Hockey Playing Bears, Top 20 rankings, Dogs hold 2nd in Coast. Dogs in schools program..

Wow, how about this story to lead your Monday off..

How the people from PETA don't protest this stuff like crazy I don't know. Actually I do know, it's in Russia, and who has the stones to protest in Russia!

MOSCOW, Russia (CNN) -- A bear on ice skates attacked two people during rehearsals at a circus in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, killing one of them, Kyrgyz officials said Friday.

In the incident, which happened Thursday, the 5-year-old animal killed the circus administrator, Dmitry Potapov, and mauled an animal trainer, who was attempting to rescue him.

"The incident occurred during a rehearsal by the Russian state circus company troupe which was performing in Bishkek with the program, Bears on Ice," Ministry of Culture and Information director Kurmangazy Isanayev told reporters.

It is unclear what caused the bear to attack Potapov, 25, nearly severing one of his legs while dragging him across the ice by his neck. Medical personnel were unable to save Potapov, who died at the scene.

The 29-year-old circus trainer Yevgeny Popov, who attempted to rescue Potapov, was also severely injured, according to doctors.

"The victim has sustained serious injuries - deep scalp lacerations, bruising of the brain, lacerations on his body. His condition is considered critical," Dr. Gulnara Tashibekova told reporters on Russian state television.

After the incident, the circus was cordoned off by police and emergency service workers. Experts have been brought in to examine the bear, which was shot and died at the scene.

Russia has a long-standing tradition of training bears to perform tricks such as riding motorcycles, ice skating, and playing hockey. Fatal attacks are unusual.




JUST a thought - maybe what they put the Bears through is a little too much? I'm not a fan of this stuff, but it's still pretty incredible to watch.







It seems there was more than bragging rights hanging in the balance Friday night as the Dogs hosted the Clippers.

Apparently there was also a spot in the CJHL Top 20 Rankings (in the honorable mention section at least) as the Dogs fell out of their honorable mention position with a 2-1-1-0 week, which improved their total to 37 points, a four point cushion in holding 2nd in the Coastal Conference.

The Clippers ran their unbeaten streak to nine with the win over the Dogs on Friday, but then promptly lost 5-2 to Westside on Saturday at home to sit tied for 4th in the Conference with Langley with 31 points. The Clippers this week picked up a spot in the honorable mentions.

Vernon remains 1st, the Vees fell from 5th to 6th spot, and the Surrey Eagles fell from 11th to 13th. The Clippers and Warriors pick up honorable mentions.



Click here to READ THE FULL RANKINGS




The Bulldogs in school program is a pretty special one. To read up on what it's all about, click this link to the story on the BULLDOGS WEBSITE

I love the picture of David Dziurzynski playing floor hockey with the kids, he looks 9 feet tall!



That's it for now.

Hammer

Dogs 3 Cents 2

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Dogs 6 Caps 1

The AVB got back in the win column tonight with a 6-1 win over the Capitals at the Island Savings Centre on the strength of four goals from Mitch MacMillan.



That's one way to break out of a slump!



Johnny Rogic and Mark MacMillan added the other markers.



Scott Lewan picked up his first career win in goal. And he had to be pretty good in the first as the Dogs gave up way to much defensively with Lewan coming up with point blank and breakaway stops on Anthony Perdicaro and Nick Anderson when the game was 1 and 2 nothing in favour of the Dogs. One of those goes in and its a completely different game. Instead he makes some big saves and the Dogs keep filling the net at the other end, leading 4-0 after the first.



Laurent Brossoit would replace Alex Peck for the final two periods, and he did a good job to keep it close.




Next up - the Merritt Centennials tomorrow afternoon at the pound. Get it on The Peak with the puck drop at 2:30.



More alumni stuff - Bulldog Dman Stephen Pattison - now with the University of Brock Badgers - will be my second intermission guest.



And how about this final stat - with the win tonight the Dogs have already equalled their season total from last year. And they aren't even halfway through this one.



Way to go Dogs!



Hammer





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Dogs @ Capitals game day chat, Island Savings Centre Video

AVMHA tag day, Bulldogs @ Capitals

Out buying provisions for todays roadie I ran into some of the guys and gals from Alberni Valley Minor Hockey out for tag day. Spare some change if you can please!

The Alberni Valley Bulldogs try to snap a 3 game losing streak as they visit the Island Savings Centre for the first time this season. The Capitals doubled up Merritt at the stick last night by a score of 6-3. Since losing 8-3 to the Dogs at the Pound on November 10th, they've won 2 of their last 3.

Nothing against the good folks at Island Savings, and I understand how the corporate naming rights bring in needed funds. But I'm all about REAL NAMES. Like "the big stick"

For those that don't know like some of the parents of new Bulldogs that might read the blog, the biggest hockey stick in the world is bolted to the outside of the rink.

Pictures after we arrive, I promise.

My first intermission guest tonight will be Bulldogs D man Brody Lynott.

