18U Major Midget AA News 2006-2007

                                                                 Thursday, August 30, 2007                                                                                        

Alliance Honors our 2007 Seniors...

As most colleges have begun classes, the Alliance Youth Hockey Association would like to belatedly congratulate our 2007 graduating high school seniors who have moved on to the next stage of their lives.  They played on either of our 18U AA or 18U Prep teams, and graduate in style, with the 18UAA capturing the NTXHL Championship, and the 18U Preps winning the RMD Championships and advancing to the USA Hockey National Championship Quarter-Finals.

Here is the Alliance 18U AA 2007 Senior Class.... 

18UAA, Kneeling (left to right): Logan McCleod, Patrick Roche,

Standing (l-r): Seth Longbottom, Adam Glashauser, Travis Black,

Sean McCann, David Hansen, Brennan Morrow, Adam Spiegel,

 Nick Whittelsey, Graylyn Douglas, and Clair Gannon

Not Pictured - Tim Martin     

                                                                        Saturday, March 31, 2007                                                                                    

18U AA Wins NTXHL Championship!!!

Midget Major AA Champions - Alliance Bulldogs

Alliance Defends Title, Sweeps for the Championship...

18U Midget Major AA: Alliance – 3, OK City - 1:   On a late finish to a big day for Alliance Midget Teams, the the Bulldog 18UAA team made it a clean sweep over the Oklahoma City Blazers and for Midget NXTHL titles, as they took Game 2 to win their best 2 of 3 series and the NTXHL Playoff Championship very late Saturday night in Frisco.   It is the 2nd straight NTXHL Championship for the Alliance Midget Major AA, as they took the 2006 title as well.

The Blazers did not make this one easy, just like in Game 1.  The Bulldogs opened the scoring late in the first period to take a 1-0 lead at the first intermission, but OKC came back to tie it up at 1-1 early in the 2nd frame. 

Just when it looked like the game would head into the final period all tied up, the Bulldogs struck paydirt with less than a minute left in the 2nd period to re-take the lead at 2-1.  The game stayed close and in doubt until the final minute, when the Bulldogs would add an empty-netter to ice the game and the championship. 

For many of the high school seniors on the team, it was their last youth hockey game as they head off to college in the fall, and Alliance will publish more information about those players early next week.  The Championship was sweet for many Bulldogs in their first season with Alliance, as well as for Head Coach Phil Chaney, also in his first season as a Bulldog Coach.  Congratulations to Coach Chaney and the 18UAA Bulldogs for a great season!

18UAA Bulldogs Take NTXHL Championship Series Opener...

18U Midget Major AA: Alliance – 6, OK City - 3:   As one person said, "It wasn't pretty, but it was a Win", as the Alliance 18UAA team broke a 3-3 tie in the 2nd period to score 3 unanswered goals to beat the Oklahoma City Blazers in Game 1 of their best 2 of 3 series for the NTXHL Playoff Championship. 

The Bulldogs heavily out-shot the Blazers, who made the most of their opportunities when they got them.  The Bulldogs will attempt to close out the series when they meet again late tonight for Game 2 at 9:30pm in Frisco.

Big Day for Alliance Bulldog Teams

National Championship Quarter-Finalists

18U Prep          16UAAA

NTXHL Championship Finalists

18UAA          16UAA

Bulldog Teams Still in the Hunt for Championships...

After 7 months of thousands of teams playing hockey all across the United States and North Texas, it’s the last weekend of the season, and there are still 4 Alliance Bulldog squads playing, each with a chance to bring home a title. 

At the 2007 USA Hockey National Championships, there are only 8 teams left in each age bracket, including the Alliance 16U Midget Minor AAA and 18U Midget Major Prep teams with a chance to win it all.   At the 2007 NTXHL Championships, there are only 2 teams remaining in each of the Bantam, Midget Minor, and Midget Major divisions, with the Bulldog 16UAA and 18UAA teams each playing for a championship.

NTXHL Championship Finals

18U Midget Major AA:  The Alliance 18UAA team cruised through most of the season like a well-oiled machine, along the way racking up a 16-4-0 league mark and capturing a NTXHL Regular Season Championship.  One of those 4 losses came against the Oklahoma City Blazers, who they play in a best 2 of 3 series for the NTXHL Playoff Championship this weekend.  The Bulldogs will hopefully remember the sting of that result, and get after it on Saturday, with Game 1 at 2:00pm in Farmers Branch, and Game 2 at 9:30pm in Frisco.

                                                                        Sunday, March 25, 2007                                                                                    

18U AA Advances to Championship Finals...

18U Midget Major AA:  The Midget Major Bulldogs added 4 more wins this weekend to their Regular Season Title, and will also advance to the best of 3 Championship Series of the 2007 NTXHL Playoffs, where they will face the Oklahoma City Blazers next weekend in Farmers Branch for Game 1, and Frisco for Games 2 & 3.

                                                                       Thursday, March 22, 2007                                                                                  

NTXHL Playoffs - 2 Teams in Championships, 3 in Semi-Finals...

Last weekend ended up good for Bulldogs in the 2007 NTXHL Playoffs, as 2 of 3 Alliance teams earned a spot in their respective Championship Series, with the 12U Prep and Squirt Prep teams competing this weekend for the league title.

Three more Alliance teams will compete in their respective Semi-Finals this weekend, with the 18U Midget Major AA, 16U Midget Minor AA, and 14U Bantam AA teams each in NTXHL playoff action.  The 18UAA and 16UAA are each coming off a Regular Season Championship in their division. 

The 18UAA racked up an impressive 16-4-0 record to run away with the Midget Major AA division, while the 16UAA pulled off a 12-5-1 mark to capture the Midget Minor AA crown in a close race.

                                                                    Sunday, February 11, 2006                                                                                 

Wild Takes Alliance for 18U Title...

18U Tier II Midget Major:  The Alliance 18U AA team came close, but could not close the gap in the 3rd period, and fell to the Houston Wild 18U Prep team by a score of 4-2 in the Championship Game of the Texas State Championships at the StarCenter in Grapevine on Sunday afternoon.   The Bulldogs had earned a spot in the final with a convincing 6-2 win over DJHA earlier Sunday morning.

