No, I'm not hiding, no, I'm not avoiding this!

I'm just BUSY! Really. The loss Saturday and the end of the season was as tough for me as the fans/players/staff et all. Maybe it was tougher. It's over, it was over Saturday, and the sun came up Sunday morning. Really too bad. Any Dog fan or follower would say that. Anyone else would say "too bad?, too bad it didn't happen sooner" maybe. Who knows.

No blame on any one person. Win as a team, lose as a team. Blame the forwards, blame the defense, blame goaltending, coaching, special teams, reffing, what have you. I say blame no one. The name of the game is that someone wins and someone loses. If any blame needs to be placed, blame the Victoria Salsa! They played great and got hot at the right time, playoff time. I remember saying going into the series "they beat Nanaimo in 5, and won 2 games in the Frank Crane, they will not be easy and they are obviously doing something right"

I won't be predicting the future for the BCHL playoffs. I've always said that predicting is for Nostradamus and I'm sticking to that. Who would've predicted Nanaimo gone in 5? Who would've predicted the Dogs round 1 series against Cowichan in a sweep? 10-7 in game 1? Triple overtime in game 2 and double overtime in game 3 and a come from behind-4 unanswered goals comeback in game 4? 2-1 Dogs over Salsa in game 1, 13-2 in game 2, then four straight losses/wins however you look at it. All the self proclaimed experts will all say they know exactly why one team lost and another team won, they'll say they predicted it all. An open invitation to you then- come on here and post your name and your reasons for winning and losing and further predictions. Nameless won't be allowed. As you can see from the BCHL message board anyone without a name is the smartest person in the hockey world with all the answers. Make them stand behind those answers and words and they disappear.

Thanks Thanks Thanks for reading the blog, for stopping by the blog, for emailing submissions and posting comments and requests/complaints. I started this not too long ago and had alot of fun with it. Alot of fun, but alot of work for sure. I'll be posting more in the future hopefully, so please come back. Not sure how much more I will post, but I'm not saying this will be the end.

The thing I regret the most about the loss- my dad won't be able to see any Bulldogs hockey this year. He arrived in Port Alberni Monday. A couple days too late. Hey, even I don't predict as I said already. He was asking me when to come out early this year. March, April, Feb? I told him, "you KNOW Cal, you can't count on anything other than the regular season" The way the Dogs played through the regular season and around December or so when he made his decision on when to come out here, some would've thought that coming the last week of March would be a good time, to see some hockey. Turns out it's a good time to golf. Really too bad. As I said, it's the biggest regret on the season as I look back. He loved the Pound, he loved the oppositions rinks, he loves the action of the BCHL and the quality of hockey it offers. Too bad he can't see it this year. Too long of a drive on a work day to Vic and back. It IS good weather for golf, so that's where we're off to again today. My game may be horrible, but it's the first time I've seen him in a year so it's getting out there together that's fun.

Good luck to all BCHL teams still on the road to the RBC and Fred Page and Doyle Cups. I'll post more on the Dogs and the players and fans and everything in the next little while. Thanks again for the support and stopping by.

FORE.

It's not GO DOGS GO, I'm afraid.

Do or Die, Bulldogs Playoffs Gameday, Island Finals Game #6

I'm going to skip talking about yesterday, not because yesterday is yesterday but because I could start talking about that game and I'd still be going but I'd need to be on the bus down to Victoria. Great game, bad finish if you are an Alberni fan. One can only imagine the joy on the other side of the puck. Can't complain much about the game when the teams treat the fans to almost 90 minutes of hockey. Chance after chance one way didn't find the back of the net, chance after chance the other way didn't find the back of the net, until THE goal went in. And that's where we stand.

Simple, simple. Do or die for the Dogs. A win tonight in the Bear Mountain and game 7 goes Monday at the Pound. A Salsa win and they face Burnaby in the Coast final to go to the league championship series and the Dogs season is over. The Dogs hadn't lost at home in the playoffs until last night, just their third home ice loss all year. The Salsa haven't lost at home in the playoffs yet.

When adversity slaps you in the face, you need to jersey it, and give it about 10 uppercuts. I again was thinking about my times in OCN after last night.

Let me tell a story. Coming into the 2001-2002 season, we were three-peat champs. Three straight league titles. But everytime we went on to play Saskatchewan for the right to go to the Royal Bank Cup, we lost. All all of the three championship seasons we were never in a long series to win the MJ. At the most, maybe ONE six game series in any series from start to finish of the playoffs over those three years. Fast forward to the end of the 2001-2002 season. Second round of the playoffs, for the division title, we got caught in a battle, not unlike the Dogs vs Salsa battle now. Long story short we battled back and went to the first ever game 7 in team history, and the first game 7 in our rinks history. We came out and were tougher worked harder and were more desperate and wanted it more, and we won. After that we didn't end up in a long series. A couple of sweeps, including the league finals, winning at home for the first ever time, the 4th straight league championship. One can say that even a sweep isn't easy. You have to play great to beat any team 4 straight. But this isn't about that. After winning the league finals, we went on to face Saskatchewan, the foe never beaten. We split games 1 and 2 there, and returned home for three straight, and won em all to go to the Royal Bank Cup for the first ever time. No one thought the team could ever beat the Sask. Champs, especially in 5 games. Game three was a close double-ot affair, game 4 was a 6-3 win, and game 5 we bombed them 6-0. My point here is that when it came down to it in the end, the difference was that we were FINALLY tested with enough adversity to make the team realize what was needed for victory. No one was thinking about that second round battle and the 7 game series when it came down to the Royal Bank Cup so much later in May. But it was a factor. The team, the fans, cannot worry about thinking of the end. If you are thinking of the END, you aren't thinking of the NOW. IF the Dogs find a way to jersey adversity tonight and live to fight another day, you just never know what could happen. They could lose game 7. They could play for two more months. Today a hockey game has to be played and the winners will live to fight tomorrow, they will not have to think about the END.

