Competitive (Rep) Team Coach Applications
For those interested in coaching any competitive team, you must complete an application and submit it by June 30th. This includes “A” or “B” teams in Atom, PeeWee, Bantam, Midget. Registration numbers will determine whether competitive teams will be formed. For any further information, please Rob Gaudreault 250-724-3610 or Al McCulloch 250-723-5499.
Submit your application to:
Al McCulloch, AVMHA President
Email: aligm99@hotmail.com
Postal: PO Box 241, Port Alberni, BC V9Y 7M7
Drop-off: AVMHA Office – Drop Box
PEEWEE BULLDOGS WIN GOLD
The Best Western Barclay Hotel Peewee Bulldogs capped off the season with a gold medal performance at the annual Ridge Meadows Spring Break Rep tournament this week.
The Peewee Bulldogs posted a 2-win, 1-loss, 1-tie record in round robin play to advance to the playoff round in 3rd place. In the semi-final the Bulldogs defeated Campbell River in an exciting 6 – 5 overtime game. Down 4 – 1 going into the 3rd, the bulldogs dug deep and scored 3 unanswered goals to tie the game with 9 minutes left in the final frame. Campbell River scored their 5th goal just minutes later to retake the lead but the Bulldogs battled back once again to tie the game with 4 minutes left. In the 5 minute, 4 on 4, overtime period, the bulldogs killed off an early penalty and then clinched the victory when Colton Lloyd scored with 1:16 remaining to advance to the gold medal game.
In the final against island arch rivals, the Saanich Braves, the Bulldogs came out flying and took control early, holding a 2 – 0 lead for most of the first before the Braves got on the board late in the period. In the 2nd, the Bulldogs scored first again to regain the 2 goal lead before Saanich was able to find the back of the net with 5 minutes left in the period. The Bulldogs then posted 4 unanswered goals and held the hard charging Saanich team off the scoreboard for the remainder of the game to claim the peewee tournament title. The Bulldogs leadership proved strong in the game with assistant captain Tynan Smyth picking up the hat trick. 2nd assistant Shay-lee McConnell found the back of the net twice and captain Nico Somerville stuffed in the final marker enroute to a 6 – 2 victory.
Tournament Game Summary
vs. Port Coquitlam 5 – 1 win
Player of the game Foster Martin
__________________________
vs. Vancouver Spirit 3 – 3 tie
Player of game Ezra Paddock
__________________________
vs. Ridge Meadows 6 – 0 win
Player of the game Noah Fatur
__________________________
vs. Terrace 4 – 6 loss
Player of the game Shay-lee McConnell
__________________________
vs. Campbell River 6 – 5 win
Player of the game Tanner Doucette
__________________________
vs. Saanich 6 – 2 win
Player of the game Tynan Smyth
The Peewee Bulldogs would like to thank their sponsors – the Best Western Barclay Hotel, GDM Boom & Sort and Smittys Restaurant – along with their coaches and families for their ongoing support this season.
Submitted by Stefanie Weber
RECREATION HOCKEY – MID ISLAND PLAYOFFS
We are proud to have 7 recreation hockey teams in the playoffs in the Mid Island League. Here is a list of games the AVMHA teams playing in the Finals. Unfortunately none of the games are being played locally. This is an unofficial list. If there are any errors, please notify avmha.webadmin@shaw.ca
Error: Female Midget – March 10 – Female AV Midget vs Nanaimo should start at 12:30 and Comox vs Cow. Valley should start at 3:15.
AVMHA BULLDOGS PLAYOFF SCHEDULE
Midget (Tier 2) Van Isle Ford Bulldogs - Island League Champions
MIDGET TIER 2 (Van Isle Ford)
-
Semi Final game - Feb. 19, (Home) 3:15 – 5:45 pm – Alberni 7 vs Saanich 4
-
Finals – Game 1 – Sat. Feb. 25, (Home) 1:45 – 4:15 pm - Alberni 3 vs Powell River 7
-
Finals – Game 2 – Sun. Feb. 26, 1:15 – 3:45 pm – Powell River vs Alberni
-
Powell River Midgets advance to the BC Championship
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Bantam (Tier 2) West Coast Cutting & Coring
BANTAM TIER 2 (West Coast Cutting & Coring)
-
Semi Final game - Feb. 18, (at home) 2:30 – 5:00 pm - Alberni 5 vs Saanich 3
-
Finals – Game 1 – Sat. Feb. 25 - 4:30 – 7:00 pm – Alberni 4 vs Campbell River 9
-
Finals – Game 2 – Sun. Feb. 26 – 2:00 – 4:30 pm – Campbell River vs Alberni
-
Campbell River Bantams advance to the BC Championships
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
PeeWee (Tier 2) Barclay Hotel-Smitty's-GDM Boom & Sort - Island League Champs
PEEWEE TIER 2 (Barclay Hotel-Smitty’s-GDM Boom & Sort)
-
Semi Final game – Feb. 18, 12:00 – 2:20 pm – Bear Mountain - Juan de Fuca 9 vs Alberni 0
BANTAM BULLDOGS WIN BIG
A BIG Win with the West Coast Cutting & Coring Bantam AA Bulldogs knocking out the Saanich Braves and winning home ice advantage for the Final best of 3 Round –vs- Campbell River. It was a must win game for the hard fighting West Coast Cutting & Coring Bantam AA Bulldogs on Saturday (Feb. 18) at home in front of their home town fans. It was a single round knock out game against Saanich Braves.