                                                                     Saturday, February 10, 2006                                                                              

State Championships:  16U Preps in Final, 18U AA Needs a Win...

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...

                                                                   Wednesday, February 7, 2006                                                                              

Tier II State Pairings Posted, Championships Start Friday at Polar Ice...

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...

                                                                      Friday, January 19, 2006                                                                                     

Silver Stick Finals, State Playdowns Highlight Busy Weekend...

Busy weekend, as 13 of 15 Bulldog teams are in action.   The Chicago Chill 16UAAA is in town for 4 games against 3 Alliance teams, and there are 3 more critical State Playdown games as well, with the 16U Prep, 16UAA, and 14U AA competing for spots in the Tier II State Championships set for February 10-11.  

Another major event is the 18U Midget Major AA will be in Sarnia, Ontario for the Silver Stick North American Finals.

                                                                        Sunday, December 17, 2006                                                                             

Dogs Take 4th Straight NTXHL Game...

Alliance – 6, DJHA - 3:  There was the anticipation that this NTXHL game was going to be played with high emotion and intensity, as many players from both teams have played with and against each other in the high school league and on past travel teams.  As it turns out, however, the game play really never reached the frenzy that it had the potential to.

The Bulldogs opened up the scoring on a power play goal at the 9:47 mark of the 1st period.  Some good old fashioned banging in front of the net resulted in the Bulldogs taking the 1st period lead 1-0.  Alliance had three more power play opportunities before the end of the period.  The DJHA goalie was peppered with shots, but he ended up being equal to the task, and the period ended without any more lamps being lit.

The Bulldogs extended their lead to 2-0 about midway through the 2nd period, with another power play goal on a blast from the left point that the DJHA goalie appeared to never see through the traffic.  Even though the Bulldogs were clearly carrying the play and tempo. DJHA managed to hang around and make it a one goal game with a late tally just before the close of the period, by capitalizing on some sloppy play in the Alliance defensive zone.

Alliance seemed to come out in the 3rd period with renewed energy and focus. The Bulldog players left no doubt to this game, as they tallied 5 third period goals.  The barrage of shots (39 for the game) on the DJHA net minder (18 of which came in the third period) was just too much to handle.  The game was played with only 12 total penalties being called in the game.  After a long holiday layoff, the Bulldogs will resume league play on January 7th versus the Aces at their home rink in Richardson.

                                                                        Sunday, December 10, 2006                                                                             

Alliance Cruises for another League Victory...

Alliance - 6, Houston Wild '90– 1:  The Alliance 18U Midget Major AA Bulldogs asserted their ownership of the NTXHL lead in a Sunday morning tilt against a strong Houston Wild squad, winning by a score of 6-1.  Alliance overcame some fierce checking by Houston in the game, and out-skated and out-scrummed their opponents from the Bayou City.  Alliance got some strong goaltending in the game to boot.

The first period saw very intense play, with the officials letting the boys play.  Both teams came out hard, and had little success getting through the neutral zone in the early going.  The Bulldogs found a way through the congestion half-way through the first period, when a Bulldog launched a sweet home run pass to a teammate who broke away to an Alliance 1-0 lead.  With 4:38 on the clock in the first period, Alliance took advantage of a waived icing call, when its defenseman intercepted a Wild clearing pass at the blue line, gloved it to his stick, and blasted a shot home.  The Bulldogs still led 2-0 at the first intermission, holding a 14-9 advantage in shots on goal. 

Just one minute into the second period, Alliance scored again, when a forward roofed a fat rebound directly in front of the Houston net, giving the Bulldogs that always important 3-goal lead.  At the 7:22 mark in the second, Alliance scored again with another nice breakaway pass to a streaking Bulldog forward who tucked it in the five-hole for a 4-0 lead.  The penalties started to roll against Alliance at that point, and they spent the last 5 minutes of the second period shorthanded, and the last three minutes of the period at a 5-on-3 disadvantage.  They held off the Wild for the balance of the period, keeping their 4-0 lead at the second intermission.

The extended penalty kill finally bit the Dogs less than a minute into the third period, when Houston scored a power play goal with 2 seconds left of the Alliance penalty.  Alliance reciprocated shortly thereafter, with 11:23 on the clock, when they scored just after a Houston penalty expired.  An Alliance centerman drove towards the net from inside the half boards, deked around a Houston defender, and beat the Wild goalie high with a sick snapper.  The Bulldogs killed a critical 5-on-3 situation with relative ease, and capped the game with a nice shot in the corner of the net with 4:41 on the clock to make the final score Alliance- 6, Houston-1.

                                                                        Sunday, December 3, 2006                                                                                

Bulldogs Return to NTXHL Action with a Bang...

Alliance - 7, San Antonio – 1:  The Alliance Bulldogs 18U Midget Major AA team took a firmer grip on the lead in the NTXHL standings with a 7-1 victory over the San Antonio Rampage early Sunday.  The win avenged a loss to the Rampage earlier in the season.   This time, the Dogs left no doubt, as they scored four goals in the second period to open up a 6-0 lead by the end of two periods.  San Antonio did not score its lone goal of the game until there was only 4:41 left on the clock in the third period.

Alliance came out of the chute skating hard, and benefited from several power plays early in the game.  With 7:58 on the clock in the first period and the game scoreless, the Bulldogs got good pressure on the goal with their power play and were able to bury a rebound chance for a 1-0 lead.  Late in the period, Alliance scored again at even strength off a nice centering pass from behind the net.

In the second period, Alliance continued to persist in keeping the puck in the offensive zone for long stretches.  Two and a half minutes into the second period, the Bulldogs bought some breathing room with a five-hole shot from the left wing to make the score 3-0.  Just a minute later, another Bulldog scored on a wraparound to make it 4-0.  The game got chippier as time passed, and the penalty calls started to go against Alliance as well as San Antonio.  With 4:10 left in the period, a Bulldog cashed in on a breakaway to make it 5 - zip.  Alliance did not let go of the jugular, and increased it’s lead to 6-0 just 18 seconds later on a nice centering pass from behind the net and equally nice finish.