Tonights pregame show is on the air on 93.3 The Peak FM at 6:45 with Ace and myself. The puckdrop is at 7:00.

Send an email to the PRESSBOX

Catch the internet broadcast through the BCHL Fanzone

Thanks for stopping by the blog,
GO DOGS GO
Hammer

Bulldogs Playoffs Gameday, Island Finals Game #5

Hello and thanks for stopping by the blog. Just finished my subway lunch pregame, now a blog post, then off for the pregame nap. After being up since 4:30 this morning for the pre-work gameday walk and the morning show and everything else I do on gameday I hope I'm tired enough to nap this afternoon in spite of how jacked up I am for tonights game.

Pretty simple now. With the series tied 2-2 it's now a best of three to crown the Island Champions, with the Bulldogs having home ice advantage. Whoever wins tonights game 5 will have a chance to win the Island title tomorrow at Bear Mountain. The Dogs, like the Salsa, are unbeaten at home in the playoffs so far. While that doesn't mean anything when the puck drops tonight or tomorrow, it's a stat none the less. The Salsa showed in round one with two victories at the Frank Crane that they are capable of winning in tough rinks. While the Dogs have only lost two games at home all year by no means does that mean that tonight is a given. I hope the team isn't thinking anything else but how hard they have to come out tonight to outwork outhit and outhustle the Salsa to earn a victory. A Salsa fan from the other side of the coin could state that since the Salsa are winless at the Pound this season, they are certainly due. Dog fans hope not, of course, but after the Salsa's 13-2 loss here for game two, no one knows how tough it's going to be tonight more than them. The only thing certain is that this should be a great one tonight.

Our Alberni Engineering pregame show is on the air at 6:45pm on 93.3 The Peak FM with Ace and myself. The puckdrop is at 7:00. Tonights second intermission feature guest is Surrey Eagles play by play voice Colin Tiggelaar. Since the Eagles elimination at the end of the regular season Colin has been hosting "Inside the Race for the Fred Page Cup" on the BCHL homepage, along with everything he's doing inside the BCHL Fanzone from the BCHL offices. We'll talk about what the fanzone offers and Colin's work in putting everything together, along with the "Inside the Race for the Fred Page Cup" Incase you've missed that, it's FREE on the frontpage of www.bchl.bc.ca so take a listen and see what a good show it is. You can listen back from the recaps of game 1 of the playoffs all the way though the first round to the second round preview and recaps. Just click on "click to read the full story" My thanks to Colin for the interview.

Don't forget to send an email to the PRESSBOX

Catch our internet broadcast as well as internet broadcasts of all BCHL playoff games, live scoring updates, full game broadcast archives and postgame shows in the BCHL Fanzone

Thanks for stopping by,
GO DOGS GO
Rip and Tear
and dare I say-
Loud and Proud.

Hammer

Bulldogs Playoffs Gameday, Island Finals Game #4, ticket pickup info for Game 5

Hello and thanks for stopping by the blog. Posting from the hotel in Victoria, getting ready for game 4 tonight. The Dogs 6 game winning streak was snapped last night with their first loss of the playoffs. On the other side, The Salsa had their losing streak snapped at 2, winning for the first time since they beat Nanaimo last Monday. Maybe not a coincidence, it was their first game back at the Bear Mountain Arena. The Salsa did what they usually do to the Dogs at the Bear Mountain. They scored first, and they scored early. Former Bulldog Jordan MacIntryre scored just 55 seconds into the game and it was 1-0. The score remained that way until Maury Edwards backhanded one (we thought off Andrew Estey's stick) before the second was 5 minutes old and it was 1-1. Early in the third the Salsa went ahead 2-1 with Jeff Gagnon scoring on a scramble on the powerplay, the first Salsa powerplay goal of the series. That goal was the only goal not scored on an odd man rush. The first goal was a 3 on 2, the third goal and eventual game winner was a 3 on 2 after the Bulldogs turned it over at the Salsa line on a 3 on 2 of their own, and the fourth goal was a 2 on 1 as the Dogs got caught deep pushing for the equalizer. The 5th was into an empty net. Credit to the Dogs for tying it up 2-2 with an Andrew Ella goal with 10:00 remaining in the third. Credit to the Dogs for taking it to the Salsa in the third outshooting them almost 2 to 1. However, they couldn't score and the Salsa scored on their chances. Sounds simple but that's how it looked to me. To quote Rick Schveink on the postgame show "we felt forunate to be in a 1-1 tie after two periods, the way we played" and "we were for the most part a step behind or a step slow tonight"

Maybe the 13-2 win went to the heads a little, you can't blame the Dogs if that was the case. Last night the Salsa were the more desperate team and it showed on the scoreboard. The Dogs missed on a chance to put a stranglehold on the series. The Salsa took full advantage of their chance to make this a whole new series, and get some much needed confidence after the 13-2 embarrasment Saturday. After all is said and done tonight, it'll look like this. A Dogs win and they lead the series 3-1, and have a chance to win the Island title Friday at the Pound. A Salsa win and whoever wins Friday in Alberni will have a chance to win the series Saturday at the Bear Mountain. Should be a good one.