The scoring did not take long to get started with Saanich netting the first goal only 1:57 into the first period. Back and forth action saw both goalies facing shots and lots of action in front of the net. At the 10:05 mark of the first period Codie Beecroft passed the puck to Ethan Sundstrum and he was sure to hit the target to tie the game. Six minutes into the second period, on the power play Saanich went up 2-1. Just 1 minute and 44 seconds later Kyle May moved the puck to Tristan McLeod and he skated through the defence and slammed one past the Saanich goalie to tie the game once again. Less then 2 minutes later, Ashton Locke made a smooth pass to Sundstrum, who again ripped a shot past the goalie, and for the first time during the game the Dogs took the lead. In the third period the Bulldogs started strong and with teamwork and great passing James Mcleod scored to put the home team ahead by 2 goals, Beecroft snagged his 2nd assist of the game. Saanich switched up their goaltending, hoping to get a last chance to get back into the game. However, May and James Mcleod wanted to get insurance and they assisted Sundstrum’s 3rd goal of the game.
Referee’s had to take a moment to pick up several hats that the local Midget team threw out to support their Bantam Dogs and Sundstrum’s hat trick. With a little more then 2 minutes left in the game, Saanich scored the last goal of the game on a power play, but it was not enough, as the Bantam Dogs secured the 5-3 win. The AV Bantam A Team will now move onto the final round, which is a best of three series, facing the Campbell River Tyee’s. Game 1 will be this Saturday February 25 @ 4:30 pm. Come out and cheer your local AV Bantam Bulldogs.
Submitted by Dave & Sheila Beecroft
Photos by Dave Cusson
BANTAM BULLDOGS IN FINALS
West Coast Cutting & Coring Bantam Bulldogs (Tier 2) won the semi-final game against Saanich Braves on Saturday, February 18, 2012 with the final score 5 – 3.
photos by Dave Cusson
MIDGET BULLDOGS IN FINALS
MIDGET BULLDOGS WIN SEMI – HOME ICE FOR CHAMPIONSHIP
The Van Isle Ford Midget Bulldogs advanced to the Vancouver Island Championship with a 7-4 victory on Sunday in their semi-final game against Saanich Braves. Five hundred fans cheered as the team cranked it up to overtake the visitors in the final 10 minutes. Powell River downed the Grizzlies 5-2 at Bear Mountain in the other semi-final on Saturday.
Alberni Valley will now take on Powell River in the best of three championship series. The first game will be at 1:45 PM, Saturday February 25th at the Alberni Valley Multiplex. Then both teams will head to Powell River for Game 2. Game 3 if necessary will be back in Port Alberni on March 3rd.
In Sunday’s game the host Bulldogs played cautiously to start and spent a lot of time in their own zone. They allowed Saanich a one goal lead at 12:13 of the first period. Chase Gaudreault evened that up at 4:29 with helpers from Logan Savard and blue liner Tyler Ibsen.
In the middle of the second period Saanich jammed the crease to go up 2-1. Colby Lim on power play led a pass to Cam MacAdams who worked it to the net and then dropped the puck in the slot for Beau Wilson to make it 2-2. But Saanich came right back to take the lead again at 5:26 and held on to the end of the period.
Although the Bulldogs ramped up their game in the third period, Saanich was just as determined and held the 3-2 lead until the middle of the frame. The turning point came near the middle of the period when goalie Gianni Crema stoned a Saanich breakaway attempt. Then at 10:58 Tyler Wilhelm hammered the puck through the 5 hole from right in front. Cory Beecroft assisted. It was the first of five unanswered goals. MacAdams from Savard and Ibsen made it 4-3 at 9:59. Beecroft and Lim set up Wilhelm’s second goal with a man advantage at 6:54, then Lim scored unassisted off a rebound at 3:41. Finally Wilhelm and Lim supported Gaudreault’s second goal with 1:38 left. Saanich still had some bite and took one back for the 7-4 final score.
Coach Brent Demerais said of the team, “Their size and conditioning paid off in the end. The game turned when they started going hard to the net.”