In the third period, both teams showed some fatigue and play grew a bit sloppy.  San Antonio was foiled on several chances by the Alliance netminder, but the Dogs messed around too much in their own zone, and lost their shutout on a screened wrister from the low slot off of a centering pass from behind the Bulldog net, 6-1 Bulldogs.  Alliance stormed right back and got its final goal at the 2:51 mark on a pretty tic-tac-toe passing play immediately in front of the Rampage net.  The final score was 7-1 Big Dogs.

A big win for the team as they maintained first place, but several teams have games in hand on the Dogs so look out.

                                                                        Sunday, November 19, 2006                                                                            

Bulldogs Win Silver Stick Regional Championships!!!

Champions - 18U Midget Major AA...

The Alliance Bulldogs Midget Major AA team finished strong, winning their 4th straight game, beating the only team they not beaten yet (tied in Game 1), and took home the Championship of the Silver Stick Mid Michigan Regional in a double overtime victory over Ft. Wayne Sunday afternoon in Midland, Michigan.  

As a result of their championship, the Bulldogs will advance to the Silver Stick Finals in Sarnia, Ontario January 19-21. 

The Alliance Bulldogs 18U AA Midget Majors brought a crisp, disciplined style of hockey to the Midland (MI) Regional International Silver Stick Tournament and it paid off in spades, resulting in a 4-0-1 record and the Tournament championship.  The Bulldogs and Fort Wayne Phantoms each earned 7 points in the round robin, tying each other in the tournament opener, but Alliance won home ice in the championship game with a healthy +20 goal differential in the first four games (28 Goals For, 8 Goals Against). 

In the round robin, Alliance beat two Detroit-area teams (Southfield Warriors, 6-0, and the Michigan Jaguars, 9-3), and one team from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan (St.Ignace, 11-3).  In the Championship game, the Bulldogs carried the better side of play, but let Ft. Wayne back into the game.  Alliance finally prevailed, 4-3, in the second nail-biting overtime and wildly celebrated at center ice in front of a group of new believers that, yes, they do play hockey in Texas. 

Championship Game: 

Alliance - 4, Ft. Wayne - 3 (2OT):  In the Championship Game of the Silver Stick Mid Michigan Regional, the Alliance Bulldogs took on the Fort Wayne Phantoms in a rematch of the 2-2 opening game sister kisser.  The Championship Game was a spine tingler, as both teams were flying with crisp passing and up and down action.  The Bulldogs lost a 2-0 advantage, surrendering two goals just 23 seconds apart late in the second period, and regained their lead only to yield a third period goal on a 5-on-3 penalty kill that deadlocked the game at 3-3. 

Alliance kept most of the action in the two overtime periods in the Phantom end of the ice and finally scored the game winner with 1:50 left in the second overtime to win the Midland, Michigan Region of the International Silver Stick Tournament and advance to Nationals in January at Sarnia, Ontario.

As was often the case in this tournament, Alliance jumped out to an early lead, scoring just 2:33 into the game, on a deflected shot from the point when the puck popped out there from a hard workin, rumblin, bumblin, stumblin scrum immediately in front of the Ft. Wayne goal.  The rest of the first period saw balanced action with both teams getting some good scoring chances.  The Bulldog netminder was tested a few times and delivered with some very nice saves.  The first period came to a close with the Bulldogs' teeth clenched on their 1-0 bone.

The second period saw more up and down action without scores, until just inside of 8 minutes on the clock.  Then, a Bulldog, reminiscent of Brett Hull, took a spill and lost the puck on the left half boards, got up, and floated into the high slot where his forechecking teammate fed him a perfect pass and he beat the Phantom goalie high blocker with a sick snapper.   It appeared that the Bulldogs were in position to take control of the game, but they lost that emotional edge with 3:38 left in the second period.  Alliance turned it over in their own zone and a Phantom ripped it home from the high slot. 

Then, the Bulldogs went into a short funk, and got into trouble running around in their own end on a delayed penalty call.  A centering pass found a Ft. Wayne player in the low slot, and he slid it in to tie the score at 2-2.  Alliance came out of its funk quickly, and applied great pressure on the Ft. Wayne goal for the balance of the second period.  With just over a minute left in the second period, a Bulldog defenseman beat the Ft. Wayne goalie to the short side with a blistering one-timer off a pass from the other point.  The second period ended with Alliance clinging to a 3-2 lead.

Alliance tried to extend its one goal lead in the third period, but without success, picking up some ill timed penalties in the process.  Deep in the third, the Bulldogs found themselves with a 5-on-3 disadvantage, and just couldn't quite kill it.  With 5:08 on the clock and the three Bulldogs hustling to thwart the Ft. Wayne umbrella offense, the Phantoms cashed in on a shot from the left point on which the Alliance goalie was completely screened.  The last five minutes of regulation were heart pounding as both teams narrowly missed on scoring opportunities.

The Bulldogs dug deep for effort in overtime, and kept most of the play in the Ft. Wayne end of the ice.  Halfway into the second overtime, the Alliance forecheck pried the puck loose behind the net, and the centering pass came to the Bulldog center all alone in the low slot.  He counted to three and ripped a snapshot high glove that was just over the net and buried his head in his hands with exasperation.  All is well that ends well, and he got another chance just seconds later, when a Bulldog break-out pass sent him on a 1-on-1 break.  He deked around the lone Ft. Wayne defenseman, broke in on the net, and this time deked around the Phantom goalie for the Tournament.  The Bulldogs celebrated wildly at center ice and accepted their Championship medals, banner and trophy.  The boys later enjoyed a nice round of applause from passengers when they landed in Dallas and the pilot announced their tournament victory.

Kudos to the Bulldogs and their coach for the best hockey of the season when it really counted.  On to Sarnia.

Dogs Roll into Silver Stick Regional Final...