The pregame show is on the air on 93.3 The Peak FM with Ace and myself at 6:45 from the Bear Mountain Arena. The puckdrop is 7:00. Our second intermission feature guest is Battleford's Stars coach Glen Watson from the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League to talk about the SJHL, the AJHL, the MJHL, and the road to the Royal Bank Cup.

Send an email to the PRESSBOX

Check out the BCHL fanzone for the Internet Broadcast, and Broadcasts of the other playoff series on going. Game broadcasts are also archived for you to listen back to if you missed a game or if you want to relive a game. Postgame shows and game highlights are also things the BCHL Fanzone offers.

Ticket pickup info for Fridays Game 5, 7:00pm at the Pound

Season Ticket Holders/Corporate Sponsors
TODAY (Tuesday) until 5pm upper lounge. No interac, cash and credit card only
TOMORROW (Wednesday) 12 noon-7pm upper lounge. No interac, cash and credit card only

General Public:
THURSDAY 6pm-9pm Bulldogs office

Thanks to Dan and Chris for getting me that info.

I'm out for a nap and a pregame meal, then showtime.
Thanks for stopping by the blog,
GO DOGS GO
Rip and Tear
Hammer

On the road again, PODCAST Round 1 Highlights, Bulldogs Playoffs Gameday, Island Finals Game #3.

Hows that for a title? How was that for a game Saturday night? Team record for goals scored in a game, and in a playoff game. Team record for goals by a player in a game, and in a playoff game, by Tyler Ruel with 6. He hadn't scored a hattrick in 199 BCHL regular season and playoff games with 58 goals scored going into last night. Then he goes out and gets a double hatty. Anyone who watched the Dogs all year agreed with that Jim Hiller said on the post game about Tyler. He was snakebitten for 7 months it seemed, so many chances all season long. Just couldn't score. Hitting things and fantastic saves and bouncing over sticks, whathaveyou. Nice to see him finally get some luck, and then some, around the net last night. It wasn't like he went out and had 20 shots and scored six times. I can only really think of one or two times all night where he tried to score, or set up a goal, and it didn't end up in the net. I guess "one of those nights" but the most extreme of those nights. I'll stop talking about the game now because I won't be able to stop and I have to get to bed. After midnight as I type this. Broadcast is ready for tomorow, clothes are packed and ready. Off to bed then off to the bus tomorrow morning and off to Victoria and on the road again. Love that playoff grind. Won't be an easy game at all. Stakes are HUGE. It's either 3-0 Dogs with a firm grip on the series, or it's 2-1 and it's a whole new game. Don't let 13-2 fool you. That was LAST game. THIS game starts 0-0 regardless of games 1 and 2.

Game three of the Island finals goes tonight at the Bear Mountain Arena. The pregame show is at 6:45 on 93.3 The Peak FM with Ace and myself, the puck drop is at 7:00. Tonights second intermission feature guest is Burnaby Express play by play voice Eddie Gregory to talk about the series on the mainland with the Express up 2-0 and game 3 at Bill Copeland in Burnaby tonight.

Send an email to the PRESSBOX

Catch the internet broadcast through the BCHL Fanzone

Get yourself signed up for the BCHL Fanzone

Colin Tiggelaar is doing a great job with the game night recaps. First thing when I get home that I do after a game is listen to the nights recap. Colin has been getting audio from broadcasters around the BCHL after the games, getting the game story. He also has clips from game highlights. It's a great listen. Again, I also am telling people to sign up to the Fanzone because they have the resources to archive the entire game broadcasts. I could never post ALL the audio from the game. Plus, they have the games archived the night of. I can't get the highlights from the 93.3 The Peak FM broadcast on here that quick, just too much for me to keep up to. So again, I urge you to get signed up. I wouldn't be surprised if there was a couple sign ups from Port Alberni today after the crazy night last night in the Pound. Well worth the $17.00 when I could go home after the game last night and listen to all 13 goals and everything else.

Finally, here's some audio for ya. This is the "Round 1 Highlight Reel" that I threw together, at the request of the players. They asked me earlier this season to make them a highlight reel to music to listen to in the room to get fired up and focused before they come out. They also asked me to update it as the season goes. This is about the third or fourth edition. I would've posted it here sooner, but it was the players to listen to first, then everyone else. I got almost every single Dogs goal from the first round on the reel. Way to go Dogs fans on the road. Love the chanting, and love those AIRHORNS. I know not all rinks allow them, but if the rink you are travelling to allows them, or if you want some more noise at home, hit up Canadian Tire or wherever else they sell them. Could really hear them in Duncan.

