005

 

Bantam AAA -  Alliance 1, Top Gun 0:  The Bulldogs got more good goaltending and rode their 1st period goal and 1-0 lead all the way to the end of Game 2 of the Eaglebrook Varsity Hockey Tournament in Deerfield, Massachusetts late Thursday night.  Top Gun, a feisty team from the Boston area that plays in the Eastern Hockey Federation, gave the Alliance team fits, but the tired Bulldogs battled through it to get the shutout that eluded them in Game 1, and go to 2 and 0 in the tournament.

 

Bantam AAA -  Alliance 3, Connecticut 1:  The Bulldogs got good goaltending and capitalized on their chances and came away with the win over the Lazers in Game 1 of the Annual Eaglebrook Varsity Hockey Tournament in Deerfield, Massachusetts Thursday morning.  Alliance lost their chance at the shutout when the Lazers got one past the Bulldog netminder with only 28 seconds left in the game.

 

Saturday, January 29, 2005

 

Bantam AAA -  Alliance 4, Phoenix Firebirds 1:  The nightcap of this rare double-header was a little more competitive, but in the end, the Bulldogs prevailed again.   The goal scoring was a little more spread out, as Alliance scored 1 goal in each of the first 2 periods, and then again in the 3rd for a 3-0 lead until the final minute of play.  With only 30 seconds remaining, Phoenix avoided a shutout with their only goal, but the Bulldogs responded with only 7 seconds remaining to make it a 3-goal margin again to end it.  The Firebirds mustered a few more shots this time, getting 17 to the Bulldogs 35.  Alliance will play the Valley of the Sun (VOSHA) Mustangs of Arizona in a 2-game set on Sunday before returning home to Dallas.

 

Bantam AAA -  Alliance 7, Phoenix Firebirds 1:  The game started slow and after a scoreless 1st period, it looked like it might be a tight one, but the Bulldogs broke it open in the 2nd frame with 4 goals and cruised to an easy win in this Friendship Series at the Aerodrome in Sugarland near Houston.  Alliance dominated the shots on goal as well, getting 27 of their 36 total shots in the final 2 periods, while holding the Firebirds to only 9 shots the entire game.

 

Monday, January 17, 2005

 

Texas Star Winter Classic Tournament Champions!

 

Bantam AAA -  Alliance 7, Belgorod MMinor AA 3:  The Bulldogs handed the boys from near Russia their first loss of the tournament and captured the Midget Minor Red Championship of the Texas Star Winter Classic Tournament in Plano on Monday morning.  The Bulldogs spotted Team Belgorod a 3-0 lead, and then in the 2nd period showed them a Texas Tornado, as they scored 5 unanswered goals to pull away for the title.

 

It appeared early on that the visitors to the U.S. would be rude to their hosts by ruining the Bulldogs' Championship hopes, as they scored early and late in the 1st period to take a 2-0 lead into the 2nd frame.  After adding a 3rd goal early in the 2nd to make it 3-0, the tide turned like the wind in Texas.  The Bulldogs got on the board first with a shorthanded tally less than 2 minutes after falling behind 3-0.  The score remained 3-1 for just under 4 minutes when the full force of the Alliance storm would hit.

 

With just over 4 minutes remaining in the 2nd period and trailing 3-1, the Bulldogs pulled to within 1 with a power play goal, making it 3-2 Belgorod.  Then, just under 2 minutes later, they would put the pedal to the metal with 3 more goals in just 48 seconds to make it 5-3 before the boys from Belgorod knew what hit them. 

 

The Bulldogs would take the 5-3 lead into the 3rd period and hold it until with only 2:16 remaining, they would add their 6th goal that would pretty much clinch it.  Team Belgorod never quit, though, and with the goalie on the bench for another attacker, Alliance added an empty-netter with 31 seconds left to make the final score 7-3, a game closer than the score would indicate.

 

Sunday, January 16, 2005

 

Bantam AAA -  Alliance 6, Boulder MMinor AA 2:  The Bulldogs jumped up early in this one, taking a 3-0 lead in the 1st period and never looking back as they earned a spot in the Midget Minor AA Championship Game of the Texas Star Winter Classic Tournament.  The Bulldogs are 3-0 for the tourney, and will face Team Belgorod, also undefeated at 3-0 as well, in the finals at 8:30 am in Plano.