Alliance - 9, Michigan Jaguars – 3:  The Bulldogs went into the final game of round robin play of the Silver Stick Mid Michigan Regional against the Michigan Jaguars early Sunday morning with 5 points, tied for first place with Ft. Wayne, who had a simultaneous game with the Southfield Warriors.  Alliance took care of business, scoring three goals in each period to win handily, 9-3.  The game was a true team effort, with balanced scoring up and down the Bulldog lineup.

It took just 22 seconds for the Bulldogs to jump out to an early 1-0 lead, when its winger broke in on the net and deked around the Jaguar goaltender.  Alliance sustained its effort, keeping good pressure on the goal, and scored again with 10:11 left in the first period when the Bulldog center banged home a shot that careened off the boards behind the net and came out in front of the far side of the net. 2-0 Alliance. 

The Bulldogs controlled the play for the balance of the period but gave up a goal with five minutes left in the period when a Jaguar swept the puck in the net from a scramble in front of the crease.  Alliance refused to let the Jags back in the game, however, and scored a power play goal less than one minute later.  The score at the end of the first period was Alliance- 3, Michigan- 1.

The Bulldogs continued to carry the play in the second period, and outhustled their foes, creating many scoring chances.  With 12:17 left in the second, Alliance scored again to take a three goal advantage at 4-1.  At the 8:33 mark, the Jags struck back with a slapper from near the left wing half boards that the Bulldog goalie thought he had squeezed under his arm, but the puck squirted through.  Again, Alliance refused to let Michigan back in the game and scored two goals in the next minute to extend its lead to 6-2 going into the third period.  While they Zammed the ice between the second and third periods, the officials cautioned the Bulldogs to watch their backs and keep their cool and let the officials control the game as the potential for frustrated play loomed large.

Alliance took the officials' advice and play solid, disciplined hockey in the third period.  With 11:10 left in the game, a Bulldog capitalized on a botched clearing attempt by the Jaguar goalie from his own corner, intercepted the puck along the half boards and put it into the net.  Just over a minute later, Alliance's first line showed its stuff with nice tic-tac-toe passing and tallied another goal for an 8-2 lead. 

The Bulldogs were not finished, and continued to work for the rest of the third period.  With 6:15 left on the clock, with Bulldogs hounding the net and working the deep offensive zone, the puck came to the point and the Alliance defenseman let go with a blazing slap shot for a 9-2 lead.  The Jaguars tallied the last goal of the game with 2:26 on the clock when its forward came in on the Alliance netminder alone, and scored a breakaway goal to make the final score, Bulldogs - 9, Jags - 3.  

With its prolific scoring and stingy defense (a +20 goal differential in the round robin), Alliance earned home ice advantage for the Championship Game against the Ft. Wayne Phantoms, who won their final game against Southfield, 5-4.  Both teams went into the Championship Game with 7 out of 8 possible points in the round robin.

                                                                        Saturday, November 18, 2006                                                                           

Bulldogs Sweep the Day in Michigan...

Alliance- 6, Southfield (MI) Warriors – 0:  With perhaps its best game of the Silver Stick Mid Michigan Regional, the Alliance Bulldogs won a mid-tournament showdown with the Southfield Midget Major AA Warriors, who came into the game as tournament points leader with 2 wins and 4 points.  Alliance showed great speed, hustle and passing in the game, fortified with outstanding goaltended, and surged late to a 6-0 victory. 

The only Black eye for the Bulldogs was when its player allowed a Warrior to use him as a punching bag after being jumped late in the game.  His unfortunate reward for his restraint was a tournament suspension.   The first period was fantastic hockey, as the teams traded chances with quick-paced North and South action.  Neither team put the biscuit in the basket and the period ended in a scoreless tie.

Less than a minute into the second period, Alliance finally scored to take a 1-0 lead.  An Alliance player showed tremendous hustle in catching up to a dump-out that caught the Warrior left defenseman pinching, and converted the opportunity into a goal.  Alliance held its 1-0 lead until the last 5-1/2 minutes of the second period when the Bulldogs scored twice in 1:30 to take a 3-0 lead into the third period.  With 5:34 on the clock in the period a Bulldog walked in from the left wing faceoff circle and beat the Southfield netminder short side.  Then, with 4:18 left in the second, Alliance scored when its forward broke down the right wing beat the Warrior goalie with a sweet snapper.

The Warriors did not take to a 3-0 deficit at all, and showed their guests from Texas a little Detroit-style hospitality, earning a 5-on-3 shorthanded situation in the process with 9 minutes left in the game.  The Bulldogs cashed in and took a 4-0 lead with 8:22 on the clock  Then, Southfield's fate was sealed with two goals three seconds apart.  With 6:59 left in the third, an Alliance defenseman drilled a slapshot from the very high slot that burrowed through the Warrior netminder for a 5-0 Alliance lead.  Off the ensuing faceoff at center ice, at the 6:56 mark, the hustling Alliance winger strode past the blue line and let go a wrist shot that found its mark.  The Bulldogs maintained their 6-0 lead for the balance of the game, and earned a shutout victory in perhaps the pivotal game of the tournament.  

Alliance Races to First Silver Stick Win...

Alliance- 11, St. Ignace (MI) Firehawks- 3.  The Bulldogs won in a lopsided battle against the St. Ignace Firehawks, a Midget Major AA team from the North end of the Macinack Bridge in the "U.P."  Tournament rules provided for tiebreakers based on goal differential and other scoring measures, and no running clock no matter what the score, so Alliance had no choice but to pour it on in the game.  Alliance dominated early play and jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first period, narrowly missing a fourth goal at the buzzer.

In the second and third periods, the Bulldogs never looked back, building their lead while dodging aggressive, frustrated play from the Firehawks.   The Alliance goaltender faced a "mental focus battle," where sheer boredom from the one-sided play was punctuated with occasional moments of sheer terror from Bulldogs' coughing up the puck and Firehawks coming in on the net alone. 