Merritt Centennials play-by-play voice Alex Grebenyk will be my second intermission guest.

Get it all on 93. 3 The Peak FM at 7:15 with the pregame show followed by the play-by-play at 7:30.

Listen live wherever you are in the world through the link on our homepage www.933thepeak.com

Hammer

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What a game. Clippers 4 Dogs 3 in double OT

Where to start?

The biggest crowd at the pound in a long time?

The Sam Mitchell vs. Carson Schell captain vs captain scrap TWO seconds into the game?

Bill Bestwick returning the "Bestwick wave" from the fans on other side of the rink in the delay that followed?

The 19 power plays in total?

The Clippers fan bus making noise in the pound?



The Clippers won 4-3 in double OT, their second straight 4-3 overtime win in Port Alberni in a penalty filled affair. Luc Olivier Blain would give the Clippers a 1-0 lead banging a rebound home in front on the 5 on 4 power play seconds after the Dogs had got one man out of the box. The Dogs would even the game at 1-1 on the second of back to back power plays when Sam Mitchell tipped in a Kevin Ross point shot.

Before the celebration even died down it was 2-1 Clippers 38 seconds later as Cody Bremner put a perfect shot short side bar down on Frank Slubowski. The Dogs would out shoot the Shipmen 17-6 in the first yet trail 2-1 into the second as they couldn't buy a goal off of several scrambles around Loic Boivin.

The Bulldogs would tie the game at 2-2 with the only goal of the second period when Sam Mitchell found a loose puck in the slot and patiently steered it home. No assists would be given on the goal as referee Ryan Benbow said the Clippers had scored on their own net. After further review on our replay it looked clearly like Mitchell scored the goal. Assists on the play would have went to Kevin Ross and possibly Josh Mitchell as it was Josh's shot that was blocked and caromed back to Ross at the right point where his slapper ended up being blocked and found by Sam in the slot.

The Bulldogs took their first lead of the game just short of five minutes into the third on a goal that the Clippers protested, as Jesse Halikas found Matt Hatch alone in front with a pass off the end boards where he would put a five hole deke home to make it 3-2. My only guess on a Clipper protest would be that they wanted an icing call. In the linesman's defense they might have ruled no icing as it appeared Johnny Rogic was battling a Clipper stick as the pass arrived. The Dogs would go the penalty box three straight times to open the third, but their penalty kill was solid as they held the Clippers off the board for the first two chances. The third would be one too many as Nicholas McIntyre let a one-timer go off a carom from a Mark MacMillan shot block that found the back of the net with 9 minutes to go to tie the game at 3-3.

The Bulldogs would then have a glorious chance to win the game late with a 5 on 3 power play for a full minute with 90 seconds left in the third.

The best chance to win it in regulation came with less than 30 seconds on the clock when Mark MacMillan put a shot off the post from in tight that bounced out of play.

The Clippers would kill the remainder of the Bulldog power play to open overtime, and then a minute later it was the Dogs turn to kill as the Clippers went to the power play and had several great chances as all of a sudden Frank Slubowski was very busy.

The Dogs would kill it off and the game went to double overtime, where the Clippers would win it on a 2 on 1 with Cody Bremner putting a beauty cross ice pass to Joe Perry who one-timed a slap shot into the open side before Slubowski could get over.

My good buddy Al (even though he's a Clipper fan) who was in attendance sent me a message and said it was karma coming back to the Dogs for their third goal, as he thought the Clippers winner might have been offside. I didn't notice it on the play nor did Rick but interesting none the less. I actually went and looked at the replay and it's just too close to call. In the end I'll go with the lineman on it as he was right in position on the line.

Crazy game, albeit entertaining with a great crowd. It almost like a football game at times with the special teams playing such a huge part. It was as if one team would get possession of the ball for a while to try and march one into the net, and then the other team would get a crack and back and forth.


Up tomorrow, it's the Dogs visiting the Cowichan Valley Capitals. For now, I really need a bed!

Good night.

Great game, good efforts put out by both teams, great crowd from both sides of the puck.

Hammer

Parents!

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Hope to see you there!

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Get there EARLY - Dogs host Clippers, parents weekend, Doug Krantz interview, SHAW tailgate party, Boston Pizza post game show

What a title, on what it quite the weekend for the Alberni Valley Bulldogs.

Fresh off a 3-0 loss Wednesday night in Victoria that snapped their winning streak at five games (the first such winning streak since the last 5 wins of the infamous 20 game win streak during 05-06) the AVB host the streaking Nanaimo Clippers who are winners of four in a row. They are winners of 7 of 8 games, going unbeaten over the stretch with one tie in Salmon Arm being the only blemish.

This is a special weekend off the ice, with no less than 15 players having their parents, step parents, grandparents, brothers, cousins, aunts ETC in town from all over North America to see their boys play! All of the families present will be introduced on the ice starting at 6:45 so please make it to the rink early if you can to give them a nice welcome! The players will be presenting their families with Bulldog gift bags.