Todays Podcast- click to listen- Round1HighlightReel

Thanks for stopping by the blog. Get those comments and questions sent in. STILL don't have enough pictures sent in, especially from fans perspectives on how they see the game, home, road, wherever. CLICK TO SEND THEM- HERE

Thats it, I'm out. Thanks for stopping by the blog.
GO DOGS GO
Rip and Tear
Hammer

Bulldogs Playoffs Gameday, Island Finals Game #1, my degree of gameday.

Hello Dogblog fans and thanks for stopping by. I'm sure everyone is just a little pumped up today for game #1 of the Island Final tonight kicking of at the Dawg Pound as the Bulldogs host the Salsa. You won't get any predicting out of me, except that it will be exciting. Someone will have a four game winning streak snapped tonight, no ties in playoffs. The Dogs of course swept the Capitals, while the Salsa lost game one against Nanaimo before reeling off 4 straight w's to win in game 5 Monday at the Frank Crane. The Alberni Engineering pregame show is on the air on 93.3 The Peak FM tonight at 6:45 with Ace and myself, the puck drop is 7:00. Tonights second intermission feature guest is "JB" the colour commentator for Chilliwack Cheif home broadcasts, among other things. JB gives us his thoughts on the Chiefs vs Express Mainland Final series , of which the winner will face the Bulldogs or the Salsa to advance to the BCHL finals. But that is a long way away.

Those not in the 93.3 The Peak FM listening range can catch the internet broadcast through the BCHL Fanzone. Those wanting to hear internet broadcasts of the other series on going, full game rebroadcast archives, postgame shows, highlights, daily recaps and previews by Colin Tiggelaar, and MORE, get yourself SIGNED UP to the BCHL Fanzone

Lastly, don't forget to send an email to Ace or myself in the PRESSBOX


Alright, now off to "gameday" from my perspective. Dan"thestatsman" requested that I try to post what gameday is like for me, a player, Matt Auerbach, and a coach. This is the second "degree of gameday" after I posted Matt's a while back. My thanks again to Matty for his time and effort in putting it all together. Off to my day.

4:30am- Wake up.
The view out my front door off for a gameday- pre morning show walk to wake me up. The DAWG Pound in a way that most don't see it, around 4:50am on gameday.
The REAL season starts in 14 hours or soAfter the wake up walk, home by 5am for a quick shower and brekkie on the go, at the station by 5:30 or so to get on the air at 6:00am. The morning guys life support, the coffee maker at work.
Peak newsman Rob Diotte prepares for the 6am newscast. At the same time I'm working on sports and weather, as well as all my show prep for 6am to 10am.The control room, fired up by me and ready to go prior to 6am.
Side view, note "Bernie the Bulldog" morning show mascot overlooking the coffee making sure I'm motivated and ready.Rob reading the 6am news.

"Baron" the British-Bulldog bobblehead looks on and rocks on when I get going. He also keeps Bernie in line.
The view outside The Peak studios. Not too nice on this day as is the case most winter mornings. When the sun is shining and it's a clear day it's a great view of the Harbour Quay and the Alberni Inlet.Front door.After I'm off the air at 10am on game day I'll usually spend about 20 to 30 minutes making phone calls, doing interviews, and answering emails. Then it's off to THE PEAK cruiser to head down to the Multiplex to set up the pressbox.


Before
During set up during the Bulldogs morning skate, Jamie Amos drops by for a chat and a check up on me. After. All that's missing is my laptop and all of Ace's stuff that we both bring to the box at around 5pm.Bulldogs finishing the gameday skate with a cool down stretch as I finish setting up.
After I'm done, it's back to work to do any final preperations for the nights game, and the sportscast at noon. Following that, it's home for lunch, then I do my gameday post on the blog. After that, I do any final prep for the broadcast that night, then it's off to bed somewhere around 2pm.

Up at 4pm, shower, shirt and tie, and off to the rink by 5pm. After arriving at 5pm, I interview Bulldog coach Jim Hiller, then a Bulldog player, then the opposition coach. After the interviews are finished, I head back up to the pressbox to listen to them to make sure they are ok, and everything times out.

After warmup starts, it's off to talk to Bulldog assistant coach Rick Schievink to get the Bulldogs lines for the game. Off for a bathroom break, then back to the pressbox to connect to Milli back at the radio station to get everything ready to go when the pregame starts at 6:45. Between coaches interviews scorekeeper Brenda Russell brings up the gamesheet for us to get the game officials, and any lineup changes- scratches, additions, and starting lineups.

7:00pm puck drop and we're fully underway.

Whenever the game is over, pack up the pressbox and the broadcast equipment, and home sometime after 10pm. I'll usually start preparing for the next broadcast that night, especially if the Dogs play the next day. Then bedtime. And so goes my gameday. Hope I didn't leave much out and you found it interesting.