The players took a moment to salute their fans after the game. They are looking forward to the first championship game on Saturday and hope to see the same people and more come out. There will be two championship games that day as both the Midget A and Bantam Rep teams will be playing back to back. Come out and see what our Alberni Valley boys will do!
Midget Bulldog Colby Lim (21) raises his stick after scoring the sixth goal in the weekend semi-final against Saanich. Lim had 4 points in the game. Cory Beecroft (7) right had two assists.
Referee signals Midget Bulldog Tyler Wilhelm's tying goal in the third period of the Midget Bulldogs semi-final game vs Saanich
Midget Bulldog Cam MacAdams (16) scores the game winning 4th goal in semi-final action against Saanich on Sunday. Logan Savard (11) and Tyler Ibsen (3) assisted.
Submitted by Simon Read
MIDGET BULLDOGS BRING HOCKEY SEMI-FINAL TO HOME ICE
The Van Isle Ford Midget Bulldogs made the trip to Powell River on February 11 and battled to a 4-3 win over the home team. The victory puts Alberni Valley first in the North Island Division of the Vancouver Island T2 play-offs and gives them home ice advantage for the semi-final game against South Island on February 19th.
The game stayed close as the Bulldogs gradually wore down their opposition with unrelenting physical play. Powell River scored first on a man advantage half way through the first period. The Bulldog power play evened it up at 14:03 of the second period. Colby Lim passed across the crease for a racing Brandon Antonichuk to jam in at the corner. On another power play in the middle of the second, Cameron MacAdams won a battle in the corner against two defenders, then got to the crease in time to screen an outside shot from Spencer Pierce. Greg Tuckerman picked up an assist. Powell River got even almost immediately and then, playing 5 on 3, pulled ahead 3-2.
The Bulldogs kept up the pressure until with six seconds left Nathan Read jumped on a clearing attempt and one-timed the puck to the top right corner. Chase Gaudreault and Logan Savard recorded assists as the period ended 3-3.
Five minutes into the final frame Tuckerman took a pass from Ryan Buse, then banked it off a Powell River defender to put the Bulldogs in the lead again with their third power play goal. Sam Visona earned the second assist. After that the Bulldogs defensive play held Powell River out of scoring range for the rest of the period, except for a few anxious minutes killing off a late penalty. Final score 4-3.
Coach Brent Demerais complimented the team for picking up a hard fought win on the road. He said, “It’s never easy to win on this trip, but we put out a solid team effort. Playing and winning in Division 1 all season gave us an edge over Powell River (who won the lower Division 2). Our guys were winning the battles in the corners and getting them to cough up the puck. Gianni Crema was good in goal and we had a real hard working defence.”
Two dozen of the team’s biggest fans also went to Powell River and made their support known there. The Midget Bulldogs are also looking for as many fans as possible to come out to support them during the semi-final game against the Saanich Braves on Sunday February 19th.
There will be a chance to meet the players outside the Multiplex before the game, with hot dogs and soft drinks available from 1 PM. Game time is 3:15 to 5:45 PM and admission is free. The winner of this game will advance to play for the Island Championship.
Submitted by Simon Read
MIDGET “B” BULLDOG UPDATE
The AVMHA Midget B Rep team, sponsored by Jal Design, Subway and Triple A Photos, will play one of its most important games of the season on home ice, this Saturday Feb. 11th against Comox-2, starting at 3:00 p.m.
In the Island Playoff Series, each of the teams has a win and a loss, so only the winner will go on to the finals in a best of three games , to be played against the winner of this weekend’s game between Nanaimo and Cowichan. It will be a tough battle as all four teams are quite evenly matched – anyone could win.
Despite missing the teams’ two top scorers (Liam Macleod -36 pts, who was off the past 4 games with a shoulder injury - and Connor Gagnon – 31 pts, missing in the last two) the Midget B Bulldogs have won 3 out of the 4 last games. Hopefully Liam and Connor will be back for this crucial game as the Bulldogs will be missing two dependable defensive players, brothers Gary & James Martin. Come on out for some exciting hockey at the Alberni Valley Multiplex this weekend and see what happens!
To update, the Midget B Bulldogs got off to a great start in the playoffs, with a solid 7-2 victory against Cowichan on January 28th, spreading out their goals with 3 in the 1st, 2 in the 2nd and 2 in the 3rd. Connor Gagnon ended up with a hat trick, Ellis Martin scored 2 and Giordano Corlazzoli and Cameron James each scored one. Matt McLeod contributed 4 assists, Wesley Schutt had 2 assists and Cam Blake, Cameron and Connor each got one.