More incentive to get there early, beside the families being introduced on the ice...
Game day sponsor SHAW is throwing a Tailgater' in the parking lot of the Multiplex, serving up Burgers and Dogs under the tent so come rain, sun, shine, or monsoon!

As I mentioned last night they will also be auctioning off a HD PVR for charity, with the auction ending at the start of the first period.

Catch the pregame on 93.3 The Peak at 6:45, with the puck dropping at 7:00.

Tonight's first intermission guest is Casey Bailey, the second is former Bulldog Doug Krantz (with some great flo' going on down below) now with Cincinnati Cyclones of the ECHL so don't miss them!

Last but not least - don't forget the Boston Pizza post game show live at BP's after the game with myself and Nolan Graham on the air and the rest of the Bulldogs making their way down as well.



I say predicting is for Nostradamus, but when I interviewed Clippers play-by-play voice Dan Marshall he said that overtime was a good prediction for tonight, with the last two games between these teams needing extra time. The Dogs won most recently, 2-1 in double OT at the Frank Crane Arena on October 23rd on a Matt Hatch winner. The week prior, Andy Smith scored the winner for the Clippers in the first overtime period at the pound for a 4-3 final.



Hammer

Bulldogs Parents to be introduced on ice tomorrow night! And SHAW's Tail Gate Party kicks off at 5:30!

Just talked to Bulldogs Director of Marketing and Game Days Laurie Smillie, who informed me that the Bulldogs parents will be introduced tomorrow night on the ice starting at 6:45pm to kick off parents weekend!



Pretty cool stuff! So please take note and spread the word to one and all to come to the rink a little early to give the parents a nice welcome in front of a good crowd!!




Remember 6:45....6:45 the ceremonies start!!




AND don't forget that the SHAW tailgate party kicks off rain or shine or snow under the tent at 5:30 with free hot dogs and hamburgers!




AND - SHAW will be auctioning off a HD PVR. The price starts at zero, and the auction ends beginning of the second period. Value is $500.00 with proceeds going to charity.



Laurie says she'll be watching and the second the puck hits the ice for the second period the auction is OVER!



I think that's all for now.




And oh yeah - the Dogs host the Clippers tomorrow ;)




Hammer










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Grizz 3 Dogs 0

The Alberni Valley Bulldogs had their 5 game winning streak snapped with a 3-0 loss to the Grizzlies tonight at Bear Mountain Arena.

The Dogs fell down 1-0 ten minutes in, and then 2-0 with five to play.

The Dogs then got in penalty trouble, down two men for well over a minute. They came up with a big penalty kill, and futher seemed to gain momentum with a goal to make it 2-1. The goal however after some discussion would be disallowed.

The goal would prove to be a huge turning point as the Dogs didn't find the net after that as the Grizzlies added one more on a Jordan Heywood powerplay blast in the second for the 3-0 final.

Save from the 5 on 3 kill and the disallowed goal that followed, the Dogs didn't really have much in the way of offense in this one, generating just 19 shots. The Grizz didn't exactly shoot the lights out either putting 26 shots on net but they certainly out chanced the Dogs.

You can't win them all, and I don't think the Dogs will win many on nights like this one with how they played.

Just my two cents.

Now for my two bits.

I was quite shocked and ashamed - as I said on the air - when a doctor was called over the public address late in the game to the Bulldogs dressing room, which was met with a loud cheer and high fives by a group of Victoria die hards surrounding the broadcast booth.

During a commercial break I opened the door and said to the fans " Did they just call a doctor to our dressing room, and did you all cheer? You should be ashamed of yourselves"

First things first - I've never had a problem in Victoria. Quite the contrary actually. There's a great group of off ice volunteers and office people and game day staffers that I always enjoy chatting with on my trips to Vic.

And they have a great group of diehards that support their team, cheers, chants, rituals and the like. That's awesome stuff.

But if your ritual is to all cheer and high-five when the doctor gets called to a dressing room, yiu might want to take a long look at that one.

Maybe I feel this way because I just saw a player on Sunday get his face destroyed, and his career and life possibly changed as a result.

Maybe its because I know these guys are all kids, and humans, no matter what team they play for. Sons, grandsons, brothers. You get the picture.

In the end it gives me a greater respect and admiration for the fans in Port Alberni. A kid gets hurt from the other team in the Dog Pound, and when he gets up, its to a loud ovation. A kid gets seriously hurt like he did on Sunday, and I receive dozens of emails, texts, and phone calls from Bulldog fans into the night inquiring about the health of the Burnaby player and sending him well wishes.

Best fans in the league.

I'm not painting all the Grizz fans with the same brush, and I'm in now way attaching their actions to the organization in any way. So don't take it that way.

I'm just hoping maybe one or two of the people that cheered when the doctor was called will reflect a bit. Hey, I get fired up to and get caught in the emotion of things too. But I NEVER get my excitement from kids getting hurt. And neither should you.

Hammer

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