miklin

interesting how I think they've lost all games wearing the four alternate jerseys during the last six weeks

they almost won seconds before but two guys caught up ice after Utica goalie makes two quick spectacular saves. PP looked poor. Single ref Darcey Burchell was behind the play a lot.

re Didier-honestly didn't notice him enough (expecially in the third) to make a judgement. Size wise, he looks good. Some of us have gotten live calls from Dogs GM Steve O re renewing but there seems to be a wait and see regarding next year's product. Myself= flexpacks next season for ECHL Brampton and the Marlies so I can take in St. Johns vs Marlie games. My loyalty is to the Habs prospects. There seems to be some resentment amongst current Dogs fans re the OHL club charging the same as the AHL club for four less games. In other words, don't pee on my leg and tell me it's raining.

4-2 finale: all three stars from Chicago says it all. New uniforms looked like Rochester Amerks and they played like them. This was like the forth alternate uniform in five weeks. They are just going nuts trying to make $$$$$ for the charity. I sometimes wonder if the change in colour sometimes throws things off? (like looking peripherally for white and seeing blue?) and what is Magnus Paajarvi doing playing in the AHL-although Edmonton gave up on him

Joey Mac out with an upper body injury after getting pile driven by Connor Brickley in San Antonio. Frankie P on his way back from Wheeling.

last few weeks we've seen referees ignore interference to a great extend. I've come to believe they're all just one trick ponies that can't walk and chew gum at the same time. League gives them the directive to look for something (like diving) and they go overboard, letting standard stuff slip

correct Don

sorry to read an injury report just issued for Davis Drewiske (out for the season due to surgery) and Tinordi (up to three weeks-upper body). Anyone know if this was another concussion????

ps good to hear from Ian (Lammy). Nice to know he is still vertical.

I guess we might expect the Moose name to be used for the AHL Winnipeg franchise. Do you guys think Manitobans are so hockey crazy to support two teams out of the MTS Centre? The Moose will get the less than desirable dates for sure. It didn't work in Edmonton. I wonder too if there will be much support in Nfld knowing the team will in effect be a lame duck for two seasons. Regardless of what magic Glen Sanford figures he can do there, I think he must be counting on his shares in Air Canada appreciating. You can fill up the rink in St. Johns for every event but travel costs will negate profitability every time. IMO but I figure what buggered things up overall was the Jets decision to bring their AHL farm club home. A lot of folks thought that when Mtl started up the new team in Laval, Hamilton would be getting the Jet's farm club. I talked to my wife re renewing our Dogs tickets for next season and after being regulars since Jan of the first season have both decided against it. (They have mentioned the OHL product in Hamilton will not be cheaper than the current AHL prices.) There seems to be this feeling in the Hammer amongst fans that they'll be able to get cheap tickets for the OHL but that was the OHL of 30 years ago. Next season, we will likely watch St. Johns when they play in Toronto, with more ECHL Brampton games and the occasional Jr A/Jr B game too.

after having triple AAA Pro for 20+ years (including the forgotten two year period of the Hamilton Canucks), I'm not sure if the fans would take to major junior again. Hamilton lost three jr teams right? (Fincups, Dukes and one more I believe due to non support). The area Jr B and Tier 2 Jr A clubs draw flies currently-similarly Senior AAA. Maybe the area has become so brain washed into Blue and White, nothing else connects. Local media in Hamilton, rather than covering local sports, trys to unsuccessfully imitate TSN. Kudos to Channel 13 in Kitchener for covering the Jr. leagues with gusto.

ps-re attendance. As of today Hamilton averaged 4069 fans with 8 teams well below them in attendance. Almighty Toronto averaged 5335 fans in a city 6 times the size of Hamilton. The league average is 5406

as a fan, it's out of our control, so not much we could do about it. Maybe the average of 4077 fans would look better in a 5000 seat arena but I will admit that that figure has been skewed favourably by the sold out school kids game and near capacity Marlie games. -some folks knock the arena but honestly, it's a palace compared to Rochester, Utica, Syracuse and a host of other AHL barns. Even the Ricoh still smells of horse shit because of the Toronto Police stables that are adjacent -folks complaining re the walkup of $26.00. In comparison, ECHL Brampton has a best seat walkup of $35.00. OHL Niagara is $25.00. Just seems to be a mentality in the area, that folks don't go if they can't get things cheap -if the team moves to Nfld for two seasons. the only people making money will be Air Canada -not sure how Winnipeg figure having their AHL team in same barn will work. There will be a lot of odd mid week games in deference to the big club. Ask Edmonton how that worked out. -will fans in Montreal support the AHL product in a 10,000 seat arena? Will be interesting to see. -the hate for all things Toronto like in the CFL, just never developed in the Hamilton area for hockey. I guess the blue and white was too well entrenched in the area (although there are some fans in the area who still favour Detroit because of the old Jr A connection.) -the Toronto centric media sure didn't help. -Core Media were an odd marketing bunch. Cheap beer night brought out the thugs which just increased their security costs. Either seemed to be too many ushers or never enough to control the drunks. They didn't do much to develop loyalty with the season ticket holders -The Dogs Charity-good that it provided a breakfast program for so many kids in Hamilton but was it the responsibility of a hockey club to be doing what a school board or city welfare dept should be doing. I guess that is one way to get on the good side of the community (to quote Sally Field-"you like me, you really like me"). They did odd things too like raise the price of 50/50 tickets 150% and having three special jerseys for the fans to bid on in a month was crazy-total of five this season! Embarassing that the $5.00 souvenir program was still issue 1 last night. -local merchants-totally unaware a game was on-most game nights the Food Court at Jackson Square closed at 6pm. Parking lots raised their prices from $5.00 to $10.00. The adjacent mall attracted a lot of mentally ill people and scooter people but we see that now in most downtowns since the Provincial Government closed so many institutions in the 80's! I think that it freaks out folks from suburbia. -food choice in the arena was expensive (i.e. two poutine and two pepsi=$25.00) and the friggin water fountains were removed about 8 years ago and never replaced. -Sorry is I'm rambling-likely the cold medication. Been attending since Jan of the first season and I hope the city realizes how much revenue even 4000 folks per evening bring downtown per season. Much more than the phoney Juno stats they're giving out now