The following day, on home ice once again, the Midget B Bulldogs won an exhibition game against Peninsula3 with a score of 6-3. After a scoreless first period, the Bulldogs dominated the second period with goals from Dawson Marlett, Jordan Lavertu (AP), Matt , Gary Martin, and Connor. Assists were from Colin Mowat, Ellis, Cam, Daryl Defrietus, Connor, Cameron, Wesley and Matt . Third period play continued with good team efforts resulting in a goal by Cameron assisted by James and Ellis. Team and spectator excitement soared when Andrew Cusson stopped a penalty shot in the 3rd period.
This past weekend the AVMHA Midget B’s travelled to Victoria on Saturday the 4th for an Exhibition game against Saanich4, winning 10-1, a near-shut-out-game for goalie Jason Brunt. First period goals were both scored by Ellis, assisted by Wesley. In the second period, Matt got 3 goals, assisted twice by Cameron and once by Gary; Wes got his first of the game assisted by Ellis, and the AP line saw Jordan score from a pass by Tyrell Terryberry. Third period play led with the Ellis/Wes combo again, and a first of the season goal for Jory Cole assisted by Matt and Cam. The final goal was scored by Giordano assisted by Ellis.
Unfortunately, the next day resulted in a narrow 4-3 loss against Nanaimo2 at the NIC (Nanaimo Ice Centre). Colin Mowat put in the first goal of the game, assisted by Dawson Marlett on a power play. Cameron James put one in assisted by AP Shayla Frechette, who had neither played or practiced with this team. Second period play found Wes Schutt rack up another point, assisted by James Martin on a powerplay. No goals were scored in the 3rd period for either team. Cam Blake had a good opportunity with a penalty shot however. All of Nanaimo’s goals were scored on powerplays. As with any game, if the Bulldogs can stay out of the penalty box they all, whether on offense or defense, have the potential to score and win! Let’s hope they come out to Saturday’s game well-rested and ready to give their best individual and team effort to continue to the Playoff Finals!
Submitted by Carolyn Corlazzoli
MIDGET “A” 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.
Midget Bulldog Beau Wilson (15) scores the opening goal in weekend action against Oceanside. Wilson had two goals and an assist in the game. Colby Lim (21) also had two goals and an assist.
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.
Referee signals tying goal by Midget Bulldog Colby Lim (21) right in play off action against Oceanside on Sunday. Nathan Read (18) and Beau Wilson (15) assisted on the goal.
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.
Submitted by Simon Read
MIDGET “A” BULLDOGS ISLAND LEAGUE CHAMPS
#1 Gianni Crema, #2 Ryan Buse, #3 Tyler Ibsen, #7 Cory Beecroft, #9 Tyler Wilhelm, #10 Brad Cowan, #11 Logan Savard, #12 Brett Williscroft, #13 Sam Visona, #14 Greg Tuckerman, #15 Beau Wilson, #16 Cam MacAdams, #18 Nathan Read, #19 Brandon Antonichuk, #21 Colby Lim, #22 Chase Gaudreault #23 Spencer Pierce, and #35 Bryce Dirocco. Head Coach Brent Demerais, Coaches Rob Gaudreault and Jeff Carey, supported by Team Manager Brenda Read, Safety Person Bruno Visona, and dryland coaches Dave and Jill Sherwood.
DIVISION 1 CHAMPIONS! MIDGET BULLDOGS COLLECT BANNER
It’s official. Alberni Valley’s Van Isle Ford Midget Rep Bulldogs are the number one team in Division 1 of the Vancouver Island Hockey League. Al McCulloch presented the Championship Banner to the team on behalf of the VIAHA Executive immediately after the last league game on Sunday January 22. Even down a few players, the Bulldogs were able to outgun Nanaimo Clippers T1 by 5-3 to conclude the regular season with a record of 10 wins, 1 loss and 1 tie. They pulled ahead of Nanaimo in the first period. The first goal was pounded in from the high slot by Cameron MacAdams at 11:46 on a two man advantage. Logan Savard assisted. Seconds later, still on power play, Cory Beecroft put a shot on goal as Spencer Pierce set up the screen. Brandon Antonichuk swooped on the rebound and snapped it inside the left post to make it 2-0. With thirty seconds to go Sam Visona raced the Nanaimo defence down the left boards, then put a nice pass on the tape for Greg Tuckerman to finish into open net on the other side.
Six of eight goals in this game came on power plays. The only goal in the second period went to Nanaimo with a man advantage. Ryan Buse restored the three goal lead for Alberni Valley on a power play early in the third. Antonichuk and Visona collected the assists. After that Nanaimo capitalized on two more power play opportunities to narrow the gap to a single goal. Greg Tuckerman’s long empty netter sealed the victory for Alberni Valley with only seven seconds left.
Al McCulloch, President of Alberni Valley MHA, presents the Division 1 Championship Banner to Midget T2 Bulldog team captain Brandon Antonichuk on behalf of the VIAHA Executive.