 

Alliance added 2 more goals in the 2nd period, one on the power play, and topped of the day with a short-hander in the 3rd period to end the scoring.  It was actually a low shot game, with the Bulldogs winning that battle also at 16 to 12.

 

Saturday, January 15, 2005

 

Bantam AAA -  Alliance 4, N. Colorado MMinor AA 0:  The Bulldogs proved the morning game was no fluke, as they won their 2nd straight game in the Midget Minor Division, this time by way of a shutout.  

 

With the 1st period winding its way down to what appeared to be a scoreless period, the Bulldogs would not let it end with out the lead, and scored the eventual game winner with less than 2 minutes remaining in the frame.  They would add another goal at about the halfway mark of the 2nd period, and then seal the game with 2 power play goals less than a minute apart in the 3rd.  The shot battle was closer than the score might indicate, with Alliance winning that one as well 24-19.

 

Bantam AAA -  Alliance 6, Littleton MMinor AA 2:  Playing up an age level is supposed to be tough, but the Bulldogs appeared to be ready for the challenge and then some.  Facing a Midget Minor AA team with some players as much as 3 years older, Alliance jumped on the Hawks early and never let up in this 1^st Round victory in the Texas Star Winter Classic Tournament in Plano. 

 

The Bulldogs wasted no time and took the lead early and played consistently throughout, and basically never letting Littleton think they had a chance.  Alliance used good puck movement on the power play, and converted in the 2nd for a 3-0 lead.  Littleton responded with a man advantage goal of their own at the beginning of the 3rd period, as a loose puck somehow found trickled across the goaline during a scramble in front of the Bulldog net to make it 3-1 Alliance.  If the Hawks were thinking they had a chance, the Bulldogs were not, and answered with 3 unanswered and quick goals for a 6-1 lead.  A late goal by Littleton with 1:23 left made it a 6-2 final.  Alliance won the shot battle 21 to 16.

 

 

Thursday, December 30, 2004

 

Bantam AAA - Ridge Meadows 8, Alliance 3: The Alliance Bulldogs dropped this one to Ridge Meadows and bowed out in the Quarter-Finals of the 42nd Annual Bantam AAA Christmas Tournament on Thursday in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada.  Ridge Meadows came out strong early, and after scoring on 3 of their first 4 shots and taking a commanding early lead, it was all uphill for the Bulldogs from that point on.

 

Alliance played well during the tournament against some very tough Western Canadian teams.  The Bulldogs come home with a respectable 3-2 record on the trip, while the only other USA team in the tournament limps home at 0-3-1 for their trouble.  The competition will ready the Bulldogs for Regional play in March.

 

Next up for the Bantam AAA is the Texas Star Winter Classic over the MLK Holiday weekend January 18th-21st.  It will be nice to see the Bulldogs in a tournament at home for once.

 

Wednesday, December 29, 2004

 

Bantam AAA - Alliance 3, Chilliwack 2 (2OT): The Alliance Bulldogs pulled out another win in dramatic fashion on Wednesday, as they went to 2 overtimes and a shootout to edge the Chilliwack Coyotes in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada for their 3rd win in a row in the 42nd Annual Bantam AAA Christmas Tournament. 

 

It was a very tight game throughout, and at the end of regulation play and overtime it was still tied 2-2.  That was when it was time for dramatics under pressure, as the good 'ole shootout reared it's ugly head (or pretty, depending on the outcome).  Chad Hudson scored the Bulldog's goal in the first shootout as the first shooter, but the Coyotes countered with a goal of their own to keep it tied.  At this point, it went to a sudden death shootout, and after the first shooters missed, Bulldog Tyler Potts scored for Alliance.  It was then that Bulldog Goaltender Marcus Calvanico responded by stopping the next Chilliwack shooter for the win.

 

The Bulldogs now advance to the Quarter-Finals on Thursday, facing Ridge Meadows of Maple Ridge, British Columbia at 10:30 am PST.

 

Tuesday, December 28, 2004

 

Bantam AAA - Alliance 3, Burnaby Winter Club 1:  The Alliance Bantam AAA defeated the host team Burnaby Winter Club in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada for their 2nd win in the 3rd round of the 42nd Annual Bantam AAA Christmas Tournament.  The Bulldogs have now won 2 in a row, and will have a playoff game on Wednesday, possibly at 11:30 am PST.

