The Hamilton Bulldogs (American Hockey League affiliate of the Montreal Canadiens) will look to extend their season-high eight game winning streak with three home games on the schedule this week.  The 'Dogs will take to the ice at Copps Coliseum on Tuesday, March 9^th for a 7:30 PM EST showdown against their Southern Ontario rivals, the Toronto Marlies (American Hockey League affiliate of the Toronto Maple Leafs).  Hamilton will then host the Grand Rapids Griffins (American Hockey League affiliate of the Detroit Red Wings) for a pair of North Division matchups on Friday, March 12^th at 7:30 PM EST and Saturday, March 13^th at 7:00 PM EST. 

Last week, the Bulldogs picked up three more victories, adding to their lead in the Western Conference and North Division standings.  The 'Dogs started the week off by defeating the Adirondack Phantoms (American Hockey League affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers) on Wednesday, March 3^rd by a 4-1 margin with LW J.T. Wyman netting his first career hat trick in the win. The Chicago Wolves (American Hockey League affiliate of the Atlanta Thrashers) were in town on Friday, March 5^th for a matchup between the top two teams in the Western Conference.  The game went to a shootout where C Brock Trotter, C Ryan Russell, and D Shawn Belle converted for the 'Dogs, sealing the 5-4 SOW.  One night later on Saturday, March 6^th, the Hartford Wolf Pack (American Hockey League affiliate of the New York Rangers) visited the Dog Pound, and for the second straight night, the game had to be decided in a shootout.  D P.K. Subban scored on Hamilton's first attempt, and it was all the 'Dogs would need as G Cedrick Desjardins stood tall between the pipes, stopping all four Wolf Pack shooters he faced, earning a 3-2 SOW.
 

WEEK IN REVIEW:

Wednesday, March 3^rd - HAMILTON BULLDOGS 4 @ ADIRONDACK PHANTOMS 1

Copps Coliseum - Hamilton, ON

Hamilton Goals: J.T. Wyman* (3), Ryan Russell

Adirondack Goals: Mika Pyorala

Goaltending: Hamilton: Cedrick Desjardins (W - 26 shots, 25 saves) / Adirondack: Johan Backlund (L - 36 shots, 33 saves)

Power Play: Hamilton 1-7 / Adirondack 0-6

Attendance: 2,510

* - Game Winning Goal

Friday, March 5^th - HAMILTON BULLDOGS 5 vs. CHICAGO WOLVES 4 (SO)

Copps Coliseum - Hamilton, ON

Hamilton Goals: Ryan Russell, J.T. Wyman, Mike Glumac (2), Shawn Belle*

Chicago Goals: Paul Postma, Kevin Doell, Jason Krog, Joey Crabb

Goaltending: Hamilton: Curtis Sanford (W - 33 shots, 29 saves) / Chicago: Drew MacIntyre (L - 33 shots, 29 saves)

Power Play: Hamilton 0-1 / Chicago 0-1

Attendance: 4,159

*- Scored Shootout Game Winning Goal; does not count towards player's statistics

Saturday, March 6^th - HAMILTON BULLDOGS 3 vs. HARTFORD WOLF PACK 2 (SO)

Copps Coliseum - Hamilton, ON

Hamilton Goals: Ryan White, Grant Stevenson, P.K. Subban*

Hartford Goals: Jared Nightingale, Dale Weise

Goaltending: Hamilton: Cedrick Desjardins (W - 32 shots, 30 saves) / Hartford: Matt Zaba (L - 27 shots, 25 saves)

Power Play: Hamilton 0-1 / Hartford 0-1

Atendance: 3,667

* - Scored Shootout Game Winning Goal; does not count towards player's statistics

NORTH DIVISION STANDINGS:

(As of Monday, March 8^th)

BULLDOGS NOTES:

• The Bulldogs are currently riding a season-best eight game winning streak.
• Hamilton's 92 points are currently 16 more than any other team in the North Division.
• Bulldogs C Brock Trotter is currently the AHL's 6^th leading scorere with 28 goals and 34 assists for 62 points on the year.
• Bulldogs LW J.T. Wyman scored four goals and added one assist for five points in last week's trio of Hamilton victories.  The former Dartmouth College standout scored his first career hat trick in the Bulldogs' 4-1 win over Adirondack on Wednesday, March 3^rd, and followed up that effort with a goal and an assist in Hamilton's 5-4 shootout victory over the Chicago Wolves on Friday, March 5^th.  Wyman now has 14 goals and 16 assists for 30 points thus far this season.
• Hamilton D P.K. Subban set a franchise record last week for points by a Bulldogs defenceman in a single season.  Subban's spectacular assist on LW J.T. Wyman's second period goal of Hamilton's 4-1 win over Adirondack on March 3^rd was the rookie's 45^th point of the season - most ever by a 'Dogs d-man in a single campaign.  Subban now has 13 goals and 32 assists this season, complemented by a +38 rating - the second highest +/- rating in the league.
• The goaltending tandem of Cedrick Desjardins and Curtis Sanford has been spectacuar between the pipes for Hamilton this season, resulting in a league best 2.19 team goals against average. Desjardins' 1.90 GAA puts him in top spot in the AHL in that category, while Sanford's 2.05 GAA ranks him 3^rd in the league.
• Bulldogs D Andre Benoit set a new franchise record for career points by a Bulldogs defenceman with his 86^th career point in Hamilton's 4-1 win over Adirondack on March 3^rd.  Benoit assisted on Mike Glumac's second period goal, giving him the new title as the highest scoring defenceman in Bulldogs  history.
• Bulldogs RW Mike Glumac has scored three goals and four assists for seven points in his last six games.