The Van Isle Ford Midget Bulldogs were not the only Alberni Valley team to be declared Champions on Sunday. The quality of Alberni Valley Minor Hockey was also shown by the Peewee Bulldogs who were presented with their Banner for the VIHL Peewee Division 2 Championship. Congratulations to all the players, coaches and others who have worked all season to make this possible. Now it’s on to the play-offs. The Midget Bulldogs will have home ice for their first play-off game against Oceanside at 5 PM on Sunday February 5.
Submitted by Simon Read
PEEWEE “A” BULLDOGS ISLAND LEAGUE CHAMPS
(left to right) Kneeling - Tanner Doucette, Jaysen MacLean. Front Row - Colton Lloyd, Nico Somerville, Tynan Smyth, Wyatt Selva, Nick Sexton. 2nd Row - Austin Marling, Shay-lee McConnell, Matthew Netzer, Noah Fatur, Jayden Moss, Brennan Locke, Foster Martin, Ezra Paddock, Ayden Brossoit, Coach Greg Smyth. Back Row - Coach Dan Sexton, Ethan Jack, Connor Sabiston, Coach Dave McConnell.
The Best Western Barclay Hotel Peewee A Bulldogs are the 2011 – 2012 Island League Division 2 Champions. The Peewee Bulldogs posted a strong 9 and 1 record in league play which began in late October and wrapped up this past weekend.
To start the season Alberni posted 7 – 6 and 4 -3 victories over Powell River followed by 2 – 0 and 12 – 0 decisions against south island opponents the Victoria Ice Hawks and Peninsula Eagles. Alberni claimed a 5th straight win, 7 – 1 over Oceanside, before taking their only loss in league play, a tight 2 – 1 game against Kerry Park.
The month of January saw the Peewee A team round out their 10 game league schedule with 4 more wins, posting a 4 – 2 victory over Victoria, an 8 – 6 decision against Kerry Park and wins this past weekend, 2- 1 on Saturday versus the Generals A team in Oceanside and 5 – 2 at home over the visiting Peninsula Eagles on Sunday.
The team will now step into the hunt for a berth at the 2012 provincial championships. Alberni’s playoff quest begins in Oceanside on Feb 5th and the team will see their next home action at the Multiplex at 12:30pm on Sunday February 12th when they take on the Campbell River Tyees.
The Peewee A Bulldogs would like to thank their sponsors, The Best Western Barclay Hotel, GDM Boom and Sort and Smittys Restaurant for their ongoing support this season.
Submitted by Stefanie Weber
Photo by Anna Jack
MIDGET “A” BULLDOGS LOCK UP DIVISION 1
The league leading Van Isle Ford Midget Bulldogs faced off against second place Cowichan Valley Capitals on Sunday January 15th in front of some 250 fans at the Multiplex. These are two very competitive teams and the outcome of the game was uncertain until the final buzzer.
Although the Bulldogs controlled most of the play and outshot the visitors 39-16, the Capitals had built a 2-0 lead going into the third period. They were still ahead with 4 minutes left. Cowichan goalie Jesse Jenks had turned away all 35 Bulldog shots and time was running out.
Greg Tuckerman (14) gets his stick on the puck to make sure of the winning goal against Cowichan on Sunday. Colby Lim (21) deflected Cory Beecroft's point shot.
Then with 3:38 left, Tyler Wilhelm, on the point for a power play, took a pass from Cameron MacAdams and slammed it past a screen and through the five hole. A minute later Nathan Read passed across to Ryan Buse at the other point. Cory Beecroft tipped Buse’s slap shot in to even the score. Then with only 57 seconds to go Beecroft made a low shot from the point that Colby Lim redirected in front. It bounced off the goalie’s stick and over his shoulder to finally be batted in by Greg Tuckerman.
Cowichan pulled the goalie for an extra attacker, but the Bulldog team defence and goalie Gianni Crema held off the last ditch assault to hold on for the 3-2 victory.
Coaches Brent Demerais and Rob Gaudreault both had the same words after the game, “They didn’t quit.” They started hard, finished harder and demonstrated the kind of tenacious team effort that will be needed in the upcoming play-offs.
Bulldog players congratulate each other after their first goal against the Capitals late in the third period on Sunday. Left to right, Cameron MacAdams (16), Nathan Read (18), Colby Lim (21), Greg Tuckerman (14) and Tyler Wilhelm (9).
Before leaving the ice, the players took a moment to raise their sticks in salute to the family, friends and supporters who came out to cheer them on. The team thanks all their fans and also major sponsor Van Isle Ford.