Thanks for stopping by the blog,
GO DOGS GO
Rip and Tear
Hammer

Pictures Pictures, OCN Blizzard video and audio

Hello and thanks for stopping by the blog. First picture today comes courtesy of Dwayne Stern. Dwayne took this picture as Aaron Schepers scored the game winner in triple OT of game 2, to end the longest game in Alberni Valley Bulldogs history. I saw the picture credited to Dwayne in Thursday's Alberni Valley Times Newspaper and asked him if he could email it. Thanks Dwayne.Pictures taken by me from "the landing pad" in Duncan. Pipers opening up game 3, left/right/centre from our broadcast location, and a picture of our setup on the pad. Pictures of Bulldogs fans, the celebration after the game was over and the handshake also. Thanks to the BIG DOG Les Doiron for the picture of the clock after the emptynetter.Alright, now onto some non-Bulldog and non-BCHL talk. Some of my previous experince as a play-by-play broadcaster comes from my time as the voice of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League's O.C.N (short for Opaskwayak Cree Nation) Blizzard. It's hard not to think of my times and experiences in OCN a time or two when it comes down to this time of year. I was there for 4 consecutive league titles, 1 inter-provincial championship, and 1 National Championship, the Royal Bank Cup. Memories indeed. Anyone thats been a part of ONE season like any I had in OCN no doubt has lifelong memories with them. It could take a simple mention of the word "championship", or "RBC" and I get something running through my mind. Sometimes it takes an amazing effort by a Bulldog player or the team as a whole and my mind starts running.

My memory was jogged this time around to years gone by after I was sent an email that had a link to some video highlights from the Blizzard website

It wasn't the greatest of video or the greatest of cameras, but it brought me back. The building there, the dark, menacing, loud, "GLMC" (short for Gordon Lathlin Memorial Centre) was a crazy place, that the DAWG Pound here in Alberni reminds me of at times. The GLMC has the same horn as the Mulitplex does (thats a whole nother story) but the horn is louder I think in OCN because it's not regulated at all and the acoustics in the building there were unreal. With a high arched roof and no acoustic tiles everything was louder than loud. Couple that with almost every single fan having an air horn of some sort and you've got a great place to play a hockey game. Not a great place to CALL a hockeygame just because our broadcast booth had no roof and there was nothing to muffle the noise. Lost the voice more than a couple times there.

Take a look at the video, from the Blizzard advancing in 5 games in round 1.

My memories for the most part are caught in this PODCAST

Not the greatest of quality at times as the clips are from casette, computer, radio, VHS, you name it. Highlights there from the first league championship at home, after winning 3 years in a row, all on the road. More clips from my friend Terence Tootoo, brother to Nashville Predator Jordin Tootoo. The clips were on the reel to begin with, but they carried a bigger meaning after Terence tragically took his own life. Highlights from the RBC as well, and inter-provincial play. While that highlight reel sure takes me back to the past, I always snap back to the present and think of the team here and their chance to give us all memories like those ones that will never go away. More importantly, it's a chance for them to earn those memories for themselves. I'm not handicapping the chances of this team in anyway, but the fact is that if you are still playing, you still have a chance. I've been there and I've seen it and lived it, and I'd sure love to live it again.

Thanks for stopping by the blog,
Hammer

Island Final starts in Alberni Friday+Bulldogs Caps Games 3 and 4 highlights.

Hello Dogblog fans. Just got back from game 5 in Nanaimo where the Salsa eliminated the Clippers with their fourth straight victory of the series, 3-1. Great to see former Bulldog Jordan MacIntyre score the game winner. Tough loss for the Clips no doubt, best of luck to the players moving on in hockey and in life.

With the Clippers departure, the Bulldogs now have home ice in the Island Final. Games 1 and 2 go Friday and Saturday night at the Pound which will be rockin'.

Game 3 highlight reel, Bulldogs vs Caps, click HERE to listen to the podcast of the 93.3 The Peak FM broadcast with Ace and myself.

Game 4 highlight reel, Bulldogs vs Caps, click HERE to listen to the podcast of the 93.3 The Peak FM broadcast with Ace and myself.

To come in the next couple of days, maybe even tomorrow, pictures from the Dogs Caps series, and coming this Friday is MY "degree of gameday" My thanks again to Danthestatsman for the great idea.

Thats all for now. Morning show tomorrow up at 4:30am I'm up wayyyy past my bedtime.

Thanks for stopping by the blog.
Hammer

Bulldogs Playoffs Gameday, Game #3 + BCHL Message Board

It's game 4 in the battle of the valleys tonight as the Bulldogs look to advance and the Caps look to stay alive and force game 5 in Port Alberni Monday after the Bulldogs won game 3 4-3 in double overtime on an Andrew Ella winner. Before last night the last Bulldogs game in Duncan was a 2-1 Dogs victory on December 1st. Who scored the game winner? Andrew Ella.

The 93.3 The Peak FM pregame show is on the air with Ace and myself at 7:15, the puck drop is at 7:30. Tonights second intermission feature guest is BCHL commissioner John Grisdale.

Send an email to the PRESSBOX

Catch the internet broadcast on the BCHL's FANZONE

Don't forget that the BCHL has ramped up the fanzone with the archiving of complete game broadcasts, postgame shows, and game highlights. I had people already emailing me when I got home last night requesting I send them Andrew Ella's game winner, or that I post it on the blog. I haven't had a chance to get to the radio station to get that audio and do all the editing, but it was on the fanzone for me to listen to by the time I got home last night. So again, read yesterday's post and get signed up!