UPCOMING GAMES:  

TUESDAY, MARCH 9^TH - HAMILTON BULLDOGS vs. TORONTO MARLIES

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

• This game will mark the ninth of 12 matchups between the Southern Ontario rivals this season
• In their last meeting on February 28^th, the Bulldogs trounced the Marlies by a 5-1 margin with five different 'Dogs finding the back of the net for Hamilton
• The Marlies currently sit in 6^th position in the North Division with a 25-30-5-5 record and 60 points, 32 points behind the division-leading Bulldogs
• Toronto has won just seven times on the road this season
• In 2008-2009, the Bulldogs managed a 7-3-2-0 record against the Marlies
• Hamilton's all-time record against Toronto currently sits at 26-22-0-5-3
• RW Andre Deveaux (14-19-33) is currrently pacing the Marlies attack with 14 goals and 19 assists for 33 points in 59 games played thus far this season
• There are currently seven Ontario natives listed on the Marlies roster: C Tim Brent (Cambridge), LW Ryan Hamilton (Oshawa), RW Richard Greenop (Bowmanville), C Justin Hodgman (Brampton), D Ryan Stokes (Sarnia), D Phil Oreskovic (North York), and D Todd Perry (Ingleside)

FRIDAY, MARCH 12^TH - HAMILTON BULLDOGS vs. GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS

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

SATURDAY, MARCH 13^TH - HAMILTON BULLDOGS vs. GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS

7:00 PM EST - COPPS COLISEUM - HAMILTON, ON

• These games will mark the fifth and sixth of six contests between the North Division rivals this season
• In their last meeting on February 19^th, the visiting Bulldogs held on for a 4-3 victory over the Griffins in Grand Rapids
• The 'Dogs currently own a 3-1-0-0 record against the Griffins this season
• Grand Rapids has won just two of their last 10 contests
• The Griffins are currently in last place in the North Division standings with a 26-34-3-2 record and 57 points
• Last season, the Bulldogs managed a 4-2-0-0 record in six games against Grand Rapids
• Hamilton currently hold a 28-15-1-2-4 all-time record against the Griffins
• RW Jeremy Williams (23-26-49) is currently atop the Griffins' scoring race with 23 goals and 26 assists for 49 points in 63 games played this season
• There are seven Ontario natives currently listed on the Grand Rapids roster:  LW Jordan Owens (Toronto), C Cory Emmerton (St. Thomas), C Evan McGrath (Oakville), LW Ryan Oulahen (Newmarket), RW Jamie Tardif (Welland), LW Brad May (Toronto), and D Paul Crosty (Brampton)

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:

• Montreal G Carey Price made 23 saves to backstop the Habs to a 4-1 victory over the Boston Bruins (March 2)
• Los Angeles C Jarrett Stoll had a goal in a 5-1 win over Dallas (March 2) then registered an assist in a 4-2 loss to the Nashville Predators (March 4)
• Boston G Tim Thomas put up two victories last week, making 24 saves in a 3-2 shootout win over the Toronto Maple Leafs (March 4), then stopping 37 of 39 shots in a 3-2 win over the New York Islanders (March 6)
• Montreal LW Benoit Pouliot scored a goal in a 4-1 win over Boston (March 2), scored the game winning goal while adding an assist and finishing +2 in a 4-2 victory over Los Angeles (March 6), and registered one assist in the Habs' 4-3 shootout win over the Anaheim Ducks (March 7)
• Dallas C Mike Ribeiro scored the Stars' only goal in a 5-1 loss to Los Angeles (March 2), then had a goal and an assist in a 6-3 loss to Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins (March 6)
• Montreal G Jaroslav Halak got two wins in as many nights last week, stopping 23 shots in a 4-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings (March 6) and stopping all 21 shots he faced in relief of Cary Price in a 4-3 shootout win over Anaheim (March 7)
• Washington LW Jason Chimera scored a goal in a 3-1 win over Buffalo (March 3) then registered an assist in the Caps' 5-4 victory over Tampa Bay (March 4)
• Montreal C Tomas Plekanec scored a goal in the Habs' 4-2 win over Los Angeles (March 6) then recorded another tally while finishing +2 in a 4-3 shootout win over the Anaheim Ducks (March 7)
• Edmonton C Marc-Antoine Pouliot scored a goal and an assist in a 4-3 loss to the Nashville Predators, then added another goal in the Oilers' 2-0 shutout victory over the New Jersey Devils (March 7)
• Montreal C Maxim Lapierre scored the game winning goal in the Canadiens' 4-1 win over Boston (March 2)
• Chicago G Cristobal Huet added two more notches to his victory column last week, backstopping the Blackhawks to a 5-2 win over the Edmonton Oilers (March 3) and a 6-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks (March 5)
• Montreal C Tom Pyatt dished out two assists and was +2 in the Habs' 4-1 win over the Boston Bruins (March 2)
• Edmonton G Jeff Drouin-Deslauriers stopped 28 of Minnesota's 29 shots in a 2-1 shootout win (March 5), then out-dueled Martin Brodeur as the Oilers defeated the New Jersey Devils 2-0 (March 7)
• Montreal LW Mathieu Darche scored a goal and recorded an assist as the Canadiens cruised past the Boston Bruins 4-1 (March 2)

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 Monday, March 8^th, 2010)

Hamilton Bulldogs