The Bulldogs foiled the first such breakaway just 15 seconds into the second period, preserving its 3-0 lead, and counterpunched with their fourth unanswered goal of the game at the other end of the ice, when an Alliance forward rammed home a rebound that squirted out of the St. Ignace goaltender's glove when he was handcuffed by a Bulldog snapper that had some pace, making it 4-0 Dawgs.  Then, the game got chippy. 

Alliance soon enjoyed a 5-on-3 power play and converted it by hounding the goal and ramming home a rebound to take a 5-0 advantage.  The referee warned the Bulldogs to refrain from retaliating as the play continued to deteriorate, and they complied, retaining their composure and building their lead to 7-0 by the 9:50 mark of the second period.  With 8:57 on the clock in the second period, the Firehawks finally got on the board, with a slapshot that weirdly deflected off the shaft of an Alliance defender's stick. 

The score remained 7-1 Alliance, until the last three minutes of the period, when the Bulldogs two more goals on beautiful offensive plays.  The second period ended with the Bulldogs winning, 9-1.  As was the case in each game of the tournament, the players took a break after two periods while the ice was Zammed.

St. Ignace seemed to benefit from the break, and scored a goal just 23 seconds into the third period to make the score 9-2.  A Firehawk forward stole the puck from a Bulldog defender and came in alone from the left wing to score.  Just 3 minutes later, the Firehawks scored again on a 2-on-1 outmanned chance, with a pass across the slot that the St. Ignace forward accepted and quickly snapped into the corner, high glove.  The score was then Alliance-9, St. Ignace-3. 

The Bulldogs quickly dashed any hopes of a miraculous comeback and picked up the pace.  Less than a minute later, a Bulldog picked up a hat trick with a goal off of a nice pass from his teammate.  Alliance refused to retaliate and the Firehawks let the chippy play die, with little action in the last 10 minutes of play.  With 1:04 left in the game, however, a Bulldog punctuated the win with Alliance's 11th goal of the game.  Final score, Bulldogs - 11, St. Ignace - 3.

                                                                        Friday, November 17, 2006                                                                                 

Bulldogs Open Silver Sticks with Sister Kisser...

Alliance - 2, Ft. Wayne (IN) Phantoms – 2:  Alliance met the Fort Wayne Phantoms in the Friday evening Silver Stick Mid Michigan Regional tournament opener for the Bulldogs.  Ft. Wayne came into the game having won its first game of the tournament earlier in the day and perhaps was not prepared for what they faced in the Alliance Bulldogs, with a lot of trash talking, "yee haws" and the like from the bench. 

At the get-go, the Bulldogs' adrenaline cut through the fatigue from a 3:30am wake up call to make their early morning flight, and they came out flying with crisp tape-to-tape passing, clearly out-skating and outworking Ft. Wayne.  Alliance's hard work paid off, and they jumped out to a 1-0 lead 4 minutes and 30 seconds into the game with a power play goal earned with a deflected shot from the point. 

However, the Bulldogs surrendered their hard-earned advantage quickly, when less than a minute later a Phantom carried the puck wide and quickly drove the net from the left wing, putting the puck in short side to tie the score, 1-1.   The tying goal seemed to even the ice a bit, with Ft. Wayne getting an emotional lift.  The teams remained tied at the end of the first period.

In the second period, the Bulldogs found themselves in a 5-on-3 penalty kill just a minute into the period.  With 13:01 on the clock, Ft. Wayne made them pay and scored to go ahead, 2-1.  There was action at either end for the balance of the period but no one else scored.

Turnabout is fair play, as they say, and at the beginning of the third period, Alliance enjoyed its own 5-on-3 power play.  With 13:19 on the clock, the Bulldogs cashed in on the opportunity, tying the score, 2-2.  Play intensified and as a harbinger of things to come, the Bulldogs kept their cool despite their alternate captain being laid out with stick foul that earned a Phantom 5 minutes in the best seat in the house.  Although they showed good restraint, the Bulldogs did not cash in on the five minute power play and barely developed any scoring chances. 

With the teams even up and 2:47 left in the game, Alliance crashed the net and a Bulldog shot from point blank popped straight up into the air off the Ft. Wayne goalie, landed and rolled off his shoulder inches in front of the goal line.  Close but no stogie.  The buzzer sounded with the teams deadlocked at 2-2.

The five minute OT saw plenty of action but no goals.  No chance was closer than the Bulldogs' with 1 minute left in the overtime, when an Alliance player's slapper rocketed off of the post.  The game ended with each team earning a point for the 2-2 tie.

                                                                        Saturday, November 11, 2006                                                                           

Alliance Quickly Back to the Win Column...

Alliance - 6, Texas Aces – 2:  The 18U Midget Major AA Alliance Bulldogs jumped out to a 4-0 first period lead, and pushed through to win 6-2 in a Saturday afternoon NTXHL game at Valley Ranch.  The Bulldogs came out with some fire after a poor showing in their last game and played a good, solid game.   The Bulldogs jumped out to a very early lead, getting their first tally just 1:10 into the game.  An Alliance forward found the puck in the crease with early traffic in front of the Aces net and jammed it home for a 1-0 lead. 

Alliance continued with good pressure on the Aces net and lots of traffic and capitalized with 4:39 left in the first period when an Alliance forward fought to a loose puck with an Ace on his back and swept the puck home from his belly making it 2-0 Good Guys.  Two minutes later, the Bulldogs were the beneficiaries of a lucky play, when they got a nice bounce of the goalie's stick right into the net on a dump-in from the red-line.  Alliance - 3, Aces - 0.   The Bulldogs kept on the pressure through the end of the period, and scored with just 0:17 remaining in the period on a screened snap shot from the point, to take a commanding 4-0 lead after the first period.

Two minutes into the second period, the Aces got on the board with a wraparound goal that found the inside of the Alliance goalie's pad and flukishly channeled its way through the five hole.  Alliance still led, 4-1.  The Dogs pushed to maintain their four goal lead, and succeeded just over two minutes later when a Bulldog winger broke free on a breakaway and rung it up high glove.  The score remained 5-1 for the last ten minutes and change of the second period.