Now, to the BCHL message board. First off, thanks to everyone who was chatting in the chat room last night while listening to our broadcast who told "LRT" to email us. Good to know you are all listening while chatting. I hope you are keeping it civil.

Now, to this message board jem I stumbled onto today:

Albernis Problem

Alberni is notorious for turning themselves into victims on this site. Last night it was coins thrown at their bench. This was apparently reported by Mr.Hammer and repeated here by people sitting at home that perhaps can't afford a ticket or the gas to get there to watch for themselves. I'm sure Hammer has a cell phone, 911 is an easy number to remember.... the call should have gone in right away. Such actions are an intent to injure at least. The row behind the Alberni box was all Port fans they could be eliminated from suspicion making the job much easier for the police. The section beside is all medical doctors, is it not safe to assume they would not condone such behaviour? After all if anyone is hurt they have to get to work and couldn't continue to watch that awesome hockey game. The security guards covering the neighbouring sections were not called or Arena staff for that matter, did Hammer just think he may have seen a coin fly through the air? All this drama just takes away from the fact that the "VERY YOUNG CAPITALS TEAM" have given the much older and experienced Bulldogs a run for their money. The Caps were 34 points behind in regular season and yet 2 games have gone into at least double overtime, one was won on a possible offside goal and the other was just a plain good old garbage goal. Cowichan has alot to look forward to. With all but 3 players eligible to return and a little luck who knows what will happen.

OK. I'll stick to the parts the contain to me. I enjoy doing games from "the landing pad" as we call it at the big stick. I enjoy the people there too, and Ace and myself haven't had a problem with any of them. Sure, there's lots of yelling, and screaming, and insults, and profanity, but it's a hockey game, and they are hockeyfans. They paid their money and they can say whatever they want. Coins into the bench though? The line is drawn ANYWHERE when it comes to foreign objects thrown into the players bench. While throwing a coin onto a bench isn't going to hurt a player, that isn't the desired result anyway. It shouldn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what a coin can do to a skate edge. Injury could indeed be the end result when a player steps on the ice and has no edges underneath him. More likely he'll be falling all over the ice. Hard to play the game that way. Exactly why the coins were thrown into the bench. To the mans credit, he stopped when I took a commercial and yelled down to the fans right behind the bench to warn the players what he was doing. Their reply to me when I said "tell them he's throwing coins" was "we know, we saw" If anyone is making a dramatic situation, it's the message board poster. I warned the bench, the guy stopped. I saw Sheri from the Capitals between the first and second overtime and notified her of this gentlemans actions. She said that it was intolerable and she would take care of him immediatley. I requested that she leave him be, afterall, he stopped when I told the bench he was doing it. I said that I didn't want to be the bad guy, but that if I caught him doing it again I would go tell security to get him removed. I never said anything negative about the Capitals players or organization. How could I? They have played hard and for the most part honest (we'll leave the puck into the bench out of it, enough people saw that for themselves) and with a break or two anyway this series could be totally reversed. As I said off the top I have no problem with yelling and screaming and passion but throwing crap into the bench, especially something designed to wreck skates, is not something I will stand for.


Thanks for stopping by the blog,
GO DOGS GO
Rip and Tear
LOVE those airhorns,
Hammer

Bulldogs Playoffs Gameday, Game #3 + BCHL Fanzone

Hello, happy Friday and thanks for stopping by the blog.

To start off today, game 1 and game 2 highlights.

Game 1-To listen to highlights from the 93.3 The Peak FM broadcast, click here

Game 2-To listen to highlights from the 93.3 The Peak FM broadcast, click here

BUY the BCHL Fanzone subscription. It's more than worth the $17.00. Just to be clear- I am not being put up to this endorsement, this is MY blog remember. One of the new features added for playoffs is the archiving of the fanzone broadcasts, from start to finish. I always feel bad posting highlights on here as I have to cut and chop so much out. It's ALOT of work to get any highlights here, trust me on that. I could never put an entire broadcast on here, or anywhere near the audio they are archiving on the fanzone. Not enough time or computer resources. Getting a fanzone subscription gives you broadcasts of every single BCHL game, and live game updates. Mostly, it gives you more than I could in the way of audio, and it might take some of the work load off of me, so get signed up.

Game 3 goes tonight in Duncan at the "big stick" on Hockeyville day in Cowichan. Should be a good one. I hope games #1 and #2 have shown you all the futility of attempting to predict anything. That's why I don't predict. I just keep busy doing the play by play. The Alberni Engineering pregame show on 93.3 The Peak FM is on the air at 7:15 with Ace and myself, and the puckdrop is 7:30.

Don't forget to send an EMAIL to the pressbox

Internet Broadcast and archives, BCHL Fanzone

Thanks for stopping by the blog,
GO DOGS GO
Rip and Tear.

Hammer

What was more predictable?

After game 2, the question I ask is:

What was more predictable, the 10-7 game 1 shootout, or triple OT in game 2?