 

Bantam AAA - Alliance 8, Coquitlam 5:  The Alliance Bantam AAA defeated the Pirates of Port Coquitlam in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada for their first win in the second round of the 42nd Annual Bantam AAA Christmas Tournament.  The Bulldogs found themselves trailing by a score of 3-0 early in the game, but kept fighting back to even the score and eventually overtake the Pirates in a high scoring and exciting match.

 

Monday, December 27, 2004

 

Bantam AAA - Abbotsford 4, Alliance 2:  The Alliance Bantam AAA suffered on the penalty kill, as they allowed 3 power play goals in route to an opening round loss in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada in the 42nd Annual Bantam AAA Christmas Tournament. 

 

Alliance got great goaltending, but did not capitalize on their own scoring chances in front of the Abbotsford net.  The Bulldogs come back with two games on Tuesday, the first against Coquitlam at 1:15 pm PST and Burnaby Winter Club at 8:30 pm PST.

 

Wednesday, December 22, 2004

 

Bantam AAA - Alliance 6, Jesuit 6:  The Alliance Bantam AAA scored on the first shift and built a large lead, but not only did they fail to hold on for a win, they had to come from behind themselves to salvage a tie against a mix of Jesuit Rangers and some quality pickup players in an exciting match at Valley Ranch on Wednesday night. 

 

The Bulldogs would eventually extend their lead to 5-2, but that was when Jesuit stepped it up and raced back with 4 unanswered goals themselves to take the lead at 6-5.  Jesuit was missing a couple of their top players, but substituted nicely with a couple of AAA midget players to make it interesting.  It appeared the Bulldogs would suffer a come-from-ahead loss, but late in the 3rd period, they got their chance with a breakaway and converted to knot the score at 6-6 for the final score.

 

The Bulldogs will face the Texas Aces Midget Minor in Frisco on Thursday night, and then head to Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada for the 42nd Annual Bantam AAA Christmas Tournament.

 

Sunday, December 19, 2004

 

Bantam AAA - Alliance 2, DJHA MMinor AA 2:  The Alliance Bantam AAA started strong and controlled the 1st period of the game completely, holding the Penguins to only 1 shot on goal in the first frame.  But the Bulldogs were not able to carry the 1-0 lead and momentum to a win, and had to settle for the sister kissin' at Valley Ranch in a penalty filled match.    Alliance struck early on the man advantage, as a low hard shot from the point was nicely deflected past the Penguin netminder.

 

DJHA was playing with a short bench (8 skaters) due to the Christmas holidays and no school, and it did not help the situation with them taking multiple penalties in the 1st period.  The Bulldogs were unable to capitalize, though, and settled for the 1-0 lead at the end of the first.  The 2nd period was more of the same with Alliance still carrying the play for the most part, but the Penguin goalie was up to the task and kept it a 1-goal game going into the 3rd.

 

The Bulldogs were able to temporarily extend their lead to 2-0 early, but that was when misfortune struck.  DJHA got on the board when a misplayed puck found it's way into the Bulldog net.  Just minutes later, the game was tied when a Penguin got behind the Bulldog defense for a break-away goal.  With players taking each other to the penalty bin on a regular basis, the game ended with DJHA on the power play as time expired.

 

The Bulldogs will be back in action with 2 more games this week before Christmas, facing Jesuit on Wednesday and the Texas Ace Midget Minor on Thursday.  Just 3 days off for Christmas, and then it's off to Burnaby, British Columbia for the 42nd Annual Bantam AAA Christmas Tournament.

 

Saturday, December 11, 2004

 

The Bantam AAA team's exhibition game against Plano East, scheduled for today, was canceled.   They will be back in action next Sunday as they go up against the DJHA Midget Minor AA Penguins.

Friday, December 10, 2004

 

The Bantam AAA team will face off against another high school foe, this time the Plano East Panthers will provide the test on Saturday at Valley Ranch at 9:30 am.  The Bulldogs bring an impressive 16-6-3 season record into the contest, with most games being against some of the best Tier I AAA competition in North America, as well as some tough high school squads here in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

Saturday, December 4, 2004

 

Bantam AAA - Alliance 7, Wild 3: The Bantam AAA Bulldogs faced the Houston Wild for the fourth time on Saturday night and beat them 7-3 improving the record against the Wild to 3-0-1. Next Bulldogs game is Saturday December 11 against Plano East.