The win gives Alberni Valley a seven point lead in Division 1 (9 wins, 1 loss and 1 tie in league play) and eliminates the Capitals chance of being able to catch up before the season ends. The Bulldogs will be at home against Nanaimo T1 Clippers on Sunday January 22 at 5 PM for their final game of the regular season.
Proud sponsor of the Midget "A" Bulldogs
Submitted by Simon Read
MIDGET “A” BULLDOGS GAME ***update***
***UPDATE*** Midget Bulldogs won the game! Final score Alberni 3, Cowichan 2. (All 3 Alberni goals were scored in the last few minutes of the third period.)
___________________________________________________________________
Sunday, January 15th at 5:00 pm on the Weyerhaeuser Arena, our Van Isle Ford Midget Bulldogs will be playing a game against Cowichan Valley. Alberni is currently in first place with Cowichan following in second place in league standings of Tier 1 teams, which is remarkable for a team from a Tier 2 association.
If the Bulldogs win this game, they will be Island Tier 1 League Champions.
Come out and cheer for our team!
BANTAM BULLDOGS UPDATE
The West Coast Coring and Cutting Bantam Bulldogs travelled to Victoria for the Peninsula Christmas Break Tournament December 27th to 30th. They opened against Juan de Fuca winning 6-1. Ethan Sundstrum lead the team with 3 goals, Jacob Battaro had a goal and an assist, Tristan McLeod 2 assists, Kyle May and Josh Harvey each added a goal, and Matt Irg, Kegun Selva and Matt Oliver each added an assist.
The second game was against the host Peninsula Eagles with the Dogs walking away 9 -1 winners. May lead the way with a hat trick and 2 assists, Sundstrum had 2 goals and 3 assists, Oliver 2 goals and 2 assists, Cody Beecroft and Tristan McLeod each had a goal and an assists, Irg and Harvey each had an assist.
Next up from the Bulldogs was Oceanside. With the Dogs winning 8-4 Sundstrum lead with 2 goals and an assist, Oliver a goal and 2 assists, Beecroft added 3 assists, Harvey a goal and an assist, James McLeod, Brock Elder, Battaro, and Selva each contributed a goal, May and Tristan McLeod each had an assist.
The Final round robin game was against Saanich. Again the Bulldogs came out on top in a closer game, winning 5-2.Selva, May, Oliver, Sundstrum all each had a goal and an assist, Battaro had 2 assists, and Harvey added an assist.
In the semifinals the Bulldogs faced Cowichan. It was a hard fought game but Cowichan managed a late goal to win 2-1. Pierce Adams scored the lone Bulldogs goal with an assist from Harvey.
In the Bronze medal game the Dogs were once again up against Saanich. It was another close game with the Bulldogs winning 3-2. Battaro lead the way with 2 goals, Sundstrum added the other goal with assists from Tristan McLeod and Jake Eskola.
League action resumed January 7th and 8th. In two tough gamed, the Bulldogs lost to Campbell River 9-4 and Nanaimo 4-0.
Submitted by Mike Irg
MIDGET BULLDOGS STILL ON TOP
The Van Isle Ford Midget Bulldogs collected 3 out of 4 points on the road last weekend to maintain their position on top of Division 1 of the Island League. On Saturday they held off a late surge to tie Peninsula Eagles 2-2 and on Sunday battled to a gritty 3-2 win over Juan De Fuca Grizzlies.
On January 7 at Panorama Arena the game went end to end with no clear advantage through the first period until Greg Tuckerman used his long reach to wrist one past the Eagle goalie with 46 seconds on the clock. Tyler Wilhelm and Brett Williscroft assisted. Early in the second period Nathan Read out-muscled the defence in front of the net and snapped in a loose puck for a two goal lead. Peninsula continued to press and was able to tie the game early in the third period.
The next day at Bear Mountain both teams came out hard. The Grizzlies claimed the first goal at 12:06. The Bulldogs evened it up a minute later when Corey Beecroft wristed a shot from the right point that found the mark. Spencer Pierce and Brandon Antonichuk assisted. Much of the second period was played in the Alberni zone, and at 2:51 Juan de Fuca went up 2-1. The Bulldogs took over in the third period. At 16:48 Beecroft lobbed a puck high towards the net and as the goalie turned the wrong way Cameron MacAdams seized the moment to put the puck behind him. Chase Gaudreault also assisted. Then at 11:22 it was MacAdams from Beecroft again for the game winner. Alberni controlled the play for the remainder of the game to secure the win. Coach Brent Demerais said “It was good to see the hard work along the boards on Sunday. Being physical helped. The other team kept coughing up the puck.”
With two games left in the regular season Alberni Valley leads the league with 17 points (8 wins, 1 loss and 1 tie). This is a remarkable achievement for a team from a small association. The Midget Bulldog’s impressive performance is not going unnoticed. Coach Brent Demerais noted the presence of several WHL scouts at the weekend games and said they have been talking to him about several players from the team.