wish they hadn't shown a video about Carr's AHL award achievement on the scoreboard as Rochester ran him all night. Sven and Hudon trying to do too much on their own and not passing. Thomas an absolute lost cause, just too small. Tangradi either spectacular or slug like. -team played better before the trade deadline with Shea and Bakker in the line up. The chemistry is all buggered up and like the big club, can't score -is Macenauer hurt or has he become the Michael Lambert of this generation? (play him if only absolutely necessary-he deserves better) -common theme-referee put his whistle away the last five minutes -post game show quality has slipped badly-never listen to what stars Anthony gives out as he had Hamilton 5 and Rochester 5 reversed tonight for first star. Did he actually watch the game?. -cheap beer night turns the FOC into the Forest Gump Arena -can't remember the last time Joey Mac won a game at home. When the false trade rumour was posted about him going to San Jose, I don't think anyone was upset as we were hoping Sly would ride Condon to the finish

agree Brian with your thoughts. I noticed Teri in the Spec sort of questioned too why Sly sat out the two Dogs tough guys while McGratten was roaming free in front of the net. There seemed to be a lot of chat between players during the warm ups (across the red line). Hensick seems to know everyone. I think McGratten and Joey Mac were talking the longest. Old team mates at Calgary??? Joey was probably being asked about that trade to the Sharks that was announced on the trade deadline shows. ps-being the reactionary I am, I still believe in ties and hate the way the shootout and extended overtime extra points have adjusted the standings. But there is a win at any cost mentality pervading sports this century

they mentioned post game you cannot coach the 3 on 3. It's a break away contest. Goalies switch ends too making it far from the benches for easy line changes. -some thoughts-referees (2) ok but only ok-missed a lot of picks -Tinordi was tripped away from the play leading to the third goal. Second goal was offside by the Flames -three posts -Tangradi call in OT very iffy-looked like it was a follow through or some folks said the Flame player got hit by the puck and sold it as a high stick -Dumont spear-not sure anyone saw it -scrum in the third period in front of the Flames bench saw one of their players (on the bench) using a stick on players on the ice -noticed Charlotte Checkers player Brock McGinn got a one game suspension for a charging incident Saturday in Hamilton that was not penalized. Noticed this a couple times this year where the league has had to retroactively make up for a missed call by a referee.

Daniel Carr is the CCM AHL rookie of the month. Good kid-soft hands

Bob Shea sent back to Wheeling and Bakker cut loose (although we'll see if he ends up in Wheeling too)

like to kick the idiot on TSN who put up the trade details of MacDonald going to the Sharks for a draft pick. Even fooled hockeydb.com who had Joey listed as a Shark as of today

did we just lose Joey MacDonald to the Sharks??????????????????????

Dalton Thrower sent back to Brampton of the ECHL today (from Hamilton)

honest to god-you know how much I like the AHL officials but in approx. 5 years, I've never seen an official put the blocks to the team as badly as Alex Garon did working tonight by himself. 7 PPs for Charlotte-1 for Hamilton. I don't know if you heard any of the post game show but Christian Thomas commented on the lopsided calls. Charlotte tied the game with two Dogs in the Box at the start of the third. Tangradi who had been tackled previously with no call chirped to Garon (on an icing yet) and got a two minute unsportsman like penalty at around 18:50 of the second. Then a scrum after MacDonald was whacked and hacked with ten seconds to go in the second sent only Drewiske to the box for roughing, roughly a minute later. Should have been a slashing call to start things off vs Charlotte. Charlotte's first goal came after a missed cross checking call. I've seen better officiating in Jr B. Wait-Jr B has two referees-something the AHL cannot provide. Wonder if the talent pool is really that shallow. Cheap stuff from Hagel thrives in a one referee atmosphere. I watched Dumont get his helmut pushed down over his eyes while trying to get to the bench. Countless non calls as the single referee was out of postion. I give up

I thought it was going to be 10-0 based on the first and was surprised Charlotte coach Jeff Daniels didn't pull Drew MacIntyre after the 4th goal -ex Dog & Hamilton native Kyle Hagel tried to goon it up early in front of his family-some of whom were later thrown out by security -referee Luxmore is a total tool. Hudon had two penalties neither of which were deserved. Mike Cornell jumped Dan Carr after his first goal and Hudon pushed back. Cornell and Hudon each got two minutes. The interference call on Hudon with less than a minute to go was totally bogus and totally backwards -I think Jared Staal was seeing birdies after his tustle with Dumont. Gabe really landed one on his chin which really shook him up. 6" height disadvantage meant nothing to Gabriel. -I'll have to watch the 4th goal attributed to Carr. I thought it was Sven all the way. Originally credited to Sven and changed -wonder sometimes if cheap beer night is worth it considering the cost in extra security????

I'm afraid March is going to be out of site, out of mind for home fans-Flames on the 4th, Amerks on the 6th, Utica on the 7th. Then nothing at home until April 2. (damn-Disney on Ice taking up the Copps for a week) -re the home game in Montreal. Dogs' booster club didn't put together a trip as there is no next day NHL game to offer as part of the package.

only managed to catch the first but Subban looked like he was out for a skate a couple times. Watching Thomas in two seasons in Hamilton. He gets knocked down constantly everywhere-just too damn small. Referee's seem to be calling a different game then in October.