The Hamilton Bulldogs (American Hockey League affiliate of the Montreal Canadiens) will look to extend their lead in the Western Conference and North Division standings with three games on the schedule this week.  The 'Dogs will start things off by hosting the Texas Stars (American Hockey League affiliate of the Dallas Stars) on Tuesday, February 16^th for a 7:30PM EST matchup at Copps Coliseum.  The Bulldogs will then travel to the Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids for a meeting with the Griffins (American Hockey League affiliate of the Detroit Red Wings) on Friday, February 19^th at 7:00PM EST.  Hamilton will then venture off to Montreal where they will host an afternoon contest against the Adirondack Phantoms (American Hockey League affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers) on Sunday, February 21^st.  Puck-drop is scheduled for 1:00PM EST at Bell Centre.

Last week, the Bulldogs were unable to build on a seven game winning streak, dropping two games and letting four divisional points slip away.  Hamilton's first loss came on the road as the 'Dogs were in Cleveland to visit the Lake Erie Monsters on Friday, February 12^th.  Hamilton fired 38 shots on net but it was not enough as the Monsters converted twice in the shootout, earning the 5-4 shootout victory.  One night later on Saturday, February 13^th, the Bulldogs hosted the Abbotsford Heat at Copps Coliseum.  The 'Dogs offence could only generate a single goal and former Hamilton Reps AAA star David Shantz stood tall between the pipes for Abbotsford as the Bulldogs fell 2-1.
 

WEEK IN REVIEW:

Friday, February 12^th - HAMILTON BULLDOGS 4 @ LAKE ERIE MONSTERS 5 (SO)

Quicken Loans Arena - Cleveland, OH

Hamilton Goals: Brock Trotter, Ben Maxwell, Shawn Belle, Ryan Russell

Lake Erie Goals: Philippe Dupuis, Brian Willsie (2), T.J. Hensick, Brock Bradford*

Goaltending: Hamilton: Cedrick Desjardins (15 shots, 11 saves); Curtis Sanford (SOL - 10 shots, 10 saves) / Lake Erie: Tyler Weiman (W - 38 shots, 34 saves)

Power Play: Hamilton 2-5 / Lake Erie 1-5

Attendance: 7,576

* - Scored shootout game winning goal; does not count towards player's statistics

Saturday, February 13th - HAMILTON BULLDOGS 1 vs. ABBOSTFORD HEAT 2

Copps Coliseum - Hamilton, ON

Hamilton Goals: Shawn Belle

Abbotsford Goals: Cam Cunning, J.D. Watt*

Goaltending: Hamilton: Curtis Sanford (L - 24 shots, 22 saves) / Abbotsford: David Shantz (W - 21 shots, 20 saves)

Power Play: Hamilton 0-5 / Abbotsford 1-4

Attendance: 5,643

*- Game Winning Goal

NORTH DIVISION STANDINGS:

(As of Tuesday, February 16^th)

BULLDOGS NOTES:

• The Bulldogs would like to congratulate RW Mike Glumac and his wife Melissa on the birth of their son, Michael Elija Glumac, who was born on Saturday, January 23^rd.
• The Bulldogs had a seven game winning streak snapped on Friday, February 12^th, as the 'Dogs fell to the Lake Erie Monsters 5-4 in a shootout. The winning streak had been Hamilton's longest since the 2002-2003 season when the team won nine games in a row.
• In their latest victory, a 2-1 win over the Toronto Marlies on Saturday, February 6^th, the Bulldogs set a franchise record by allowing just 12 shots on goal throughout the entire game.
• Hamilton's 5-0 victory over the Rockford IceHogs on Wednesday, January 27^th was the team's sixth road shutout this season, setting a new franchise mark for most shutouts on the road in one season.
• Bulldogs D Yannick Weber has been named to Switzerland's Men's Ice Hockey Team for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver.
• The Montreal Canadiens assigned forwards Tom Pyatt, Ben Maxwell, Brock Trotter, Ryan White, and David Desharnais as well as D P.K. Subban to the Bulldogs earlier this week. The six players all saw action in the Habs lineup with Pyatt and Subban each scoring two points during their short stays with the Bulldogs' parent-club.
• Bulldogs D Shawn Belle scored in consecutive games for just the second time in his AHL career last week.
• Hamilton's 76 points are currently six more than any other team in the Western Conference.
• Hamilton's 0.691 points percentage is currently second best in the AHL.
• Bulldogs rookie D P.K. Subban has moved into 3^rd place in the team's scoring race with 11 goals and 28 assists for 39 points so far on the year. The Rexdale, Ontario made his NHL debut last week, picking up two assists in as many games with the Montreal Canadiens. Subban has also registered 10 points (2-8-10) in his last seven AHL contests. This offensive surge has moved Subban up to 3^rd spot in the AHL's rookie scoring race. Subban's +29 rating puts him in 4^th place in the league in that category.
• Hamilton LW Tom Pyatt scored his first career hat trick in the Bulldogs' 5-2 win over the Rochester Americans on Friday, February 5^th. Pyatt also registered an assist for his second four-point game of the season. The Thunder Bay, Ontario native continued to have the hot hand after being recalled by the Montreal Canadiens last week. Pyatt scored a goal and added an assist for two points in the Habs' 6-5 overtime victory against the high-powered Washington Capitals on February 11^th.
• Bulldogs C Brock Trotter is leading the team and is currently the AHL's sixth leading scorer with 26 goals and 29 assists for 55 points thus far this season.