Hard to argue that anyone would ever predict EITHER.

Just about 12 hours after we were wrapping up in the pressbox last night after the come-from-behind triple overtime 4-3 Bulldogs win, I'm home from work after somehow getting up at 5am today for the morning show. I'm a trooper in my own eyes at least, thats for sure. My thanks to Aaron Schepers for making getting up this morning a little less painful. If the Caps would've emerged the winners last night, would've maybe been a little harder to get up and at it.

Good game for the Caps, good game for the Dogs. Atkinson great in the Caps goal. What energy in the Pound when the Dogs tied it with 1:31 left, and when they won it in triple OT. Aaron Schepers BOTH goals. Nice to see Tyler Ruel score in his return from suspension, and great to see Joe Scali score again. Three for Schepers, Kremyr, and Scali through 2 games now.

Thats all the thoughts I have, I really need a bed. Thanks for stopping by the blog, down to Duncan tomorrow, will post tomorrow. Hopefully will find the time to get some highlights on here too.

Hammer.

Bulldogs Playoffs Gameday, Game #2

Game 2 of the Island Division Semi Final series between the Dogs and Caps goes tonight at the Dawg Pound as the Battle of the Valleys heats up again.

Who knows what to expect tonight after what we saw last night. Although throughout the 9 game series there have been some games on both ends of the spectrum (remember 1-0 Bulldogs final earlier on in Cowichan!?) no one would've predicted the score last night. If there is any current trend though, it's that the Caps and Dogs have no problem scoring against each other. Remember the last head to head game in the regular season ended up 7-5 Bulldogs. At the time 12 goals was high. Last night there was 11 goals scored the end of the second alone. The Bulldogs scored 3 on the PP, 6 even strength, and 1 shorthanded. The Caps had FIVE powerplay goals, 1 shorthanded effort, and 1 even strength. I hope all that is close to correct.

Tonights pregame show is at 6:45 on 93.3 The Peak FM from the Dawg Pound, the puck drop is 7:00.

In tonights second intermission we will give you some bonus BCHL coverage, as we will pick up the BCHL Fanzone's internet broadcast of the Clippers vs Salsa game with Clipper play-by-play man Pat Sidlecki from our sister station 106.9 The Wolf in Nanaimo

Don't forget to send an email to the PRESSBOX

Those of you not in the 93.3 The Peak FM listening area, catch the Internet Broadcast through the BCHL's Fanzone

Thanks for stopping by the blog,
GO DOGS GO
Be Loud Be Proud
Rip and Tear
Hammer

That's all I got, haha. After the game last night and the morning show this morning, I'm off for a pregame nap before doing it all again tonight!

! The following is not a football score.

Bulldogs win game 1 10-7.

What can be said besides the Bulldogs won the shootout at the OK corral today in a nightmare for goalies, coaches, and defenseman at the Dawg Pound. Nothing but sweet dreams for most of the forwards. Will post more tomorrow, but fun night, good to get back in the rink again. Good job Dogs. First time past 8 and first time for double digits for the Dogs this season if I'm not mistaken. Also, on the other side, I think it's the first time the team gave up more than 6 this year. Too many things to look up for now, I have a morning show tomorrow.

I liked seeing Bud with the Be Loud Be Proud sign below me tonight, and I was impressed with the amounts of hats tonight. I remember when Devin Timberlake scored the hattrick Ace saying "theres the hattrick for Timberlake Hammer" and there was 1 hat I think on the ice. I said "come on people, you'll get your hats back" Sure enough tonight, there was a good number of hats, and from what I saw, everyone got them back.

Thanks for stopping by the blog
Go Dogs Go,
Hammer.

Bulldogs Playoffs Gameday, Game #1

Well it's finally here, the second season, the "real" season, the road to the Fred Page Cup, Doyle Cup, and Royal Bank Cup.

It should be a very tough, very entertaining, match up as the Dogs take on the Cowichan Valley Capitals.

Tonight is game 1 of the series and the Bulldogs will be without coach Jim Hiller and forward Tyler Ruel due to two goalie interference penalties in Chilliwack Saturday.

The pregame show is live on the air from the Dawg Pound tonight at 6:45 on 93.3 The Peak FM with Ace and myself. The puckdrop is 7:00

Send an email to the PRESSBOX

If you're out of the Alberni Valley and the 93.3 The Peak FM listening range catch the internet broadcast through the BCHL's Fanzone

A while back I talked about danthestatsman's idea of different perspectives of how people go about gameday. I'm taking pictures today to post my "degree of gameday" soon, so watch for that.

Thanks for stopping by the blog,
GO DOGS GO
Rip and Tear.

Hammer

Todays Post- Pictures, Podcast, Playoffs.

Hello and thanks for stopping by the blog. If you are associated with the Bulldogs in anyway, I hope you are over the pain of the weekend, or are at least close to it. There's no time to feel sorry for oneself, the playoffs start tomorrow!

For most of my thoughts on the end of the season, and the start of the season, I''ve podcasted this clip from my morning show this morning on 93.3 The Peak FM.