Mathematically there is only one other team left with a chance to take the Division 1 banner. That team is Cowichan Valley which is 5 points back with three games to go. The Bulldogs only need one win to clinch the banner.
That win could come at their next home game of the season next Sunday, January 15th when they host Cowichan Valley. Game time is 5:00 PM at the Multiplex. Let’s get lots of fans out and make some noise for our Alberni
boys. Admission is free.
Submitted by Simon Read
PEEWEE “A” BULLDOGS at Fuller Lake Tournament
Wyatt Selva (front) and the Bulldog Goalie (background) is Jaysen MacLean
Best Western Barclay Hotel Peewee A Bulldogs battled hard last week at the Annual Island Peewee Tier 1 tournament at the Fuller Lake Arena in Duncan. The team started out strong in the tough A division with an opening game 5 – 3 victory over the Comox Valley Chiefs. Comox was rewarded once on the scoreboard in the first period but Alberni came back with three unanswered goals to take a 3 – 1 lead into the 3rd period. The Peewee Bulldogs scored again early in the period but then ran into penalty trouble, spending half of the final frame down a skater, allowing Comox to score twice late in the game before Shay-lee McConnell netted the clincher in a 5 – 3 win. Bulldogs forward Wyatt Selva posted a goal and an assist and the player of the game award went to goalie Jaysen MacLean.
Alberni’s second game was a tight clash against Nanaimo A. Wyatt Selva and Colton Lloyd each scored in the first to give the Bulldogs a jump on the Clippers. The lead was narrowed to one in the 2nd but Connor Sabiston widened the gap again with Alberni’s 3rd goal of the game. Nanaimo scored twice in the 3rd period to heighten the tension before defenseman Brennan Locke scored the 4th and game winning goal for the peewee bulldogs with 8 minutes left. The player of the game for Alberni was Captain Nico Somerville. The team’s third outing was a 9 – 4 loss to the strong Cowichan Capitals. Assistant captain Shay-lee McConnell was named player of the game.
Alberni’s 2 win 1 loss round robin record gave them a 2nd place ranking in their pool and they went up against the Saanich Braves in the semi-final. Alberni faced an uphill fight after a slow start in the first, finding themselves down 3 – 0. Both teams scored once in the 2nd before the Bulldogs tore up the ice in the 3rd, with Wyatt Selva, Colton Lloyd and Jayden Moss scoring 3 unanswered goals to tie the game with 13 minutes left on the clock. Saanich scored again and held on to the 5 – 4 lead before Connor Sabiston buried a rebound with a minute left to force overtime. The Braves took full advantage of a breakaway and scored half way through the overtime period to send Alberni to the bronze medal game. Assistant Captain Ezra Paddock was named player of the game.
In the bronze medal game against the Oceanside Generals, the Peewee A Bulldogs again found themselves on the wrong side of a 2- 0 score going into the 3rd period and with 5 minutes remaining, were still down by 2 goals.. Alberni’s coaches pulled the goalie in favour of the extra attacker and with fans on edge of their seats, the Bulldogs patiently passed the puck looking for the right opening. Tynan Smyth found that opening, scoring from the point to bring the game to within one. Oceanside took a penalty late in the game and Alberni again pulled the goalie to take advantage of the 6 on 4 opportunity and were rewarded when Wyatt Selva scored with under a minute remaining. Alberni then took a penalty of their own and were unable to fend off a late 3 on 1 Oceanside rush as they dug hard to find the back of the net just seconds before the final buzzer.
The team would like to thank their sponsors, The Best Western Barclay Hotel, GDM Boom and Sort and Smittys Restaurant for their ongoing support this season. The Peewee A Bulldogs currently sit atop Division 2 in Island League play with a 5 and 1 record and next see action Saturday January 7th at the Multiplex.
Submitted by Stefanie Weber
Photo by Anna Jack
MIDGET A BULLDOGS MINE SILVER IN CRANBROOK
The Van Isle Ford Midget A Bulldogs took a long road trip to compete in the Cranbrook International Hockey Tournament over the December 9-12 weekend. The tournament included teams from BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Montana and Washington.
Midget A Bulldog Greg Tuckerman (14) celebrates scoring the first goal of the medal game in Cranbrook. Cameron MacAdams (16) assisted.
Alberni Valley opened against the Bruins from Missoula, Montana on Friday and dominated play for a 14-2 win. The Bulldogs played keep away in the Bruins zone for much of the game. Tyler Wilhelm had four goals and two assists in the game. Colby Lim had three goals and five assists.