UPCOMING GAMES:  

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16^TH - HAMILTON BULLDOGS vs. TEXAS STARS

7:30 PM EST - COPPS COLISEUM - HAMILTON, ON

• This will be the second and last meeting between Hamilton and Texas this season
• In their last meeting, the 'Dogs outlasted the Stars in Texas, winning 2-1 in a shootout on October 24^th
• Texas currently sits in 4^th place in the West division with a 29-18-3-4 record and 65 points, 11 points behind the conference-leading Bulldogs
• Hamilton currently holds a 1-0-0-0-0 record over Texas
• C Travis Morin (14-21-35) currently leads the Stars in scoring with 14 goals ad 21 assists for 35 points in 54 games played this season
• There are four Ontario natives currently listed on the Texas roster:  LW Luke Gazdic (Toronto), LW Francis Wathier (St. Isidore), former Bulldogs D Dan Jancevski (Windsor), and D Matt Stephenson (Midland)

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19^TH - HAMILTON BULLDOGS vs. GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS

7:00 PM EST - VAN ANDEL ARENA - GRAND RAPIDS, MI

• This game will mark the fourth of six meetings between the North Division rivals this season
• The Bulldogs currently hold a 2-1-0-0 record against the Griffins this season
• In their last meeting on January 16^th, the Griffins defeated the Bulldogs 3-1 in Grand Rapids
• The Griffins currently occupy the 6^th position in the North Division standings with a 24-28-2-1 record and 51 points
• Last season, the Bulldogs managed a 4-2-0-0 record in six games against Grand Rapids
• Hamilton's all-time record against Grand Rapids currently sits at 28-15-1-3-5
• Former College of the Holy Cross star C Patrick Rissmiller (13-24-37) is currently leading the Griffins in scoring with 13 goals and 24 assists for 37 points in 55 games played this season
• There are six Ontario natives currently listed on the Grand Rapids roster: C Cory Emmerton (St. Thomas), C Evan McGrath (Oakville), C Kris Newbury (Brampton), RW Jamie Tardif (Welland), D Andy Delmore (Windsor), and D Paul Crosty (Brampton)

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21^ST - HAMILTON BULLDOGS vs. ADIRONDACK PHANTOMS

1:00PM EST - BELL CENTRE - MONTREAL, PQ

• This afternoon game will be the second of four meetings between Hamilton and Adirondack this season
• In their last meeting, Hamilton shutout the Phantoms in Adirondack, winning 4-0 on December 18^th
• The Phantoms currently sit in 5^th place in the Eastern Conference's East Division with a 24-25-2-2 record and 52 points
• Last season when the Phantoms played out of Philadelphia, the Bulldogs finished with a 2-0-0-0 record against the Flyers' AHL affiliate
• Hamilton currently holds a 18-10-3-2-0 all-time record against Adirondack (Philadelphia)
• C Jon Matsumoto (19-24-43) is currently atop the Phantoms' scoring race with 19 goals and 24 assists for 43 points in 53 games played this season
• There are four Ontario natives currently listed on the Adirondack roster: RW Stefan Legein (Oakville), C Jon Matsumoto (Ottawa), RW Jason Ward (Mississauga), and RW Josh Beaulieu (Comber)

ALUMNI WATCH:

There are more than 40 former Bulldogs on 2009-2010 National Hockey League rosters. Over 60 percent of all former 'Dogs have played in at least one NHL game. Here are a few highlights and accomplishments of ex-'Dogs from this past week:

• The Hamilton Bulldogs would like to congratulate the 10 alumni who have been named to Olympic rosters for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver.  Forwards Mikhail Grabovski, Andrei Kostitsyn, and Sergei Kostitsyn will represent Belerus.  D Jan Hejda and C Tomas Plekanec will suit up for the Czech Republic.  Minnesota Wild F Antti Miettinen will wear the blue and white for Team Finland.  G Jaroslav Halak and F Marcel Hossa will wear their national colours for Slovakia.  Stalwart D Mike Komisarek and Vezina Trophy winner G Tim Thomas will take to the ice for the United States.
• Montreal G Carey Price made 33 saves to help lead the Canadiens past the high-powered Washington Capitals, winning 6-5 in overtime (Feb. 10)
• Montreal forward Sergei Kostitsyn dished out three assists as the Canadiens defeated Alexander Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals 6-5 in overtime (Feb. 10)
• Columbus RW Raffi Torres picked up an assist and was +1 as the Blue Jackets shutout the Sharks 3-0 (Feb. 10), scored a goal in a 4-3 loss to Vancouver (Feb. 12), then notched another tally in a 5-4 shootout loss to the Chicago Blackhawks (Feb. 14)
• Bosoton RW Michael Ryder had three points on two goals and one assist as the Bruins defeated the Tampa Lightning 5-4 (Feb. 11)
• Montreal C Tomas Plekanec scored two goals including the overtime game winner as the Canadiens defeated the Washington Capitals 6-5 OT (Feb. 10)
• Nashville G Dan Ellis added two more notched to his victory column last week, making 37 saves on 38 shots to beat the New York Rangers 2-1 (Feb. 10), then stopping 30 of 33 Pittsburgh shots to lead the Preds to a 4-3 shootout victory on Valentine's Day (Feb. 14)
• Detroit RW Dan Cleary scored a goal as the Red Wings defeated the Ottawa Senators 4-1 (Feb. 13)
• Montreal forward Maxim Lapierre tickled the twine the Canadiens' 6-5 overtime win over the Washington Capitals (Feb. 10)
• Edmonton G Jeff Drouin-Deslauriers made 41 saves to backstop the Oilers to a 3-2 shootout victory over the Los Angeles Kings (Feb. 11)
• Dallas C Mike Ribeiro returned from an injury in a big was last week, scoring points in all three games he played in... The former Hab started the week off with a goal in a 4-3 shootout loss to Chicago (Feb. 9), scored two goals and one assist while finishing +2 in a 3-1 win over the Calgary Flames (Feb. 11), then added another helper as the Stars shutout the Phoenix Coyotes 3-0 (Feb. 13)

TUNE IN TO Every Game on the Hamilton Bulldogs Hockey Network AND CABLE 14:

Fans can listen to every 'Dogs game this season on the flagship station of the Hamilton Bulldogs Hockey Network, 'TALK 820'. Fans can also listen or watch at www.hamiltonbulldogs.com by clicking on the 'AHL Live' or 'TALK 820' icon on the Bulldogs website. All regular-season radio and online broadcasts will begin with a pre-game show 30 minutes prior to each scheduled game-time. Ellery Award-winning broadcaster Derek Wills calls the play-by-play of all 80 regular season games, while Al Craig provides the colour commentary for all home games and select road games.

In addition Cable 14 will air live broadcasts 13 of club's 38 home games at Copps Coliseum. In a joint venture with Mohawk College, Cable 14 will also broadcast the 25 Hamilton Bulldogs' home games not being shown live in their entirety as 'Dogs-in-an-Hour at 11:00 p.m. on the night of the game. 

Cable 14 will also carry Rogers Television's live coverage of six Hamilton Bulldogs versus Toronto Marlies games at Ricoh Coliseum.

For a full listing of all the games broadcast on Cable 14 follow this link: http://www.hamiltonbulldogs.com/page/broadcast_1019#Live%20Broadcast%20Schedule

GET YOUR TICKETS!:

Hamilton Bulldogs season tickets, flex tickets, min pack tickets, group tickets and tickets are now on sale! Individual game tickets are available at the Copps Coliseum Box Office (in-person sales only), all Ticketmaster outlets and online at ticketmaster.ca or call 905-527-7666. For information on season tickets, flex tickets, mini pack tickets and group tickets visit www.hamiltonbulldogs.com, or call (905) 529-8500 or 1-866-364-7849.

GET YOUR BULLDOGS MERCHANDISE AT THE "DAWG HOUSE":
Fans can purchase Bulldogs merchandise during all home games at the "Dawg House" store located behind section 114 on the concourse level at Copps Coliseum.

In the store, fans can find hats, t-shirts, jackets, replica jerseys, foam fingers, foam 'Bone Heads', and other select novelty items for sale.

MOLSON CUP - THREE STAR LEADERS:

(1^st Star - 5pts, 2^nd Star - 3pts, 3^rd Star - 1pt)

FLAMBORO DOWNS WORKHORSE OF THE GAME LEADERS:
(10 pts. - Hardest working Hamilton Bulldogs player)

HAMILTON BULLDOGS TEAM STATISTICS:

(As of Tuesday, February 16^th, 2010)

Hamilton Bulldogs