Click HERE to listen. I would've typed it out, but I would still be typing I think. So many thoughts, but that's where I'll leave it. Again, no offense intended from my comments. This is my "blog", and my personal thoughts, so please don't take them as any more than that. Give anyone else in my position an "off the cuff" 7 or 8 minutes of talking their own thoughts on hard fought games and someone is bound to not agree with what they hear.

Picture time. From the Outhouse to the Penthouse. No offense intended to Langley, but from the "chicken coop" we broadcasted from there, to the great digs we had in Chilliwack, that's the best comparison. Funny that last time the Bulldogs were on the road, it went the opposite way, Penthouse to Outhouse. From the great pressbox and rink in Vernon to the "different" broadcast booth in Merritt the next night. Again, no offense indended to Merritt.

View of "the booth" in Langley, and views out from inside while we call a game.
The sparkling Prospera Centre in Chilliwack. View of the bar/restaurant, living the high life in the luxury boxes, a long way down, and the Left/Centre/Right view from our vantage point.





My thanks to Kris and JB for their help in Chilliwack this weekend, and my thanks to Chilliwack Bruins President/owner Darryl Porter for his time for the interview Saturday night. Nice to be able to talk to Rosco, Vanni, Laura and anyone else I forgot.

It's the real deal tomorrow, should be fun and should be roof-loosening in the Dawg Pound.

Thanks for stopping by the blog,
GO DOGS GO
Hammer

Bulldogs Game Day #59 vs Hornets

Hi, and thanks for stopping by the blog. Sitting in the hotel room getting final preperations ready for tonights game after returning from the Bulldogs game day skate this morning here on the lower mainland.

Two games left in the regular season, and the Bulldogs will end the season where the began it, on the road. Little known fact- The Bulldogs were the only team in the BCHL to start the season with three straight road games. Another fact- The Bulldogs are the only Coastal Conference team to have their last two games of the season on the road. All of the teams in the Coast besides the Bulldogs have at least 1 of their final two games at home. In the Interior it's different. Prince George, Quesnel, and Salmon Arm all finish the final weekend of the regular season off with a couple of games on the road.

For the Bulldogs, it's simple. Well, simple to SAY and figure out, but I'm sure not simple to do. A win 1 of their 2 remaining games will clinch first on the Island, first in the Coastal Conference, and first overall and the banners and "Chevy Cup" trophy that goes with it. Home ice advantage through the Island and Coastal playoffs is also one of the spoils that goes to the regular season victor. Home ice would not come of it if it came down to the league finals, as that is on a "flip/flop" basis between the Coast and Interior Conferences. This year, the league finals start in the Interior. One could argue that the regular season means nothing, the playoffs are where it counts. To an extent that is true. Fans or players or owners or coaches of any team play to be champs, not regular season champs. The regular season DOES mean something when it comes to home ice advantage, seeding, etc. Of course it means something to the fans of the regular season champs too, because they will then have a lasting memory, a banner, hung in their rink to remind them of that season.

Tonights 93.3 The Peak FM Bulldogs broadcast gets under way with our pregame show at 7:15pm, with the puck drop at 7:30 from the George Preston Recreation Centre in Langley. I don't know about you but until about 10 minutes ago I thought it was still the Langley Civic Centre. That name has since been changed, according to the newspaper Ace was just reading. Tonights second intermission feature guest is Chilliwack Chief colour analyst "JB" to set up the Dogs vs Chiefs game tomorrow, to talk about the end of the era in Chilliwack, and of course the starting of a new one.

Send an email to the PRESSBOX

If you are out of the Alberni Valley and the 93.3 The Peak FM listening range, or if you'd like to catch the play by play of any other BCHL games, check out our internet broadcast and everything else on the BCHL Fanzone.

Thanks for stopping by the blog,
GO DOGS GO

Hammer

Hockeyville Aerial shot, Bulldogs team year end awards banquet.

Hello and thanks for checking the blog. My thanks to Rob Nichele from Nichele Portrait Studio for sending me this Hockeyville picture, from the top of the PAFD ladder truck! Anyone up for counting heads, Gwyn says she isn't, haha.

I was pleased to be a guest with Ace as team media yesterday, at the Bulldogs year end regular season awards banquet at the Best Western Barclay Hotel. In attendance was the Bulldogs ownership, hockey and office staff, players, billett families, volunteers, security, booster club members, and others.

Here's the 2005-2006 Bulldogs awards:

Rookie of the Year - Maury Edwards
Best Defenceman - Bert Watkins
Most Improved Player- Issac Smeltzer
Coaches Award - Devin Timberlake
Entrepreneur Award - Tyler Boice
Humanitarian Award - Stephen Pattison
Most Sportsman Like Player - Jordan Kremyr
Chevy Cup Fan Choice - Andrew Estey
Un Sung Hero - Harry Zolnierczyk
Most Valuable Player - Brian Stewart

Congrats to all award winners. One of the comments said last night that I liked was along these lines

"when you have a good team, that also happens to be a good "team" you can have an award for every single player in the certain ways they contribute"

Knowing the Bulldogs as they do I agreed with that comment, every player does their important part.

Thanks for stopping by the blog, if you have any pictures or any ideas shoot me an email HERE

Thanks for stopping by!
Hammer