Hi all ---- please see the comments from Coach Chris that recap the Play-off series we just won as well as the season we had overall. It captures the level of committment, intensity and sheer will that Chris coached with all season --- it is these characteristics that were passed onto our boys and our boys translated it into a very successful season!!!! Thanks to Coach Chris, the determination of the Dogs themselves, and to everyone else who supported the team in all sorts of ways - we know who you are!!! What started out as a random group of boys at the beginning of the season was moled and transformed into a Team of Champions! ----- and we're all proud of you!
Warren
--------------------------------------------
Game 7 Victory
Bulldogs are Bristol Champions
No one thought they could do it….going up against the mighty Waterloo Wolves. The Wolves owned the Bulldogs in the first part of the regular season and after the first two games the series it didn’t look good as Waterloo stormed out to a 2 to 0 series lead.
But something happened….. the Bulldog players started sensing their opponent was becoming over confident. The boys listened and watched as the Waterloo parents and some of their players appeared to be celebrating a series victory before it was official … it was apparent from the bulldogs coaching staff the boys did not like being disrespected and they chose to do something about it and for the next 5 games the bulldogs took their play to the next level. Waterloo had no answer for the bulldogs hustle, determination, defence, goaltending, passing, fore checking and back checking and with their compete levels raised to the next level, the feeling of being not taken seriously and the momentum had quickly changed.
With the Bulldogs down 3 games to 2 after a Saturday afternoon loss in Waterloo, the Bulldogs were not given a chance to win the next 2 games and once again over heard comments “ we’ll finish them off in Burlington so we won’t have to play Tuesday night “ & “ better luck next year” from some of the Wolves players. Once again our boys fed off the Wolves over confidence who provided the coaching staff with some “ black board material” to fire these boys up for the do or die game Sunday afternoon. The game was back and forth with solid goaltending at each end and with 20 seconds left to go in regulation, Coach Chris called a timeout to settle his troops and attempt a final play to try and win it in regulation. With a faceoff win and a smart hockey play by Mack Rebeau to keep the puck in their zone Matthew Poirier put the puck in past their goalie with 2.3 seconds left to go in the game. The Burlington fans and the bench went nuts with excitement in anticipation for a Game 7 Tuesday night in Waterloo.
Tuesday Game 7 – Waterloo Arena. Do or die. A must win game is nothing new thing for our Bulldogs. The Bulldogs won 3 tournaments this season and were remarkably brimming with quiet confidence. The Bulldogs used the motivation of not being expected to win to their advantage.…… and the dogs went out and shocked Bulldog hockey community by saving their best game for last. From the opening drop of the puck the Bulldogs energy levels , compete levels and effort were at an all-time high. From the dump and chase, the triangle, support in the dzone, low shots for rebounds, collapsing on the net the Wolves were caught off balance by the fast start.
The Bulldogs opened the scoring when Evan Smith camped out in his office in front of the net took a pass from his longtime line mate Spencer Korol and slid the puck by the outstanding Waterloo goalie to make it 1-0. The Bulldogs intensity got higher and higher after that goal and Coach reminded the boys the Wolves will not stop and to keep playing our game. At 5 minute mark of the second period, Lucas Lambeck entered the game to close it out and in place of Luca Cunha who sparkled in net and provided extra confidence and motivation to his boys up front. Lambeck entered and hadn’t allowed Waterloo a goal in two games. The third period was tense but the boys stayed composed and as he has done all year, our captain Cole McCauley led his line into the Waterloo zone and never quit on the puck and put it past their goalie for a 2-0 lead. With 5 minutes to go the boys went into defensive mode with our 1 in, 1 middle 3 back trap, dump and change that has worked for us all year in close games. The final minutes and seconds ticked off the clock and the Burlington Bulldogs Minor Atom A White were crowned 2014-15 Bristol “A” Champions and the celebrations began.
The boys motto for this championship series….. “ Hard works beats talent….when talent doesn’t work hard. “ They couldn’t have been more accurate!
Congratulations to the Bulldog players, parents, sisters, brothers, grandmothers, grandfathers, uncles, aunts and of course the coaching staff and manager.
Spencer Korol #4 ; Evan Smith # 97; Matthew Habkirk # 66; Matthew Poirier #81; Logan Shannon # 58; Cole McCauley # 88; Benjamin Graham # 77; Keegan Breen # 11; Cristiano Lourenco #89; Sean McGlynn #17; Nolan Bent #44; Mack Rabeau #6 ; Evan Facchini #3 ; Adam Jones #2; Michael Manning #33; Luca Cunha # 30; Lucas Lembeck #32 ; Assistant Coach Blair Breen; Assistant Coach Agost Lourenco; Trainer Tony Cunha; Manager Warren McGlynn; Head Coach Chris Smith
Coach Chris