Alliance scored its sixth goal of the game with 12:29 on the clock on a short side goal deep in the Aces end of the ice.  Despite being down 6-1, the Aces showed their competitive fire and ran out several shifts that brought the physical play to the Bulldogs.   The Bulldogs held their ground, however, and neither team scored until an Aces trailer broke inside of the defense and streaked in on the net alone with 4:40 left in the game.  His teammate hit him from just inside the blue line with a nice pass and he scored.  Alliance held the four goal lead for the balance of the period, and the final score was 6-2, Doggies.

This was the Dogs last tune-up before next weekend's trip to the Silver Stick tourney in Midland, Michigan, where they are scheduled to play two of the top-five ranked 18U Tier II teams in the nation, among others.  Stand by for next week, same bat time, same bat station.

                                                                        Sunday, November 5, 2006                                                                                

Blazers Drop Bulldogs...

Oklahoma City - 6, Alliance – 3:   In a game they'd like to play over, the 18U Midget Major AA Alliance Bulldogs dropped a NTXHL game to the Oklahoma City Blazers, 6-3.  The Oklahoma boys showed more spunk than the Bulldogs in an early morning game, and scored on three of six breakaways they had in the contest. 

Beginning late in the second period, Alliance valiantly battled back from a 3-0 deficit to score three goals in ten minutes, and tie the score 3-3 with 10:21 left in the game.  The Bulldogs let all of their hard work to get back in the game go to waste, as they proceeded to give up three goals in the last nine minutes of the game. 

These included a goal off of a turnover deep in the Alliance zone and quick Blazer cross ice pass, a goal off of a breakaway, and final nail in the coffin off of the scrambling aftermath of a breakaway save.  The Bulldogs just couldn't generate the big goal, big defensive play, or big save late in the third they needed to spark a victory and came away thoroughly frustrated.   Enough said about this one. 

                                                                        Saturday, November 4, 2006                                                                             

'Dogs Take Rematch...

Alliance - 5, Tulsa – 3:  In a rematch of last month's Thrilla in Grapevine Milla, where the 18U Midget Major AA Alliance Bulldogs scored a goal in the final seconds of the game to win, the Bulldogs prevailed in a two hour NTXHL contest in OKC over the Tulsa Flames, 5-3.  Alliance looked lethargic after the morning drive up I-35, and its lethargy spread to the faithful fans in attendance who might not have lasted were it not for the extremely cold temperatures rinkside.  The game had very little flow because of penalties and long delays in which the referees either debated Einstein's theory of relativity, or had trouble sorting out line calls, penalties and controversial no-calls - we'll never know which.

Tulsa jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead early in the first on a lobbed knuckle puck from the point that came down from close to the rafters and freakishly rang up the top corner of the Bulldog net.  Soon after that, with 10 minutes left in the period, the Dogs tied the score 1-1 when an Alliance player rammed home a rebound on a power play.  The game became a penaltyfest and Alliance survived a 5-on-3 with just over two minutes left in the first until Tulsa was penalized. 

The Bulldogs then manufactured a beautiful goal on a one timer off a cross-ice pass deep in the offensive zone, to take a 2-1 lead.  Alliance narrowly missed increasing its lead at the end of the period when a Bulldog's hard slapper found the buzzer a fraction of a second before finding the net.

Instead, the Bulldogs found themselves in a 2-2 tie just three minutes into the second period, when a Flame broke free of the Bulldog defense, drove the net and scored a power play goal.  The penaltyfest continued, with Alliance surviving more penalties, including another 5-on-3.  Finally, with 6:15 on the clock in the second period, a Bulldog repeated his feat from the end of the first period, and rocketed a low slapshot past the Flame netminder for a shorthanded tally.  Just two minutes later, Alliance built a 4-2 lead when its winger popped in a rebound.

The third period was marred by more penalties, and no scoring but for a very hardworking goal by an Alliance player with 4:23 on the clock.   If the first Tulsa game was a nail-biter, this game was a frost-biter; however, the Dawgs did enough to overcome the many penalties.

                                                                        Tuesday, October 17, 2006                                                                               

Alliance Falls on a Shortie, 1-0...

Attack 16U AAA – 1, Alliance – 0:  In a late Tuesday evening exhibition game, the Alliance 18U Midget Major AA Bulldogs could not generate the last minute heroics they needed, and fell short to the Texas Attack 16U AAA team, 1-0.   The Bulldogs out-shot the Attack for the game, 31-30, but trailed the Attack in scoring chances.  The game was a scoreless tie until the 13:22 mark of the third period, when Alliance surrendered the only goal of the game on an Attack 2-on-1 shorthanded break off of its penalty kill. 

Hard work and desperation came close to paying off for Alliance in the last two minutes of the game, when they generated three scoring chances, but did not put the biscuit in the basket.  It was the opinion of many in attendance that the game was very well officiated, with appropriate level of enforcement of the new USA Hockey enforcement policy.  Eight penalties were called on one team and 6 on the other.

In the scoreless first period, the teams traded chances, with the Attack out-shooting the Bulldogs, 12-9.  Alliance failed to capitalize on an early 5-on-3 advantage and a 5-on-4 power play in the period, and withstood two power plays itself in the period.  The Bulldogs foiled the Attack on two primo scoring chances late in the first.

On the penalty kill early in the second period, Alliance withstood intense pressure on its net.  The teams traded light penalties and hardworking opportunities for much of the period.  At the Bulldog end of the ice, the Alliance goalie gave the Attack shooter a post and the crossbar, and the shooter rang them, but didn't ring up a goal.  At the other end, late in the period, an Alliance forward narrowly missed tipping in his teammate's shot, but the game remained scoreless after two periods.  In the second period, the Bulldogs out-shot their foes, 12-11.

The Bulldogs enjoyed almost two minutes of power play going into the third period.  Unfortunately, they pressed a bit and the Attack broke out of its zone, two-on-one, and tallied a shortie.   Alliance played with some desperation late in the third, and earned a 10-7 shots on goal advantage in the period.  With 2:27 left in the period, the Bulldogs generated a nice chance with hard work, and came close again in a scramble in front of the Attack net with 1:10 left.  With 45 seconds left, the Bulldogs pulled their goalie and had two offensive zone faceoffs following icing calls, and generated a final scoring chance.   The Attack defense bent, but did not break.

                                                                        Sunday, October 15, 2006                                                                                

'Dogs Complete Weekend Sweep with 11 Ticks Left...

Alliance – 3, Tulsa Flames – 2:  The Alliance 18U AA Midget Major Bulldogs shook the cobwebs in an early Sunday morning battle with the visiting Tulsa Flames to win 3-2, on a goal with only 11 seconds remaining in regulation.  The Bulldogs had numbers on a last minute 3-on-2 rush on the Tulsa goal, and the Alliance right winger drove the puck deep down the right side before making a beautiful pass across the crease to his teammate who rammed it home for the win. 

The Flames played the Bulldogs tough in a back-and-forth battle that was played with intensity and speed.  The teams traded goals in the second and third periods before Alliance got the late goal to win.   Alliance made a late defensive stand in a mad scramble in front of the Bulldog net with less than two minutes left in the game, complete with a diving goaltender and bodies all over the place.

Tulsa came out of the gate with hustle and intensity, and showed the Bulldogs they came to play with hard checking from the get-go.  The Bulldogs had to leave last night's homecoming dances behind and began to match the Flames' intensity.  There were alternating flurries of chances throughout the first period.   Although both teams were penalized in the early going, the contest was shaping up to be a good, old-fashioned, clean, hard-checking hockey game.  The first period ended 0-0, with Alliance holding a slight 7-6 advantage in shots on goal, and a 1-0 advantage in shots on crossbar.

Alliance finally got on the board in the first two minutes of the second period with a nice passing play, and took a 1-0 lead.  The teams traded chances for most of the rest of the period, with the hitting waning a bit.  With just over three minutes to play in the second period, Tulsa scored on a quick backhand on a centering pass just off the crease to even the score at 1-1.  The period ended with the score tied and the Bulldogs enjoying a 20-12 SOG edge.

The Bulldogs began the third period on the power play, and capitalized by putting pressure on the Tulsa goal and slamming home a rebound just 1:09 into the third period.  Unfortunately, their 2-1 lead didn't last long.  The Flames scored less than two minutes later to even the score, 2-2.  Then, the game got interesting. 

With just under 5 minutes left in the game, Alliance found themselves shorthanded again.  One of the Bulldog penalty killers broke free with the puck and skated in alone from center ice on a breakaway and just missed.   Back at the Bulldog end, a Tulsa player took a menacing snapper at the top corner but the Alliance goalie made an outstanding blocker stop.  Another Bulldog deked his way into scoring position in the low slot and let go a low shot that looked to the writer (who was behind the net) to have come out of the back of the net.  It was that close. 

Then, Tulsa had some fine opportunities, but were thwarted in a scramble by the diving, pad stacking, Turcoesque goaltending of the Alliance netminder, and Alliance defensemen sacrificing their bodies in front.  Finally, the Bulldogs gave the Flames one to think about for the five hour drive home, when the Alliance player blew out the flame with a goal off a beautiful cross-crease pass with 11 seconds left.

The Flames ended up with a slight 24-23 shots on goal edge over Alliance.   Watch out for the rematch of this game.

                                                                       Saturday, October 14, 2006                                                                              

Bulldogs Race Past OKC for NTXHL Win...

Alliance - 5, OKC – 1:  The Alliance 18U Midget Major AA Bulldogs overcame a short bench and a slew of penalties in taking a 5-1 NTXHL contest from the Oklahoma City Jr. Blazers Saturday night in Duncanville.  Because of suspensions, injuries, and homecoming dances, Alliance started the game with only 9 skaters (a 10th soon joined) and many of those skaters spent a big portion of the game in the sin bin.  The Bulldogs faced five, count ‘em, five 5-on-3 shorthanded situations in the game, and even more 5-on-4 shorthanded situations.  The team out-shot the Blazers for the game, 33-24, and did a good job with a vigorous forecheck that led to several OKC turnovers in its own zone.

The first period saw the Bulldogs put significant pressure on the OKC net, but they were forced to fend off two of the 5-on-3 disadvantages in the early going.  The period was scoreless, with Alliance holding a 9-6 SOG edge.

With a minute and a half elapsed in the second period, Alliance finally broke through with its first goal, an yeoman's effort by the Alliance winger, who fought through a check and a hold, and freed his stick just in time to snap it through the five-hole.  After killing a couple of penalties, the Bulldogs got on the board again with an even strength tally, a beautiful centering pass to a Bulldog charging into the slot, making the score 2-0 Dawgs.  Alliance scored again 3 minutes later on the power play to make the score 3-0, when the Bulldog skating down the wing dropped it to his teammate who drove into the slot and went cookie jar on the Blazer netminder.

The game remained 3-0, Good Guys, for the first half of the third period.  The Bulldogs continued to play with fire, killing off another 5-on-3 shorthanded situation.  Finally at even strength, Alliance scored on a shot from the slot to make it 4-0 with 7:12 remaining on the clock.  Just thirty seconds later, a Bulldog put home the fifth Alliance tally of the night during a scramble on a delayed penalty call against OKC. 

The next 5-on-3 disadvantage finally bit the Bulldogs on the hindquarters with only 4:04 left in the game.  The Alliance goalie lost his shutout on the 17th OKC shot in heartbreaking fashion when a Blazer defenseman's shot from the high slot was deflected twice on the way to the net and beat the Alliance goalie stick side, making the score 5-1 Alliance.  In appropriate fashion, the BDogs punctuated the game with one last 5-on-3 disadvantage for the final minute of the game. 

                                                                       Sunday, October 8, 2006                                                                                   

Alliance Recovers for NTXHL Split...

Alliance – 3, Austin – 2:   This NTXHL game was an early morning face-off against the Austin Roadrunners, and the Bulldogs played like it thru the 1st period of the hockey game.  Alliance appeared to “sleepwalk” through the 1st period, and Austin out-shot the visiting Bulldogs 9-0.  The only reason the Bulldogs didn’t find themselves playing from behind can be attributed to excellent goaltending by the Alliance goalie who responded to the early morning face-off time.