On Saturday morning Alberni Valley took on a strong team from Spokane Washington, ending up in a 2-2 tie. This was a defensive battle. Gianni Crema turned away numerous shots to keep the Bulldogs in it. Spokane worked with a tight defensive box and iced the puck every time there they got too much pressure. Cameron MacAdams scored the first goal on a break away in the middle of the first period. Spokane scored twice to go ahead before the period ended and held the lead to the middle of the second when Wilhelm rang one off both posts and in with a low angle shot during a power play. MacAdams and Lim assisted.
Cranbrook goalie knows he missed this one as Midget A Bulldog Chase Gaudreault celebrates his goal in tournament action.
Two hours later the Bulldogs were back on the ice to play host team Cranbrook Ice. This was a hard hitting contest where Alberni Valley overcame a three goal deficit to end in a tie, 6-6. Rough play by Cranbrook players resulted in numerous power play opportunities and the Alberni Valley power play responded, accounting for five of the six goals. Chase Gaudreault opened scoring for Alberni, assisted by Wilhelm and Brett Williscroft. Cranbrook scored four unanswered goals by early in the second period to go up 4—1. Then Spencer Pierce deflected a shot in front to make it 4-2. A/P Jesse Hammond assisted with Brandon Antonichuk. Next was Gaudreault wristing a shot to the top left during a two man advantage. Ryan Buse assisted. Nathan Read evened the score, sniping a low angle shot with a minute to go in the second period. Wilhelm and Buse assisted. Cranbrook regained the lead with two goals early in the third period. Then Cory Beecroft passed to Antonichuk behind the defence and he made no mistake to narrow the deficit to a single goal again. With ten minutes left, Read set up Wilhelm to score five hole from the left circle. The tie put the Bulldogs in second place in their pool.
Alberni Valley Midget A Bulldogs’ tying goal in the semi-final game against Spruce Grove. Chase Gaudreault (22) scored. Looking on is Colby Lim (21) who had ten points during the tournament.
As the runner up in Pool A, the Bulldogs advanced to the semi-final against the Saints, an elite team from the Parkland Athletic Club in Spruce Grove Alberta, which had swept their games in Pool B. This was the most exciting game of the tournament as the Bulldogs trailed through the first two periods but battled through to knock off the Saints 6-5 and advance to the medal game. Spruce Grove took a two goal lead early in the game before Lim took a lead pass from Greg Tuckerman and beat the goalie in close. Logan Savard deflected Beecroft’s point shot to tie it up early in the second, before Spruce Grove went up by two again. As the clock ticked off the last minute of the second period Williscroft passed to Pierce behind the defence to narrow the gap to one again. The Bulldogs kept up the pressure in the final period. Tuckerman tied it up early in the second, assisted by Williscroft. Gaudreault scored from the slot at 15:48 to tie it up and at 11:29 Nathan Read pounded in the insurance goal and eventual game winner, with Gaudreault assisting. Spruce Grove got one back, but the Bulldogs held on to claim their berth in the final.
This was a rematch with Cranbrook Ice. The teams were tied 1-1 after the first period, but from that point on the Bulldogs were kept shorthanded half the time by a referee whose interpretation of the rules seemed to be very different from those in the previous games. In the end Alberni Valley lost 6-2, but claimed the silver and brought home another trophy for the Multiplex display case. MacAdams set up the first goal for Alberni, winning a battle on the end boards and passing to a speeding Tuckerman to slap in from the slot. Gaudreault also assisted, and followed through with Alberni’s other goal in the third, supported by blue liners Buse and Beecroft.
Although there was some disappointment with the tone of the final game, the team played well throughout the tournament. Head Coach Brent Demerais noted that “This tournament has made the team stronger. They have faced teams they would not usually see and shown they are competitive.” Coach Rob Gaudreault said “The team is really supporting each other both on the ice and off.”
For the team the trip was a success, both in showcasing their skills in an international competition, and in raising their unity as a team to a new level. They represented the Alberni Valley very well both on and off the ice.
BANTAM BULLDOGS UPDATE…
The West Coast Coring and Cutting Bantam Bulldogs are into their 2011/12 season. After finishing strong in the tiering round, they are playing up a division in Tier 1. Facing strong competition in league play, the local Bantam team is holding their own. With league play continuing over this last weekend, the Bulldogs travelled to the South Island Saturday to face Juan de Fuca. In a penalty-filled game the Bulldogs lost 7-2.
This coming weekend, the Bantam Bulldogs travel to Fuller Lake on Saturday to play Cowichan, who they beat earlier in league play. Sunday the Bulldogs are at home against Campbell River. (On December 4 these two teams played to a 4-4 tie, so both teams will be out to prove themselves this weekend.) Game time Sunday December 18th, 12:30 at the Multiplex.
Submitted by Mike Irg
AVMHA Bantam Bulldogs are proudly sponsored by:
