Just $7 a ticket for all as Dogs host Caps tonight, Zolnierczyk interview, Midget Dogs+Alberni Wrestling recaps

No rest for the wicked, the Dogs are right back at it tonight when they host the Cowichan Valley Capitals on $7.00 a ticket night at the Pound! Get your tickets at the Dogs office to take advantage. 

For more on tonight's game and the rest of the sked this week, check out my "Weekly Preview" article from the Dogs website HERE

The Dogs are coming off a three-in-three road trip to the Interior that saw them battle proudly with just 13 skaters in Vernon on Saturday to finish the trip. I must say, in all my years of covering Junior Hockey - and we're going back to 1998 here - (man I feel old all of a sudden) that Saturday's game is without a doubt the most impressive collective effort with a short bench that I have ever seen. I am always cognizant of the fact that I strive to call the game without bias, yet always "how I see it", so it's a very fine line to walk.

Am I only seeing what I am seeing and forming the opinions I am forming because I ride the bus with these guys, because I share the team meal table with these guys? Would someone on the other side of the puck see things the same way? I always run through those thoughts in my head. I was very happy to see after the game in Vernon Saturday that I wasn't alone in saying how impressive the Dogs effort was. It was mentioned on the Vipers site, on the Vipersdiehardfan blog, on the Message Board, and the Dogs Coaching Staff even passed along a story of an 80-ish Viper fan (apologies if you aren't that old, and you are welcome if you are older) who went out of their way after the game on Saturday to approach the Coaches to say how impressed they were with the effort that the short-staffed Dog brought, and how they wished they had seen the team play with a full roster. Great stuff. Great things happen when EVERYONE brings their all for a full 60 minutes, when everyone is prepared, when everyone comes together and plays as a TEAM. Keep it going gents. 

Catch the pregame show on Boston Pizza Bulldogs Hockey on 93.3 The Peak FM tonight at 6:45 with Bruce and myself, with the play-by-play to follow at 7:00.

Former Bulldog and current Philadelphia Flyer Harry Zolnierczyk will be my 2nd Intermission show. Many thanks to Harry, as no matter how busy he's been with his rookie NHL season he just always has time to catch up with me and his Bulldog roots!

 Here's the results from Alberni Wrestling's 29th Annual Invitational over the weekend...outstanding!!

Local results of the 2012 Alberni Invitational Wrestling Tournament ….

Local wrestlers had an exceptional weekend at the 29^th Annual Alberni Invitational Wrestling Tournament.  Port Alberni had 12 champions and 26 medalists. A total of 44 valley wrestlers finished in the top 6 of their respective weight classes of Juvenile (Gr 11-12), Cadet (Gr 9-10) and School Age (Gr 6-8). In addition several locals did well in the Open and Grappling Divisions and there were over 100 participants in the Elementary Division. In total there were over 700 participants over the two days of the Invitational.

Gold:

1.       Jordan Bodnar – ADSS 43 kg Juvenile Girls

2.       Bailey Durning – ADSS 64 kg Juvenile Girls

3.       Daley Forbes – ADSS 75 kg Juvenile Girls

4.       Jesse Wagner – ADSS 51 kg Cadet Boys ……. * Most Outstanding Cadet Boy of the tournament

5.       Jordan Wagner – ADSS 54 kg Cadet Boys

6.       Riley Neville – ADSS 90 kg Cadet Boys

7.       Courtenay Lescourbeau – Dunn 57 kg Schoolgirls

8.       Michaela Dick – Dunn 60 kg Schoolgirls

9.       Julia McGowan – Dunn 75 kg Schoolgirls

10.   Trevor Barker – Dunn 31 kg Schoolboys

11.   Ben Salliter – Neill 73 kg Schoolboys

12.   Tyler-Drew Adams – Dunn 90 kg Schoolboys

Silver:

1.       Samantha Anderson – ADSS 90 kg JG

2.       Cullen Hines – ADSS 78 kg JB

3.       Remi Wells – ADSS 51 kg CG

4.       Nolan Badovinac – ADSS 70 CB

5.       Tristan Schultz – ADSS 78 kg CB

6.       Chris Kurucz – ADSS 110 kg CB

7.       Kalissa Montgomery – Dunn 34 kg SG

8.       Aaron Prest – Neill 78 kg SB

Bronze:

1.       Michelle Kurucz – ADSS 60 kg CG

2.       Owen Spencer – Neill 31 kg SB

3.       Oliver Whitham – Dunn 60 kg SB

4.       Quentyn Young – Dunn 90 kg SB

5.       Jordan Higgins - Neill 34 kg SG

6.       Maryna MacDonald – Dunn 60 kg SG

In the team competition ADSS won the Juvenile Girls and the Cadet Boys while Dunn was second in Schoolgirls and third in Schoolboys. In the overall Club standings the Alberni Valley Wrestling Club took away top honours. The following are the full team results …

Juvenile Girls:
Placing	School		Points
1	ADSS		28
2	Carson Graham		22
3	Guildford		17
4	Ucluelet		13
5	Port Moody		12
5	Timberline		12
7	ST Moore		10
7	Maple Ridge		10
Juvenile
Boys:
1	Burnaby Central		62
2	Rick Hansen		50
3	WJ Mouat		39
4	Yale		34
5	MEI		28
6	Abby Traditional		25
7	Timberline		24
8	Cowichan		21
9	Guildford		20
10	ST Moore		19
Cadet Boys:
Placing	School		Total Points
1	ADSS		81
2	ST Moore		65
3	WJ Mouat		57
4	Terry Fox		39
5	Dover Bay		33
6	Abby Tr		32
7	Esquimalt		28
8	Stelly's		24
9	ST Aquinas		16
10	Van College		15
Cadet Girls:
Placing	School		Total Points		Boys
1	ST Moore		48
2	Phoenix		40
3	Carson Graham		31
4	Port Moody		27
5	Ucluelet		27
6	ADSS		24
7	Dover Bay		24
8	Norkam		16
8	Sentinel		16
10	Terry Fox		10
Schoolgirls:
	Placing	School		Total Points
	1	ST Moore		45
	2	Dunn Middle		41
	3	Phoenix		41
	4	Bonner		21
	5	Carson		18
	6	Neill Middle		17
	7	100 Mile		16
	7	Ucluelet		16
	7	Salt Spring Is.		16
	10	Guildford Park		12
	10	Abby Trad		12
Schoolboys:
	Placing	School		Total Points
	1	Abby Traditional		70
	2	Burnaby Cent		70
	3	Dunn Middle		35
	4	Phoenix		31
	5	Collingwood		28
	6	Carson		28
	7	Queen E		22
	8	Guildford Park		21
	9	Salt Spring Is.		21
	10	Neill Middle		16
Overall Clubs:

Placing	Club	Total Points
1	Alberni Valley WC	251
2	Capilano North Shore	216
3	Campbell River WC	151
4	Victoria Bulldogs	93
5	Abby WC	57
6	Salt Spring Island WC	37
7	Cowichan WC	37
8	Guru Gobind	34
9	Frazer Valley WC	12

MIDGET BULLDOGS WILL PLAY IN ISLAND SEMI-FINAL

The Van Isle Ford Midget Bulldogs started their play off series at home to the Oceanside Generals on February 5th, after a two week break between games.  The Generals were facing elimination after losing to Powell River the day before.  They came out hard and dominated physically through much of the game, while the Bulldogs looked rusty and made some uncharacteristic errors.

After some back and forth, Beau Wilson opened scoring for Alberni with a wrap around at 7:54 of the first period.  Greg Tuckerman assisted. Oceanside replied with a quick goal at the beginning of the second period.
Wilson got the lead back late in the period, taking a feed from Colby Lim and Ryan Buse and snapping a backhand through five hole.  The Alberni power play stumbled at the start of the third period, allowing Oceanside to even it up with a short handed goal.

After that the Bulldogs got into penalty trouble with 5 minor penalties in ten minutes.  The Generals used a two man advantage to edge ahead 3-2.After that minutes ticked off the clock while 200 home town fans watched
anxiously.

Coach Brent Demerais took advantage of the versatility on the team to switch up some forward and defence roles.  The strategy paid off in the tying goal with only 3:08 left.  Colby Lim slammed the puck under the goalie from the high slot, assisted by Wilson and Nathan Read in front.  Exactly 10 seconds later Cory Beecroft slapped a rebound from the top of the circle which went off the goalie stick and over his shoulder to put the Bulldogs on top.  Lim potted an empty netter for a 5-3 final score.

The win guarantees that Alberni Valley will be in the Vancouver Island semi-final against a South Island team, either Saanich or Juan de Fuca.Their next play-off game in Powell River on February 11th will determine
ranking and home ice advantage for the North Island teams going into the cross-over.

Before the game the team entered the dressing room to find a surprise gift of customized sports bags from sponsor Will Pulford of Van Isle Ford.  They want Will and Van Isle Ford to know how much they appreciate the bags and the sponsorship of the team.