The Alliance net-minder was able to keep the game scoreless until the rest of the team awoke, which came in the 2nd period.  The Bulldogs capitalized on a power play opportunity, as Austin was caught in a poor line change, and a long outlet pass from the Alliance net-minder was able to create a 2-0 break as the penalty was just about to expire.  Alliance capitalized by finishing the play with a nice top shelf shot that put the Bulldogs up 1-0 at the 2:31 mark of the 2nd period.   The Bulldogs continued to build on the power play goal, and put good pressure on Austin while out-shooting them 11-5 in the 2nd period.  

The third period started the same way that the 2nd period ended, with the Alliance penalty kill getting plenty of work.  Austin got yet another 5-3 power play opportunity, however, Austin’s sloppy play in the neutral zone resulted in a beautiful shorthanded goal for Alliance to take a 2-0 lead with 13:17 left in the game.  

The lead was cut in half at just about the halfway point of the 3rd period, on one of the few even strength opportunities that either team had through the game.  Alliance was not to be denied, as they too scored an even strength goal with 3:19 remaining in the affair, on a tip-in shot from the point that required some great hand-eye coordination by the Bulldog winger.  Austin scored a power play goal with no time remaining on the clock to complete the scoring of the 3-2 game.

                                                                       Saturday, October 7, 2006                                                                                   

Bulldogs Take 1st League Loss...

San Antonio – 5, Alliance – 4:   The Bulldogs traveled out of town for their first trip of the season, for a two game set of NTXHL league play in Austin at the Chaparral Ice center.  The first opponent was the San Antonio Jr. Rampage.  

Alliance came out flying around the ice from the opening face-off.  Every line was able to maintain constant pressure in the San Antonio zone throughout the first period, however, the San Antonio goalie was up to the task.

Despite being out shot 8-0, San Antonio was only behind by the score of 1-0 on an even strength goal scored at the 3:09 mark of the first period.  Alliance was able to maintain the offensive pressure through the first half of the second period, but was unable to separate themselves from the Rampage on the scoreboard, as the score remained 1-0 Alliance until 4:26 when the Bulldogs were able to muscle in another even strength goal to make the score 2-0.

For all of the hard work and time spent in the Rampage offensive zone through the first half of the game, San Antonio was still hanging around and in this game.  Sure enough, the Rampage were able to get on the scoreboard with 1:58 remaining in the 2nd period, on an even strength goal, and put themselves right back into a game that had been almost totally played in the Rampage zone. The momentum had most certainly changed, and the Rampage came out with renewed life for the third period.

Alliance now found themselves in a real battle.  The team responded by netting their third even strength goal of the game at the 13:51 mark of the third period to take the lead back 3-2.  This did not deter the spunky Rampage, as San Antonio’s effort and perseverance paid off as they took advantage of a 5 on 3 power play, and scored to tie the game again 3-3 just as the first penalty came off the clock.

The Bulldogs managed to kill off the remaining shorthanded situation, but quickly found themselves back on special teams on a high sticking call at the 8:22 mark of the third period.  The Rampage again took advantage of the opportunity, and scored a power play goal on a shot from the point that ricocheted in off the toe of a Rampage player that was standing at the far post.  The officials conferred for a few minutes, but the goal stood as they ruled there was no kicking motion from the Rampage player, and San Antonio took their first lead of the game 4-3 at 7:07 of the third period.

The Alliance Coach called time out to settle down and re-focus the team.  Coming off the timeout, the Bulldogs stepped up the pace of the game and were able to mount an attack on the Rampage goalie.  Finally at 6:23, the unrelenting pressure paid off and the score was knotted on a power play goal scored on a shot from the blue line that made its way through a screen and into the back of the net.   

Tempers flared at 4:51 of the third period, and the Rampage took a fighting major while the Bulldogs were able to maintain their composure and ended up with a three minute power play advantage once the referee was able to sort things out.  The power play unit mounted a furious attack on the Rampage goalie, but he was able to turn away all the offensive chances.  

A tired power play unit at the end of their shift found themselves chasing a speedy Rampage winger who picked up a puck in the neutral zone and was able to maneuver around the defense and score a shorthanded goal and take the lead 5-4 with 1:09 to play in the game. Alliance was able to pull their goalie for a 6th skater, but was never able to set up in the offensive zone to mount any sustained pressure or generate any quality scoring chances.

                                                                  Saturday, September 23, 2006                                                                                 

18U Midget Major AA Bulldogs Take Home Opener Over McKinney, 4-1...

Alliance – 4, McKinney - 1:   The Alliance Bulldogs 18U Midget Major AA squad took on McKinney in the NTXHL regular season opener Saturday afternoon at Valley Ranch and prevailed 4-1.  The McKinney team, whose roster mirrors the high school Varsity Gold team that plays in the AT&T Metroplex High School Hockey League, proved to be a resilient bunch but ultimately could not hold off the Alliance attack.  Throughout the game, the Bulldogs had good pressure on the McKinney goal, played solid defense, executed their breakouts, and passed the puck well.  For the most part, their nemesis this season, the penalty box, did not rear its ugly head until late in the game.

The Bulldogs were in a tight battle until late in the second period, clinging to a 1-0 lead gained on a nice wraparound goal late in the first.  With 4:38 remaining in the second period, Alliance increased its lead to 2-0 on a nice shot from the point.  Less than a minute later, the Bulldogs capitalized on a power play, crashing the net and scoring on a rebound to up its advantage to 3-0.

The third period grew a bit chippier, with both teams getting several penalties, and more penalties on Alliance than McKinney.  Finally, Lion bit Bulldog, as McKinney cashed in on its 5-on-3 power play to make the score 3-1.  But the Bulldogs kept good intensity and pressure to the end of the game, and with 1:42 left in the third, a Bulldog scored an insurance goal, with a nice deke and shot off of an offensive zone turnover. 

All in all, a solid start to NTXHL play.