$5 Stars Tickets & Support the Vegas Team

$5 $5 $5 $5 $5 $5 $5 $5

As many know, there is a group of local Adult League Players going to a hockey tournament in Las Vegas. This tourney is in April and the team has been preparing for this great event. Although the team is focused on playing hockey and winning the championship, the fact remains that the event is in Las Vegas. This means that between games, there will be some down time and in an effort to help alleviate some of the financial strains on the team's extracurricular activities, a fundraiser has been developed.

I have secured 70 tickets to the Iowa Stars game on Tuesday, January 15th. This game is against the Toronto Marlies. There is a chance to see local Des Moines native, Scott Clemmensen, play in net for Toronto. The tickets are available for a LOW LOW price of ONLY $5. That's right, $5 gets you an Iowa Stars Game and helps support the Vegas Adult Team.

It wouldn't be right to have these dedicated players travel to Vegas and not have an opportunity to play black jack, roulette or poker. Think of the buffets that would never be experienced without this noble cause. If you can find it in your soul to support this great cause, stop by and get your $5 ticket. Tickets are limited, so act now.

Captain Tiny Adam Lowell thanks you.

Want to Work for the Stars?

The Iowa Stars are looking to track player's on ice time. They are looking for volunteers to handle this task at all home games. If you or somebody you know is interested, please contact me for more details. This is a great opportunity for a hockey fan to get some "behind the scenes" experience.

They are looking for someone realtively quick, so contact us today.

Joe
Alien Hockey
440-3456

Let the Games Begin- Cupid's Cup

After a successful Turkey Tourney, we have officially opened registration for Cupid's Cup.

We will follow a similar format to the Turkey Tourney.

• Saturday, February 9th from 6PM to Midnight
• $45 per player / goalie includes 4 games, pizza & jersey
• Limited to 48 players & 8 goalies
• 3 on 3 format cross ice
• (2) 15 minute Periods
• Tons o' Fun

If you did not have a chance to play in the Turkey Tourney, ask someone who did and they will tell you it was a great time with plenty of hockey & socializing. We will have use of the lounge upstairs at the Bucs Arena which should give everyone a great bird's eye view of the action.

Space is limited (we already have 3 registered and we just officially put it out today.

Another HUGE thanks to AARON CLUTTS for designing our logo.

Holiday Hours

For those that need that last minute hockey item or gift, our store will be open a few extra hours prior to the holidays.

Holiday Hours :
Sat. Dec 22 10-7 PM (extended hours)

Sun. Dec 23 10-7 PM (extended hours)

Mon. Dec 24 CLOSED (Christmas Eve)

Tue. Dec 25 CLOSED (Merry Christamas)

Wed. Dec 26 12-7 (regular hours again)

As Mike and I travel travel to Illinois to be with family for a few days, we leave behind our hockey family. We wish everyone a Merry Christmas, Happy Holiday, and hope all have a safe & healthy holiday season. (so don't buy anything while we're gone.)

Battered & Bruised

So 3-0 last Wednesday with picks, but 1-3 on Sunday giving me an overall 4-3. Although its better than .500, I still have some work to do.

Alien Joe Vs Bearing Group

Alien Joe is looking to take their winning streak to 7 games. After destroying Alien Mike last week to take sole possession of 2nd place, The Joe's are ready for another win prior to the holiday break. All their players need the break as their roster is full of injuries.

Bafia - Broken toe & severe weight loss

Lowell - Strained left knee & lost use of left arm

Bishop - 4 broken ribs, 3 missing teeth, 2 ear infections & a partridge in a pear tree

Van Patten / Close - Broken Butt bones from constantly losing balance skating backwards

Topliff - Strained voice box from excessive screaming & migraine from calculating his own stats

Ford - Blown out hamstrings

Brand - Finger tendinitis, and severe kidney stones

Fascian - Broken wrist & bowlers elbow

Bartak - Bad shoulder, bad trigger finger, and dislocated eyeball

LeFleur - Torn intestines, pink eye & severed tongue

Barker - Freezitis (unable to freeze the puck and always plays it)

McElyea - Heat exhaustion, dehydration & hernia

All need a rest to recover and begin 2nd half of season. Bearings on the other hand is healthy as a horse. We are looking at testing their team for illegal use of steroids. "We use HGH, and that's not banned in C League" argued VerMulm. Mersberger, Danielson & the Brott Brothers all agreed. "We get together at Rocky's house and have a big HGH party. " stated Danielson. "Until they say I can't use it, I'm going to keep on doing it" proclaimed Hoekstra. "Without it, I would have never gotten that 1 assist." Since no ruling on this has happened, I choose the "wired" Bearings group by 2 in this one.

Plaza Vs Irwins

Plaza comes in losing their last 3 of 4 games. "I'm sick & tired of these losses" said Hale. "I should be getting more ice time to make a bigger difference." Mulford & Wermers spent all week watching film. "Woody Woodpecker is my favorite" announce Mulford. "I'm more of a Tom & Jerry fan " declared Wermers. Irwins, on the other hand poses a great question. What do you get when you combine Dahl, Dean, West, Anthan & Feathers? Answer: Nothing really. With too many superstars, and no role players. Captain Goodman wanted to point out the team's focus. "I keep saying there is no 'I' in team, but there are 2 'I's in Irwins and I'm still waiting for those 2 players to show up and take over." Irwins bound for the loss column again. Plaza by 9.

Legends Vs. Alien Mike

The slaughter last Wednesday against Alien Joe has Mike's group mad. Rumors has it that Perry & M. Kielty couldn't sleep all last week and needed nite-lites for comfort. Koenig gave himself a tattoo across his left chest that said "I Lost to Alien Joe...So What!" Brown & Wheeler both agreed as to why the lost occurred. "The score is tied and there are 30 seconds left with Shane in net...did you expect any different?" questioned the duo. Legends has won 3 of their last 4. Hoeppner & Jordan commented to the media this week, "Alien Who? Mike...is that his name? All speed & no finish for that kid..no worries." Legends captain Wente wanted to keep his team focused and not start a trash talking war. "I give Alien Mike all the respect in the world." said Wente. "For a bunch of degenerates who should be playing hopscotch & drinking Hi-C from a sippy cup, they're not half bad." Legends by 6.

Just A Typical Week of Hockey

I've learned that there are 3 types of players out there.
1) Those that like hockey.
2) Those that love hockey.
3) Those that live hockey.

We opened our store because 1) I needed a different job to see my family more & 2) What better thing to do if you love hockey?

So how glamorous is it when you LIVE hockey:

Here is a week in the life of a hockey family as it started last Saturday.
Saturday 12/8 - Coach Mite game in the morning
Sunday 12/9 - Joe play B league game; Natalia play D league game
Monday 12/10 - Joe Stick & Puck in afternoon to break in new skates. Coach Mites in evening
Tuesday 12/11 - Coach Mite Select Team in evening
Wednesday 12/12 - Joe play C League game (beats Alien Mike)
Thursday 12/13 - Joe play in roller hockey game then have a Vegas Team Ice Scrimmage (5 on 5 no subs...)
Friday 12/14 - What? No Hockey?....Recover.
Saturday 12/15 - Coach Mite game in the morning. Attend Stars game in evening. Promote "Learn to Skate" program with fliers.
Sunday 12/16 - Coach Mite Select Game in afternoon. Joe plays double header roller hockey games. Natalia plays D League game. Joe finishes off with C League game for Coca Cola/ YDD.
Monday 12/17 - Type blog & do the unwanted "paperwork" side of business since store is closed. Prepare to coach Mite Team in evening.

You would think a person would get tired of what they are around every day, but my escape from the hockey "business" is playing & coaching. Its a great stress reliever from the daily grind when you only focus on playing or coaching.

Just thought I'd share some personal thoughts as I drink my hot tea & eat my Short Stop hot dog and take a "break" from work.

Stars At the Library

Thursday, December 27, 2:00 p.m. - Get STAR Struck with the IOWA STARS!

Do you like sports and getting autographs? Want something cool to do during winter break? Then plan to come to the Johnston Public Library to meet and talk with members of the Iowa Starts hockey team! You will get to hear their stories and check out their equipment, too.Free, but you need to register. Call 278-5233 and request the Children's Desk.

Wells Fargo Pictures

http://dahockey.shutterfly.com/action/pictures?a=67b0de21b358d9e065e0

Dawn Gorelik has provided more pictures from the last Wells Fargo game for all to enjoy.

Knockout Punch

BOOM!
A perfect 3-0 in picks last Wednesday! As i have my regulars back on board and a renewed confidence in my choices, I look to go 4-0 today with 4 tough picks.

Don's Auto Vs. Waste Management
This game is all Waste Management. I saw highlights of Don's game last week and was not impressed. Although they won 11-3, I saw no passion, no heart, no teamwork. On the flipside, Waste Management lost last week 12-2, but they stayed poised and focused. Every goal they allowed was still followed by a "its not your fault" or "we'll get em next time". Tonight it all falls together for WM and it all falls apart for Don's. Sorry Brad. WM by 3.

Coke/YDD Vs. Slapshot
League points leader Wehrenberg for Coke/YDD just had a baby. Congrats are in order, however, if he shows up to play, the lack of sleep will have take its toll. "What are we going to do?" sobbed captain Whitaker. "We have no chance, no chance at all. I think I'm going to stay home." Slapshot gets the win against a depressed Coke/YDD.

D League
Alien Hockey Vs. B & B
After a tough 1 goal loss, Alien is looking for a big win. B & B will not give up easy and should match Alien's offensive firepower. This should be a battle of the goalies, and the edge goes to Hansen in net for Alien. Alien by 2

Cup O Kryptonite Vs. 11 to 7 Insurance
Coffee versus Insurance. Tough call. Both teams have talent that can make a big difference. The goalie match up puts them even. This is where intangibles will play a big role. With this being a later game, Johnson of Kryptonite will bring his team caffeine to keep them awake. Edge to Kryptonite by 1.

Scoring Title Poll

It looks like the votes are in. The majority of the league has chosen Lenhard (Team Legends) as the most likely to win the scoring title. He has 22 points and is only 3 points behind the leader Wehrenberg (Team Coke/YDD).

The vote breakdown went like this:
Lenhard (Legends) 39%
Brandon (Don's) 27%
Wehrenberg (Coke/YDD) 17%
Wheeler (Alien Mike) 13%
Kleven (Slapshot) 2%

Although Wheeler is #4, he has a ways to go but mentioned he was a second half of the season player. "I'm letting the others get a comfortable lead and then I'll pounce on them."

Beijing 08/08/08 Contender

The D League's very own Scott Brueck plays rough & tumble hockey every Sunday night for 11 to 7 Insurance. "He's an animal out there." stated teammate Gardner.

But there is a softer side to this "tough guy". Every day, you can find Brueck practicing with great intensity down at Brenton Plaza. However, he's not working on his slap shot, but rather his triple salchow. "I know I can make the 08 Winter Games, but its gonna take alot of work." confidently stated Brueck.

Brueck works on his technique at lunch every day, and often works with a female skater in a pairs routine. He has mentioned that if he cannot make it in the singles event, the pairs competition is always an option. "He's a powerful & emotional skater", proclaimed Michelle Kwan. "I never would have thought of doing pairs, but Scott elevates me to a whole new level."

Pictured here is Brueck working with Kwan on a snowy Iowa day. Feel free to stop by and watch Scott practice, but please no flash photography or autograph requests during his practice session. "I only have 1 hour per day and no coach" said Brueck. "I can't afford any distractions."

Good Luck Scott (and maybe Kwan), Alien Hockey supports you!

Another Wonderful Wednesday

A 4-3 record last week was not what I was hoping for. Sunday had me 2-2 with picks with disappointing losses in my D League picks.

Tonight's games are tough ones. With some big rival games happening, the games should all be close.

Plaza vs. Legends
Legends is just 2 points ahead of Plaza in the standings and if Plaza wins it could put them in a tie for first place. Legends Captain Wente was considering benching star player Lenhard. "We won't need him to win this game." stated Wente. The Legends confidence has been there all season and should continue for this game. Plaza's leading point getter Patava is also team captain. "I know everyone counts on me to do it all...and tonight I will once again." proclaimed Patava. Linemates Sedrel & Mulford had this to say, "Patava is our hero. We all want to be just like him. " Legends doesn't lose their top spot this week as they win by 3

Alien Joe Vs. Alien Mike
With identical records going into this game, Alien Joe comes in wearing the white jerseys based on a controversial win for Alien Mike during their last meeting. "You can put me in pink jerseys." yelled Topliff. "I still look good in anything and guarantee a win for Alien Joe!"
Captain Mike of Alien Mike had another take on tonight's game. "I could play our worst guys like Mark, Matt, Scott & Shane and sit myself and still win this game." The Kielty Bros are trying to get more tattoos and will each be going for hat tricks, while defenseman Kelley will look to spend anywhere from 10-12 minutes in the penalty box. Losers have agreed to buy all the food & drink after the game...so the pressure is on. Alien Joe by 4.

Bearings Vs. Irwins
Bearings has lost 3 of their last 4 games by just 1 goal. "This time it will be different" guaranteed Bearings star forward Kinney. "Tonight we lose by 2!" He doesn't speak for the entire team and they are ready to show the world that they are a solid 5th place team that nobody should underestimate. Irwins is just a point behind Bearings and they feel that they are ready to make a run for the Boulevard Cup. Clutts & Dean of Irwins mentioned they have a secret weapon. "Justin, Joni, Jen & Josh are the commonly known on our team as the 4 Js." mentioned Dean. " We think its cool that we don't discriminate against players with names that start with J." Although a great "feel good" story, it will not help them win. Bearings by 5 in a blowout.

Have fun tonight & drive safe!

More Pictures

Dawn Gorelik was kind enough to take a bunch of pix that she put up for all to see. She also captured the stellar ref job Wente did at the Turkey Tourney. Here you can see Wente explain to John Perry the fine difference between Bud Light & Miller Lite.

See more pix here:
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0EZOGjdu0cMWET

http://share.shutterfly.com/action/pictures?a=67b0de21b35bc22b456a&sid=0EZOGjdu0cMWEg

http://share.shutterfly.com/action/pictures?a=67b0de21b35bc220c451&sid=0EZOGjdu0cMWEx

Another Great Bucs Deal

FREE Post-game Public Skate Saturday
Saturday, December 15 vs. Green Bay @ 7pm 95KGGO Arena
Des Moines Register Family Fun Night – 4 tickets, 4 sodas, 4 hot dogs, and 4 autographs = $44
FREE Post-game skate
“Buc” ($1) Hot Dogs ALL NIGHT LONG

It doesn't get any better than that!

Youth 3 on 3 Holiday Classic

Buccaneer arena will be hosting holiday 3-on-3 tournament over the weekend of December 22-23, 2007. Games will be on Saturday morning and Sunday afternoon. We will combine a Mite/Squirt Division and then a Peewee/Bantam division. Here are some details for the classic:
Each team will have 4-6 games during the classic
No checking allowed at any age level
Games will consist of 2-15 run time halves
Each player will need to have a light and dark jersey for the classic
Each team will have a minimum of 4 players and a maximum of 6 players
Goalies are allowed to play for free
COST FOR PLAYERS IS ONLY $30

The above is from Scott Long at Bucs Arena.

Sunday! Sunday! Sunday!

A terrific 2-1 start this week in picks for Wednesday has me typing this email with a fire extinguisher nearby. I'm worried that my fingers ignite while typing this since I am red hot.



Sundays match ups should be easy this week, so as Larry Wusniewski always says "If you let the dog sleep, he won't need any food."



Waste Managment Vs. Coke / YDD

WM makes some positional moves to shake things up. "Our team needs a change, a spark, a big 55 gallon drum of Red Bull." proclaimed WM captain, Hodges. If WM even stands a chance, they need a big performance from Hutton, Breeding & Heckman. These top performers have been highly overrated all season and have yet to step up and earn their big contracts. Coke/YDD on the other hand have every player on the roster having at least one point with the top 7 players each having double digit points. "We not only play as a team, we dominate as a team." preached Captain Whitaker. "We don't just play hard, we go for the jugular." To remind all his teammates that Coke/YDD is the best team to ever play C League, Tattoo Dan provided each player a mandatory "Coke/YDD is #1" tattoo. Teammates Loverude & Mcelyea agreed that team unity was important. "Its kinda neat to get these tats, but maybe a bit much across the center of our chests." Coke/YDD by 2.



Don's Auto vs. Slapshot

After a HUGE win last week, Slapshot has some driving momentum. Don's on the other hand suffers a devestating loss. "If our guys want to continue their poor performance, some will lose their positions on this team." yelled Davidson, owner, captain & mascot of Team Don's Auto. Anderson, goalie for Don's , has been quiet up to this point, but after the OT loss in a shoot out, he had this to say: "Sergey & Sergiy are #2 & #3 on our team in points....but it didn't show last game." Those players responded "Anderson shouldn't talk so much. We lost in the shootout because he lets in soft goals." Don's Auto is in shambles behind closed doors. Tensions are running high & players Dimenstein & Knight are holding self imposed hunger strikes until the next win. On the other side, ex-Canadien Pro, Tourigny, is struggling on the stats side. His (1) sole goal for the season is hurting the team. His +/- is a whopping (-21) and he drinks all the water out of his teammates bottles on the bench. "I don't get it!? I skate hard, come off and my bottle is empty! I look over and there is Guy just smiling." complained Day of Slapshot. "We've turned a new page with this team" preached Rech. "The Klevens, Johnson & Bilbrey are finally showing up to play and it shows." Although this one stays close, Don's pulls out the win by 1.

Sunday D League

Kryptonite Vs. Alien
This should just be called "Alien vs. Predator", as Cup o Kryptonite takes their undefeated season and is looking to treat Alien like their next prey. Cup's Captain Johnson brings a balanced attack to each game. "There is no 'I' in team, but there also is no 'Q', 'Y' & 'P' in team either" babbled Johnson. With 9 players each having 2 or more points, almost every player is involved in every play. "I just cheer, c'mon you can get over that board, when Pedersen comes off", yelled Whiteman. They are almost playing the complete opposite team when they face Alien. The 2 Adams (Keller & Schneiders) along with Kindred are the teams backbone. "I know that the team counts on my dominating presence" stated Kindred proudly. "I have a hat trick and own this league" she boasted. Team Captain Bafia tries to keep her superstars focused, but is getting resistance. "They don't come to practice because of the Nike commercials they are shooting....its not fair to the rest of the team." Bafia commented. I'm taking selfishness on this one and take Alien by 2.

11 to 7 vs B & B
With no wins yet, B & B is on the verge of making a break through and hopes to get a "W" this week. With a rookie goaltender & a not-so powerful offense, they will need a leader to step up and take charge. "I know he's the team sponsor and all, but no goals or assists for Hobbs is not what we need." mentioned Liz Bryant. "I score all the goals, my great, fearless, & good looking husband stops all the goals, when will the rest step up?" 11 to 7 has 1 win and is looking to start their rise to the top. "We try and bring a balanced attack. Everybody contributes in points." As the stats show, Grahm is first with 28 pts and Casey Miller is a very close second with 9 pts....yeah really balanced. With Grahm getting shut down this week, I give the win to B & B by 3.

A capacity crowd is expected tonight as the first 500 fans each get a free "Matt Whitaker Bobblehead". "It looks a bit like him, but I'm used to seeing him flat on his back." noted Coke/YDD teammate Mudge.

Holiday Break Camp @ Bucs Arena

Scott Long is holding a clinic for the Mite / Squirt level. The clinic runs from 9:30-11:00 Am on 12/24, 12/26, 12/27 & 12/28.

6 Hours of Ice for $75. (Goalies $35)

This will be located at the Bucs Arena. The following link gets you more info and the registration form.
http://www.alienhockey.com/Holiday%20clinic.pdf

You can register at Alien Hockey or the Bucs Arena.

Iowa Vs. Iowa State

The rivalry doesn't get bigger than this. You think its big in football? basketball? croquet?

When it comes to hockey, this is the greatest battle every year. Tickets have been sold out for months, and glass seats are going for $2500-4500 on eBay. The game is set for this Friday at 7:30 located at Bucs Arena. As luck has it, I have vouchers for tickets at our store. They are good for 2 for 1 tickets and also get some wings at Hooters.

Spread the word and get out to support an old friend (well not really old) as he coaches his ISU team. Tailgating starts at 3 PM Friday, so get your parking spot early!

Knot so smurt at pikking gamz

After going 2-1 last Wednesday, I thought I was on a roll.....wrong. Sunday brought financial disaster as it it now being known as "Black Sunday" due to the amount of people who counted on my picks to make some money.

I went 1-3 for Sunday picks (thanks to Coca/YDD I had 1 right and that was barely). I am taking a different approach and will pick opposite of what I really feel to see if this reverse psychology works. Here goes nothing...

Legends vs. Bearings
Injured (but still playing) captain Wente has his team ready to roll the second have of the season. He has put pressure on Lenhard, Anderson & Hodges to help carry the team. Jordan feels he shouldn't have to pull all the wait, while Hoeppner and Walters have both stated "play me or trade me". Erich Brus of Bearings spent an entire week working with Hoekstra. "He just doesn't know how to pass" stated Brus about his teammate who still has yet to get an assist. " I know he wants to win the scoring title, but, hello, there are 4 others on the ice." Bearings teammate, Mersberger was asked what he thought about the issues on his team and he replied "Any squirrel can eat acorns, but it takes an elephant to eat a peanut." Well said. Bearings by 2

Irwins vs Alien Joe
Van Patten & Close of Alien have vowed to not let the blue line trip them this game. "I'm tired of that stupid blue line" exclaimed Van Patten, "its not fair that its so long and wide". Teammates Topliff & Bafia are not on speaking terms, but are both looking to contribute this week to continue the winning streak. "If Joe thinks he's going to score more points than me, he's wrong...dead wrong" stated Topliff. Irwins on the other hand just realized that we were keeping standings and scores. " Its not fair. Anthan and Brown are smiling, laughing & joking during the games. How is it the goalie has more assists than they do?" asked goalie Brown. The Triple B line of Brandon, Brian & Bill from Irwins will each score in this one, but Alien wins by 2.

Plaza vs Alien Mike
"I'll pull the fire alarm across town then rob a bank" yelled Blomquist of Alien Mike. "The only way we have a chance is by getting the firefighters & police to get called away from the rink." Fellow Alien teammates Wheeler & Brown did not like that attitude. "Scott's doesn't speak for all of us." retaliated Wheeler. "Even with them gone, we still don't have a chance with Bast in net." Plaza captain Patava has decided to trade Tim Wermers & Tim Parkins. "We have 3 Tims on our team and I get really confused when someone yells that name." Good strategy Tim!
Alien Mike by 1

Play hard, play fair, play smart, play hockey.

Be My Hockey Valentine Tourney

With the tremendous feedback about the Turkey Tourney, some have asked to not wait an entire year to do it again.

We figured February was a good time to do it again, so we are having one on Saturday, February 9th. We will tie it in with a Valentine's Day theme (maybe pink jerseys).

This one will be held at Bucs Arena but will have a similar format. More info to come soon, so keep your eyes open. The last one was completely filled, so you'll want to jump in early!

Email me any suggestions, ideas, thoughts as to what could make it an even better event!

Learn to Skate (for kids)

On Friday, December 28, 2007 at 3 PM, we are helping the Iowa Stars put on a "Learn to Skate / Play Hockey" clinic. This clinic is designed for kids 12 & under who have little or no skating / hockey experience. It will be a great way for kids to try the sport to see how much fun it can be.

A registration fee of $30 includes the clinic, all necessary equipment & 2 tickets to the Iowa Stars Game that evening. Pre-registration is required since we will need to get the equipment to each player prior to the actual clinic.

Additional tickets can be purchased to that night's game for $9.50. Please help spread the word to your friends, co-workers & neighbors who may have children who are wanting to try the sport without getting into it with equipment & league fees.

Registrations are being accepted at Alien hockey and spaces are limited. Once again, those reading the blog get first opportunity to register. An ad will run in the Des Moines Register in a few days discussing this as well.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Poll Results

The first Blog poll had readers voting for the "Least Likely Occurence in C League"
The results were:
Shane Bast to get a shutout 57%
Irwins to win the C League Championship 22%
Brad Davidson to lead his team in points 11%
Lyle Danielson to get a hat trick 8%

Thanks to those who voted and sorry Shane (but I heard you even voted for yourself)

Sunday December 2, 2007

I'm 2-1 this week, and although not perfect, still pretty darn good.

I've been waiting until the last minute to make my picks as I await medical reports, team trades, scratches, etc. to help analyze the winners.

Here goes Sundays
Waste Management Vs.Slapshot
Waste Management comes to this game with a 5 game losing streak. Their record of 2-9 is deceptive as they have many talented players. Hutton of WM stopped by the other day, bought a new stick and gave the "Messier Guarantee" that they will win this game. He was excited that this was an 8:30 game so he could get some sleep prior to his 4 Am work day. Breeding, Carlson & Hodges will help WM win this one in convincing fashion. Tourigny & Johnson of Slapshot will have great games after having played in the Turkey Tourney, but it won't be enough as the full ice version of hockey will take its toll. WM by 4

Don's Auto Vs. Coke/YDD
This game needs no build up. Trash talking was already happening at Wells Fargo the other night. Sergey Gorelik of Don's & Patrick Mcelyea of Coke played on the same team for the Wells Fargo game and worked the ice well together. After the game in the locker room, Patrick had wished Sergey luck for the Sunday game and Gorelik responded, "we don't need your stinkin' luck". At which point Patrick leaped over his hockey bag to challenge Sergey. Kozak & Willis of Don's were also there and jumped in to work Mcelyea over, but fellow Coke Teammates, Wherenberg, Wolf, Glessner & Harrelson also joined the scrum. It took 12 Wells Fargo security staff, 8 other players and the Ice Girls to break up the battle. Don's leads the series 2-1, but this will be Coke's night. In a close game, Coke wins by 1.

Sunday D
B & B Vs. Cup O Kryptonite
The newly sponsored team of B & B will earn their first win this week. Cup O Kryptonite brings an undefeated record to the table, but it gets snapped tonight. Cup's points leader Richter is held to no goals as Potthoff & Zeutenhorst open up to lead the team to victory. B & B by 3.

Alien vs. 11 to 7 Insurance
11 to 7's captain Green has a new weapon (stick). His Datsyuk like skills with it are unstoppable. he spoke with me at great lengths worried that he would be asked to move up to C and maybe B league very soon because of the onslaught of goals he will pour on. 11 to 7's goalie, Bailey will have the game of his life while Chopard, Kindred & Little are non-factors in this game for Alien. Hansen will have great game as well, but defensive breakdowns for Alien will cause struggles for the netminder. 11 to 7 by 3

Good luck and once again, you can lay the mortgage on these picks!

Burn Off the Turkey---Picks

Prior to the big Feast last Thursday, I had gone 4-3 on picks before Thanksgiving. I have to share my secret with all those that count on may weekly picks. Up to this point, I have had no clue as to who would win. Surprise! I just guessed each week's winners with no rhyme or reason. Well that's about to change. I don't wait until New Years, so I have made my Thanksgiving Day resolution...starting now pick ALL games correctly.

So we start this Wednesday.

Bearings Vs. Plaza
No home field advantage to either team. Plaza has won the last 2 matches while Bearings has shown flashes of greatness, but the last several games have been up & down. The Bearings force of Mersberger, Brus & Blickley will be no match for Plaza. Don't expect much from Danielson as he's too focused on hunting season & Hoekstra used up all his goals during the Turkey Tourney. Bearings by 3

Alien Mike Vs. Irwins
With the return of Dylo from injured reserve, will Alien Mike get new life? No this time. We'll see a rusty return with slow legs & winded lungs trying to do too much. Anthan & Clutts need to step up their games, and should be full of energy after all the turkey & stuffing they ate. Goalie Brown will be the key here as he posts a near perfect game and only allows one. Perry & the Kieltys are shut down this game, while defensemen Kelley & Blomquist struggle to keep the offensive threats of Irwins at bay. Irwins in a blowout by 6.

Alien Joe Vs. Legends
Scary game. Legends holds first place in the Wednesday Division, while Alien Joe brings a 3 game winning streak (forfeit loss to Mike was still a scoreboard win). The loss of Bishop for Alien Joe will put a dent in the offense, but Fascian, Topliff & LeFleur will step up and carry the load. Legends Lenhard should come out full power, but may not be enough as a very close game goes to Alien Joe by 1.

Great games this Wednesday and stay tuned for Sunday picks.

What Alien is Thankful For....

Its 1 AM and the last remaining person in my household has just gone to bed. I was lucky enough to have some family come out from Chicago and spend Thanksgiving with us since we could not go there to visit. My mother-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, 2 nieces, 2 nephews, my 2 boys & wife sat down today to a great Thanksgiving dinner. They even let me sleep in until 11 am since they knew I worked SO hard at the Tourney the night before.

We didn't say a very long and complex grace before dinner, but I did mention that I was happy that family came out to see us in Iowa since we could not leave. (My brother-in-law & sister-in-law even left at 9 PM tonight to get him home to Chicago for a 4 AM work day).

All this made me realize that there was much to be thankful for.

1. A great wife who lives & breathes hockey right alongside me
2. Antonio & Nicholas (my boys) who sometimes stay at the shop longer than they would like
3. My cousin Mike who not only keeps things running when I'm gone, but also a friend who shares my passion for the game
4. My cousin Mark for being a great coach of our kid's team and great babysitter when needed
5. All family members that have provided financial & emotional support to us during our first years of business
6. Every single person & customer who I have met that plays hockey, supports hockey, loves hockey & supports our business & the growth of hockey.

Thank you to all for allowing me to do something I enjoy.

A few "extra" things I am thankful for:

1. Shane occasionally stopping a shot
2. Tim Close's daily purchase of a Vault.
3. Topliff's attention to detail when it comes to his personal stats.
4. The fact that Lowell is same height as me
5. Winning the coin toss that got my team Barker as goalie
6. Wermer's "suggestions" on how games should be reffed
7. Bishop's patience with anything special ordered
8. My Vegas Teammates
9. The tattoo credit I have with Koenig
10. LeFleur's face off wins to Fascian (which come right back to me)
11. Danielson & Hoekstra's dedication to staying late Wednesday nights
12. Team Atlantic Coca Cola / Yankee Doodle Dandy Tattoo
13. The sweet aroma of Brown's goalie's gear
14. Whitaker's drive to play more hockey per week than me
15. Many, many, many more.......

Sincerest thanks again to everyone I know, to those that read my blog, and all supporters of Alien Hockey !

Joe's Secret Turkey Recipe

How do you get the perfect Turkey Tournament?

Here are the following ingredients:

48 Players
8 Teams
6 hours of ice
4 games
16 pizzas
A few pitchers of beer & Gatorade
1 foam divider
2 refs (partially sober)
Jerseys for each player
NHL Center Ice on TV

Have Alien Hockey take the above ingredients, mix them all up the night before Thanksgiving, and what do you have? A successful 1st Annual Alien Turkey Tourney!

I was nervous at first not knowing how it would run, but after it was all said and done, the reviews were all positive. We made some decisions on the fly, and modified rules as we went on, but everyone had a blast getting to know some new players from different teams & leagues.

The Grey Team took the championship with an undefeated record of 4-0. The team consisted of Blaine Barker as goalie, Bart Brandon, Liz Bryant, Scott Chopard, Mike Kielty & Hardy Whiteman. They beat the Purple Team (which was undefeated as well going into the championship game) by a score of 4-1. Although we had standings, you couldn't tell from the attitudes of the players as to who was in first or last as even the 7th & 8th place game had all smiles.

I was very pleased to see that every player participated for the right reason. New friendships were made, everyone got plenty of ice time, and a fun social atmosphere was what it was all about. Throughout the night, many offered their thanks to me and asked how soon we would do another one because of its success. I appreciate everyone's thanks to me for putting this event on...however, I need to thank everyone for making it a success.
A big thanks to:

• Every player that signed up played and made this event possible
• Scott Anderson for coming up with the idea of playing hockey the Wed before Thanksgiving
• Zac & Mark for taking the time to ref (and not play) to help keep order
• Aaron Clutts, who although could not play, still designed our logo
• Tony Hansen for updating the website with schedules & rosters
• Plaza Printers for getting our jerseys done on time
• Stephanie of MISF & her staff for allowing us the use of the facility and helping serve concessions
• All the friends, family & fans that came out to support the players either by cheering or taking some other small parts in making the event go smooth.
• My family for giving me the night "off" from home prior to Thanksgiving to make sure things ran well
• I'm sure I missed someone, so please feel free to add in comments to this blog entry anyone else that made this a fun time.

We know we are doing it again next year, but more importantly, have already been discussing doing another one even sooner. What we need to make these even better is all of the participants telling others how good of a time it was. We hope to make each future one bigger & better. Once again, thanks for your support of this event...gobble...gobble.

Alien Supports MDA

Many of our fellow adult league hockey players include police officers, firefighters, paramedics and others that help protect us off the ice.

These players also put on an annual event to raise money for MDA through a charity hockey game known as "Guns & Hoses".

This year, the game takes place at Wells Fargo on January 12, 2008. Tickets are being sold for $15. This includes the Guns & Hoses game, Iowa Stars game that evening, hot dog, chips & drink. In addition, a portion of ticket sales goes directly to MDA.

T-shirts bearing the logo seen here are also available for $15. Currently, we are taking ticket & t-shirt orders at our store to help this great cause.

January may seem like a long ways away, but it will be here in no time. Please show your support by attending this great event. There will be raffles, silent auctions on game worn jerseys, and kids activities during this event. If you cannot attend, any donation will be accepted. For more info, contact us.

Don't Mess with Hockey Players...EVER.

Waste Management & Des Moines' finest, Jeff Cronin utilized his hockey skills and know-how to diffuse this situation.

Nice job Jeff.

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071101/NEWS/71101007/1001&lead=1

Want to Skate?

Plenty of Stick & Puck opportunities at MISF this weekend. This starts tomorrow.

$5 per 12U and $10 per adult (helmet required)

Wednesday, November 21, 10:30am-noon

Friday, November 23, 5:30 - 7:00pm

Saturday, November 24, 2:30 - 4:00pm

Sunday, November 25, 4:00 - 5:30pm

Also, visit http://www.dmicerink.com/ for the weekly schedule and other Pay & Play opportunities.

Thanksgiving Hockey

Looking for something to do after Thanksgiving?

After all the turkey, stuffing, burritos, pasta, etc. you will have eaten on Thursday, you will be ready to get out of the house and do some stuff. On Friday, you will have spent all your money on hockey gear & gifts at Alien Hockey, so you will be ready to give the credit card a break. Here is the perfect family event for Saturday. Go see a Bucs game!

Saturday, November 24 vs. Sioux Falls @ 7pm 95KGGO Arena

Des Moines Register Family Fun Night
4 tickets + 4 hot dogs + 4 sodas + 4 autographs = $44
“Buc” ($1) Dogs ALL NIGHT LONG
Teddy Bear Toss
FREE Post-game skate

How do you pass that up? You can even bring your skates and work off some of that turkey and be ready for league next week.

Joe in Net? Not so good.

Last Friday, I suited up in net for the D League Game at Wells Fargo. The event went off great at both teams skated hard and had a good time. My performance on the other hand, was less than desired and I let my team down.

My confidence was sky high after holding on to a 2-1 lead over Shane, but after they scored 3 straight on me, I knew I did not belong in net. An empty net goal made the final score 5-2, but don't let that fool you as the score should have been closer if not for my pathetic showing.

Either way, great time and exposure for the D League as we had over 150 tickets sold to the Stars game that night and hopefully exposed some newcomers to the sport!

Turkey Tournament Update

The 1st Annual Turkey Tournament is on schedule for this Wednesday at 6 PM. Some important bits of info:

1. The team rosters & schedule are done and will be posted by Tony Hansen on his great website very soon. I am emailing him this info after I finish this blog.


2. You will need to check in at the lobby PRIOR to dressing / or playing to sign the waiver & get your jersey


3. There will be locker room assignments. 2 teams per locker room


4. 4 teams will begin play promptly at 6 PM. Please make sure you are on time.


5. After your games, if you are not playing, come up and have some pizza & drinks. (suggestion: leave the majority of your gear on but no skates).


6. Please drink in moderation. Its a long night, and we do not want excessive "socializing" to ruin the evening. The refs will be instructed to eject any player they feel is a threat to themselves or any others


7. Pizza will be provided from approx. 7-10 PM. This was included in your entry fee. Drinks will be available for purchase at the concession stand upstairs. Your own ALCOHOLIC beverages are NOT allowed inside the MISF (as per their request).


8. This is a FUN & SOCIAL event. We have B, C & D League players all participating. Teams have been formed randomly, but with an attempt at fairness. There will be ZERO tolerance for overaggressive play. Please play with respect to the players around you.

I am personally not playing as I will do my best to coordinate the entire event upstairs and downstairs. Thanks in advance for making this event a HUGE success.

Special Thanks to Aaron Clutts for designing the Event/Jersey Logo. Awesome Job. If you need any graphic art work, contact him.

No Ice? Get Wheels.

As I was bored last week with nothing to do, I thought what else could I get involved with? I figured that I didn't have enough hockey in my life, so I knew it should be a hockey-related activity.

My son, Antonio, plays ice & roller hockey. He was on a team that was coached my Mark Muse earlier this year that went to a National Tourney in Colorado and they won the 8 & Under Nationals.

Tim Close is the father of Connor Close who also played on this 8 & Under Team. Tim plays on the Alien Team on Wednesdays and mentioned there was a C Level Inline League forming. He decided to play and after much arm twisting, he got me on board as well. We had our first game last night and won by 2. It was a great time (although it was a bit more difficult to stop).

Currently there are only 3 C League Teams, so I am making it a goal to get a 4th team. Its not too late and he will restructure the schedule once we have enough for 4 teams. They play on Tues, Thurs & Sundays (You don't play every one of those, just rotates). Its 4 on 4, hockey with no icing, offsides and plenty of ice...ummm floor time. Games are played at Skate West (on Grand Ave) and league fee is $100.

If you are interested, please let me know. We can accomodate players who want to stick together as well. Call if you want more details.

The BIG Game Tonight

That's Shane Bast pictured. This will be the story of this evening at Wells Fargo as the Novice League showcases their stuff after the Iowa Stars game.

I will be defending the Dark Team's net and although this will be almost too easy, it will still be fun.

Stop by and see a great Stars Game and also a great group of beginning players not intimidated to start a very difficult sport!

Thanks to all...

Oh, my prediction is Dark Team 13, Light Team 0.

Tough Picks This Week

Last Sunday I went 2-2. The Wednesday before I went 2-1. Thsi puts me at 4-3 for last week. Not the best showing, however still pretty good.

This week's match ups will be tough, so lets start with Wednesday.

Alien Joe Vs. Plaza Printers
It hurts to make this prediction, but with Alien missing Bishop & Close, Topliff & Mcelyea both being off last week, and Barker due for a bad game, I don't think I can score enough to keep my team in it. Although we'll make a valiant attempt, we lose this one.

Legends Vs. Irwins
A hot Legends team at the beginning of the season started cooling off and became inconsistent. They come into this game with a 2 game losing streak and need a win to get back on track. Irwins still is recovering from the grueling OT win they had last week. Team captain, Goodman stated that his team was still celebrating the win well into Sunday night, so they will be tired tonight. Legends gets the win here.

Alien Mike Vs. Bearings Group
Bearings is the "Dark Horse" this season. They can play a solid game one week and fall apart the next. They are the "Rex Grossman" of Wednesday Night C League. Alien Mike loses its captain, Dylo this week due to a skate sharpening incident. Although he denies it, Hoekstra from Bearings Group, brought in a faulty skate to get sharpened causing the injury to occur. "Next time, he'll be more careful" stated Hoekstra without compassion. Can Perry from Alien Mike carry the load all by himself ? Will the Kielty Bros each get hat tricks? Will Schaeffer ever leave the opponent's crease? Bearings wins this one.


Sunday C
Team 4 Vs. Coke/YDD
Koenig of Yankee Doodle Dandy Tattoo will be giving several free tattoos this game. After a tough win last week, Coke/YDD will have 3 players scoring 3 goals each. Glessner, Wolf & Harrelson each get the "tricks". Mattis, Day & Rech each have solid games for Team 4, but it won't be enough.

Waste Management Vs. Don's Auto
Don's comes into this game with a 4 game winning streak. And it will not end this week. Overwhelming firepower from Brandon, Kozak & Gorelik along with a "Hasek-Like" performance from Anderson will put Don's on top. Waste Management shoudl have all their players there with the early game, but Hutton, Runner & Camp will not be enough to be the "Don".

Sunday D
Cup O Kryptonite Vs. 11 to 7 Insurance
The Battle of the business owners is set. With both teams coming in with wins last week, the match up will be good. 11 to 7's goalie, Bailey has formally challenged opposing goalie Beller. "He can't stop a beach ball" stated Bailey. Although the score stays close, 11 to 7 improves their record to 2-0 with the 1 point win.

Alien Hockey Vs. Miller's Team
The late game will have both teams tired. this is a 50/50 pick as the winner will be the team that drinks the most coffee. The X-factor will be potential team sponsor Brian Hobbs. "I will step up and make the difference at this game", proclaimed Hobbs. Edge goes to Miller's Team.

Recap
Plaza by 2 over Alien Joe
Legends by 3 over Irwins
Bearings by 2 over Alien Mike
Coke/YDD by 3 over Team #4
Don's by 1 over Waste Management
11 to 7 by 1 over Kryptonite
Miller by 1 over Alien Hockey

Get Your $9.50 Iowa Stars Tickets Here

We are doing several promotional games at Wells Fargo with the Iowa Stars. Along with these events, we get some great group rates. These rates are available to ALL our customers.
Take advantage of the $9.50 ticket wgich includes:

• Admission to the Stars Game
• Hot Dog
• Chips
• Drink

We currently have tickets for the following dates:

Friday, November 16th - Adult D League Game after the Stars Game

Saturday, November 17th - Mite House League Game Prior to Stars Game

Friday, November 30th - Adult C League Game after the Stars Game

Friday, January 18th - Coca Cola / Yankee Doodle Dandy Tattoo Vs. Alien Hockey After Stars Game

Stop by Alien Hocey to buy your ticket today!

Sad Day in Detroit

Well Thermablades do work...sometimes too well. Shane tried a pair on, but then realized they were not designed for goalies and standing still. He melted right through the ice and caused a big hole to be created in the crease. The trade show was shut down and Shane was asked to leave.

What will Sunday Bring?

Last Sunday was a bust. 0-2 for picks. Trying to help Coca Cola / Yankee Doodle, I didn't have enough to manage thee win for Coke. Don's Auto played a great game and scored the only goal in the shootout to get the "W". Team #4 has done it! Practice, practice, practice & a bot of luck gets them their first victory of the season. An 8-5 win over Waste Management has the momentum going their way. "We're going 8-0 in our next games" stated captain Wermers.

So Wednesday gets me a 2-1 record with Alien Joe & Irwins winning, and somehow Alien Mike pulls out a win to ruin the 3-0 record I hoped for.

Sunday's matchup:
Don's Auto Vs. Team #4
Everything on paper & all common sense should have me pick Don's Auto, however, since they beat Coke last week with me playing, I'm mad and don't like them right now. Oh sure, they've got Brad, Sergiy & Sergey, Ilya & Bart, but you throw Day, The Kleven's & Rech into the mix and they'll put enough on net to pull this one out. My upset lock of the week.

Coca Cola / Yankee Doodle Dandy Tattoo Vs. Waste Management
With a fresh set of steel on Ross's skates, Wolf & Wehrenberg back in the line up (and me out), I see WM getting very sleepy during the 2nd where Coke turns it up a notch .....BAM and wins this.

Sunday D League
Alien Hockey Vs. Cup O Kryptonite
The start of a 4 team season in D League has a clean slate for every team. These first games are a coin toss, but I still know I can get them right. Although I do buy my boys comics at the Cup, I gotta go with my own backyard in game #1 and Take Alien to win.

11 to 7 Insurance Vs. Team Miller
Newly formed Team Miller is out to an inaugural season, but will not win week #1. 11 to 7 starts out 1-0 and on its way to the Trainer Cup Championship.

Favorite Spread Underdog
Team #4 +1 Don's Auto
Coke +3 Waste Management
ALien Hockey +2 Kryptonite
11 to 7 +3 Team Miller

Good Luck!

Team Wins, Joe Loses

What should have been a joyous locker room last night turned out to be a somber one. Alien Joe won the game in one of the best and hardest played games seen in a long time. Alien had the upper hand in the 1st & 2nd period, but in typical Alien fasion let down their guard in the 3rd.

Bearings Group was a determined team in the 3rd period and came to prove that they deserve the win. As Alien Tried to protect a 1 goal lead for awhile, Bearings found a way to tie it up. As I scored the next goal to take the lead, we all decided to step it up and finish strong, As Bishop walked down the bench, he proceded to physically slap each one of us across the face with his bare hand. Although we thought that was uncalled for, the sting on our cheeks were a reminder to leave it all on the ice.

As the buzzer sounded for the finish, our team celebrated like it was a Game 7. I on the other hand slammed my stick to the ice and puted about not getting my hat trick. As we replayed the game in the locker room, I kept questioning my teammates as to why they didn't get me the puck more. Did they not know I needed to score? Sure Topliff set up Bishop for a nice goal, but where was mine?

As the team kept their distance, I dumped the garbage can onto the floor and kicked it all around. The team just left me alone as they exited one at a time stating "good game". Yeah good game for Blaine who earned the win. Good game for Fascian with his 2 goals...but does anyone care about my hat trick? No.

As I was the last to leave the trash strewn locker room, kicking the door open as I exited, I realized I checked out the key with my license. Icing on the cake as I was left alone to clean it all up.

Thanks to all my selfish teammates...I almost wish Nate was supposed to ref a game and missed again so we would lose by forfeit..that'll teach 'em!

Pick, Play & Party

On Thursday morning, I get on a plane to educate myself on new & innovative hockey products that will be coming soon. Detroit is the home of this year's hockey trade show and you may think that 3 days of nothing but seeing the latest & greatest hockey gear is a ton of fun...well you'd be right.

To answer your questions now, Yes, we will see the new heated skate blades, Yes, there will be lighter than ever sticks & skates, and No, I will not bring back free samples to give out.

More importantly, I need to make my picks for this Wednesday (oh look at the time, it is Wed). Last week on Wednesday, I went 2-1. Although the 2nd game was a forfeit loss for Alien Joe, I still picked the winner correctly.

Game #1
Bearings Group Vs. Alien Joe
After scoring a hat trick in last Wednesday's game, then following it up with another hat trick on Sunday for Coca Cola/YDD, I am going for the threepeat. It is called a Hat trick Hat Trick when you have 3 games in a row of hat tricks. Bearings is on the decline and with Topliff back in the line up, the offense is back! Alien Joe by 2.

Game #2
Alien Mike Vs. Legends
Legends & ALien Mike both coming into this game with a loss in last weeks game each have something to prove. I see this as the "downer" game of the week with no energy or excitement. I'm sure the players that stay to watch this game will see "paint drying" as Legends beats Alien Mike by a score of 1-0 (Shane lets in a softy with 20 seconds left).

Game #3
Irwins Vs. Plaza Printers
Going to step out on a big unstable and broken limb here, but Irwins wins this one in a stunner. Today they click as a team and put the pressure on. Scoring will come from a variety of players, while Plaza struggles to keep up. Irwins by 3.

I'll do the Sunday picks from Detroit, just don't know if it will be prior to the Red Wings / Columbus game I'm attending or my dinner with my boy, Eminem on 3 Mile.

Gotta go and clean out my closet.....

Great Pictures from League

Big thanks to Dawn Gorelik for getting some pictures from Sunday C League.

You can find these pictures at the following link: http://dahockey.shutterfly.com/action/

The Next Crosby?

What a blast! As I made my season debut for the Coca Cola / Yankee Doodle Dandy Team, I was nervous about making a good showing. I watched a team that played well together going against a Don's Auto Team that looked fired up.

I also had an opportunity to make my prediction come true and help Coke/YDD beat the opposition. We played well and kept the game close and seemed to do all the right things even down to the wire. Down by 1 with just seconds remaining in the 3rd, goalie pulled and a face off in Don's end, a movie writer couldn't script it better. My Vegas teammate and center, Glessner takes a deep breath, glances over his right shoulder as if to say "its coming back". Puck drops, perfect draw straight back to me. I glance up and witness what looked like 50 players between me and Mr. Anderson. In typical Joe fashion, I take the only shot I know (even though Bishop would always yell at me to keep it low), I fire the the shot hoping for some pinball action, but ironically enough it found its way through and tied the game.

Valiant effort by Reeves in the shootout as he stope the first 4 shooters and only allows 1. As for Coke/YDD, each member took their best shot at a goalie that was just "on" that night. Perfect 0-5 for Scott in net during the shootout to get the win for Don's.

Hard battles, broken sticks, broken skate blades and all around great effort by all. Thats was a fun game for me.

Mobile Blog?

If this works it could be very dangerous as it would allow me to Blog "on the go".

Who's Going to Play Like the Pros?

A friendly reminder that there are still spots to play at Wells Fargo Arena after a Stars Game.

We gave some people early bird opportunities to register, but now its wide open.

On November 16th, players from the D League will have an opportunity to play.

On November 30, players from the C League will have an opportunity to play.

Both games will fill up so to guarantee your spot, a minimum of 4 tickets must be purchased for the Stars Game. Tickets again will be $9.50 and include a hot dog, chip & drink. You can get as many tickets as you want for this game at the same price.

Deadline for ticket orders is 3 days prior to each event. So you can secure your spot with 4 tickets , but then add on if others want to go. We really impressed the Stars last time with about 200 tickets sold, so let show some support and beat that number.

Also, scouts from the NHL, AHL & ECHL will be in attendance for these games. It may be your only opportunity to get that "look" and showcase your skills in front of many decision makers. The Ice Girls will be providing entertainment between periods of our game as well. Beer after 10 PM at the concession stand will be FREE. The first 120 fans into our game will be given 2 round trip airfare tickets to anywhere in the country. Last, but not least, the entire Iowa Stars coaching staff, equipment managers & trainers will be on hand to provide full services for these games.

With all these benefits (some of them not true) how can you pass it up? Don't email your "Hold me a spot" message as I will send this straight to the forbidden zone called my junk folder.

Week 9 Must be BETTER!

No comment on going 1-5 last week. Every season has its upset week, so I'm calling week #8 my "trash can" week and throwing those picks away.

Its time for redemption and time to go 6-0 to show everyone I can analyze with the best of them.

Legends Vs. Plaza
This has got to be better than the Colts / Patriots match up. You've got 2 teams looking to come out as champs in the CLW division (C League Wednesday). This should be a tight game with the lead changing several times. Since my prediction is Colts over Patriots, I have to go with Plaza on this one as Plaza Printer starts with "P" and so does Peyton Manning.

Mike Vs. Joe
After the first match up goes to a shoot out, this one will not. Alien Joe will be missing some key players. Topliff is in Florida on a try-out for the Orlando Express Men's B League team, Van Patten is rehabbing a shattered spine but should be back next week & Mertz is out indifinitely as his agent is asking for more money. Although the fire power of the Dylo Bros., and Kielty Bros. will be strong, they will all be calling for their moms as they lose this one.

Bearings Vs. Irwins
Irwins coming off back to back wins and Bearings off back to back losses makes this game an obviously easy pick. Obvious how you ask? The number 3 is the answer. The game is played on Oct. 31st which has a 3 in it. Irwins has 3 ladies playing. This is the 3rd game of the night and Wednesday is the 3rd day of the business week. Therefore Irwins wins their 3rd in a row and Bearings loses their 3rd.

Sunday
Dons VS Coke/YDD
Going back to the Colts / Patriots comparison, this game will be a good one. Since neither team's name starts with a "P" as in Peyton, we have to dig deeper to get this one right. Coca Cola/Yankee Doodle Dandy wins this one for one big reason. The Indianapolis Colts were originally named the "Indianapolis Cokes". Due to legal issues that were unresolvable, they changed their name. Coke wins this one.

Team 4 Vs. Waste Management
As tempting as it is to take this upset, and finally pick Team 4 to win, not gonna happen. WM also stands for "Win More"..so we're going to pick them to edge out a win and keep Team 4 hungry for the elusive first win.

Cup O Kryptonite Vs. Alien Hockey
This week has Alien losing to the up & coming super power of Kryptonite. Alien will show signs of strength early on, but will not keep up with Johnson's crew of scoring maniacs. Goaltending may be a factor here, but Bailey will eat too much at the Machine Shed and be sluggish all game.

To Recap
Favorite Spread Underdog
Plaza 1 Legends
Joe 2 Mike
Irwins 3 Bearings
Coke/YDD 3 Dons
WM 4 Team 4
Kryptonite 3 Alien

Get ready for 6-0.

Updated Adult League Stats

If you haven't looked yet, there is a new Standings and Stats page for C & D Leagues.

On our main homepage, the C/D Adult League link goes to a site designed and updated by Tony Hansen, He plays out in C League on Wednesdays for Bearing Group and as a goalie for 11 to 7 Insurance in D League. www.dmahockey.com

I will continue to blog info about the league and make sure all bettors know the spreads each game.

He has taken it upon himself to significantly improve my thrown together stats page and make it more complete and "cooler".

Give him some thanks when the opportunity arises but more importantly, send him your emails when your big game winning assist was missed in the stats book.
Please be patient with any requests or suggestions as he has other things to do and we don't pay him enough to complain.

Thanks Tony!!!

ISU Hockey Game

On Saturday November 3rd, ISU Hockey plays Michigan-Dearborn at the Bucs Arena at 1:30 PM.

For those who do not know, Brian Wierson is coaching the team. Brian was the rink manager at Metro Ice a short time ago and was instrumental in working with me to help grow, coordinate & organize the men's league at MISF. He put on Beginner Adult Clinics , as well as many kids camps for Intro Level kids.

It is our time to say thanks and support him in his new position and get the numbers up at his game here in Des Moines.

We have vouchers for "2 for 1" tickets to this game at our store. Stop in to get your voucher today. Ticket prices are as follow:
Adults $8
Students $6
Kids (12 & under) $4

For those who can't do math, $8 with this coupon gets 2 adults in. Thats $4 per ticket. Small price to pay for some great hockey and more importantly, supporting a great coach & developer (Brian owes me for saying that)

Lets get a rowdy crowd going to cheer him on!!!!

*** Note-This ticket does NOT get you into the Bucs game that night, but don't be a cheapskate. Buy a ticket to the Bucs game as well and support them too!

Desperate Times....

On Tuesday October 23rd at 4:27 PM, the call came in. "Can you do it?", "Can you come out of retirement and strap on the pads?", "Will you defend the net once again?"

There was a Novice League Game scheduled at Wells Fargo during intermission last night. The Cup O' Kryptonite Team was to face 11 to 7 Insurance. A last minute issue had Cup O' Kryptonite's goalie unable to attend. Captain Matt Johnson's began to sweat and worried about the fate of his team. He even contemplated putting the pads on himself, but then he may have made the boldest decison ever. "Would Joe Bafia put the pads on once again?"

After talking with me for over an hour, begging for my services, I agreed. Although I felt it was unfair to the other team, that a person of my ability would once again entertain the world (or in this case Des Moines), I wanted another opportunity to be on the grand stage.

As we geared up in the locker room prior to the big event, there was a deafening silence as Tony Hansen (the other goalie) and I stared each other down. No words exchanged, just an unspoken rivalry that has lasted decades.

I had my team focused. "You guys worry about scoring", I proclaimed. "The puck will never enter the our net", I guaranteed. As the puck dropped, I flashed back to 1964. My first game against the Swedish National Team had us up by 1 goal with 2 minutes left. We were shorthanded with 3 players in the box and they had pulled their netminder to throw 6 players against our 2 defensmen. (Back in the European Elite League, thats how we played). Although that was the longest 2 minutes of my goaltending life, it was my proudest moment. As my 2 defensemen both had broken sticks that they had to discard, but could not get off to change, I faced a record breaking 114 shots in those 120 seconds. Glove side, stick side, five hole...nothing got through.

Back to the current game, nothing changed. As my unorthodox "caterpillar" style of goaltending took over in place of the more common "butterfly" style, I once again stopped them all. It gave fans another glimpse of greatness that they thought they would never see again.

As Tony stood 176' away, he remained solid as well. The pressure of facing one of the greatest goalies ever did not have him panicked.

As the game ended in a 0-0 finish, we skated off the ice. Players celebrating, smiling & congratulating each other for a game well played, while Tony & I continued where we left off. Silent stares through the corridors heading to the locker room. Quietly, I removed my gear while listening to teammates describe their outstanding play. As everyone exited the locker room, I exchanged glances with Tony one last time. I gave him the traditional "head bob" indicating "nice game" but I did not utter a sound. Surprisingly, the long standing goalie code was broken when Tony muttered under his breath "nice work."

And so the saga continues. Another perfect performance by 2 outstanding goaltenders in the record books. Until next time Tony...oh yeah..and "Nice Work."

Place Your Bets!

A wild and crazy Week #7 has me going 3-3 with picks. Lets review.

Wednesday was full of upsets as every pick I made was wrong. Plaza beats Bearings in a close one. 2 goals by Sedrel and 3 assists by Patava sealed Bearings fate as my first pick was wrong.

In game #2 Alien Mike decided they were going to take the night off. My prediction made Mike the favorite by 3 and they end up losing by 6. I think they may have felt pity on the Irwins team and allowed them to get their first win. Goodman led his team with 4 points like a true captain should and Madson added 2 goals. Great job Perry getting the lone goal for Alien Mike.

Game #3 was another close one. I had Alien Joe winning by 1, but the score was reversed and Legends wins by 1. Alien Joe was ready to pull goalie Barker after a poor performance, but we realized we had no back up. Lenhard earns 3 points for Legends while Bishop, Topliff and Van Patten earn points for Alien Joe.

Redemption happened on Sunday as I go 3-0 with these picks.
I had Don's Auto winning by 7. Final score was Don's 10, other guys 4. I asked Don's Auto Team Captain about why they didn't cover the spread. "We had opportunities to score that last one, but didn't want to run up the score."

Waste Management loses 8-1 to Coca Cola/Yankee Doodle Dandy . Although I had this game closer, a win is a win. Wehrenberg gets 4 points in this victory for Coke while Hutton is lone scorer for WM.

A 6-3 Cup 'O Kryptonite win over 11 to 7 Insurance finishes off my perfect streak on Sunday. Grahm scores a goal for both teams (don't ask its complicated). Newcomer Richter lights it up with 2 goals & 2 assists as well for Kryptonite.

This week's picks
Wednesday C League
Bearings & Legends square off in the opener. With Legends coming off a close win and Bearings coming in after a close loss, this will be the EVEN game of the week. No points given here as I predict Bearings wins this one in a game that may see OT.

Alien Joe squares off against Irwins. After a big win for Irwins last week, Alien Joe will make them realize that they still are a last place team. "The cellar is where they belong" stated Topliff, "and we're gonna send them there." Big words Shawn, hope you step up. Final score: Alien Joe 5, Irwins 1.

Plaza matches up against Alien Mike in the Wednesday finale. New addition to the ranks, Katie Patterson will join Alien Mike tonight for her debut. This, however will not be enough to stop the onslaught by Plaza. Plaza wins this one by 3.

Sunday C league
In what could be the biggest thrashing of the season, Coca Cola/ YDD puts on an offensive clinic in this one and blows it wide open in the first period. Team 4 does not get a win tonight as they lose by 12. Donuts (and coca cola) for everyone.

Don's Auto faces Waste Management in the Sunday night. This is my ULTRA-SUPER LOCK, TRIPLE A, SUPREME PICK of the Week. Waste Management brings the heat for this one and gets the upset win over the over cocky and confident team of Don's. I hope Don's Auto has a wrecker waiting after the game to pick up the pieces of there broken down team. WM by 2 in this one.


Sunday D League
11 to 7 Insurance faces Alien Hockey. 11 to 7 is not happy with their performance last week and will let Alien Hockey know about it. This one goes in the books as 11 to 7 winning by 3.

To Recap:
Favorite Spread Underdog

Bearings EVEN Legends
Alien Joe +4 Irwins
Plaza +3 Alien Mike
Coke/YDD +12 Team 4
Waste Management +2 Don's
11 to 7 +2 Alien Hockey

Good luck and you bet the house on these!

Support our Bucs!

Tonight at Carlos O'Kelly's located at 4371 Merle Hay Road from 6-7pm “Bucs Talk Live”. Come talk hockey with Head Coach Regg Simon, Kyle Bailey, and Rody Selk. Additional Bucs players will be in attendance so make sure to come on out. There will also be drink specials during “Bucs Talk Live”. "Bucs Talk Live" is every Monday at Carlos O'Kelly's on Merle Hay.

This is from an email I received from the Des Moines Bucs. Go out and show some support!

Another Playing Opportunity at Wells Fargo

Didn't get a chance to play at Wells Fargo last year? Didn't get in on the first game this year?

Well here are 2 more opportunities to skate at Wells Fargo after an Iowa Stars Home game.

On Friday, November 16th, players from the D League will have an opportunity to skate a full game after the Stars Game. We will take the first 24 players & 2 goalies that register.

On Friday, November 30th, players from the C League will have an opportunity to skate a full game after the Stars Game. We will take the first 24 players & 2 goalies. HOWEVER, we will give an opportunity to those players who have not yet had a chance to skate their this year. I will give new players until Wednesday, October 31st a chance to register. After that, I will open up to whomever wants to do it from C League.

Important notes for both these games.

• We need to sell a minimum of 100 tickets to the Iowa Stars Game that night.
• The tickets are $9.50 each (this includes the Stars Game, your playing time, a hot dog, chips & drink)
• Each player is required to sell a minimum of 4 tickets (there is no maximum)
• To secure your spot, you must pre-pay $38 (for the 4 tix min.)
• Once you have paid your $38, you can still order more tickets (deadline is typically 2 days prior to the actual game date)
• Once I turn in all money and orders, tickets will be given to me to distribute

Start spreading the word for these 2 events. We had 200 tickets sold for the first game we did, so let's keep it up so more opportunities like this happen.

The registration starts now!

Select Try Outs

If you would like your child to tryout for the Select Team, the deadline for registration is Thursday, October 18th. Tryout dates and times are posted on Des Moines Youth Hockey's website www.dmyha.com . If you want more info on the Select program, visit the DMYHA website as well.

Delayed Update...sorry.

My apologies for not getting the update sooner. There will be no recorded update this week, so here is the review & preview.

Since I was "money" for last Wednesdays picks, let's review Sunday.
I had Team 4 winning their first game by 2 over Waste Management. Although I was wrong with this pick, its not totally my fault. Who would have thought that Ulrich, Mitchell & Carlson woould step up to be heros? That was an unpredictable factor and should not go against me.
On the other hand, I was DEAD ON with my Coca Cola/YDD +4 pick. A final of 6-2 had Don's Auto losing and me winning.

For D league, another unpredicatble game had Alien Hockey win by 5. My pick was Kryptonite by +2, but Grahm and Gugat teamed up for 6 goals to pull out the upset win for Alien.

My record last week is 4-2 and which in Vegas would be pretty darn good. Now to this week's match up.

Wednesday C League
Game 1 - Plaza Printers Vs. Bearing Group.
This is a tough one. As Plaza comes off a disappointing loss to Alien Joe, they want people to know they are still the team to beat. The Bearings Group has refocused after a tough loss to Alien Joe 2 weeks ago, to beat a very solid Alien Mike team last week with no effort. I've got to go with Bearings Group this week as they are beginning to gel better as a unit.

Game 2 - Alien Mike Vs. Irwins
Wow! Irwins hangs in there with Legends last week in a game that goes to OT. Although they lost, you can see a new sparkle in their eye. New addition Brekke adds a bit more offense and now makes Irwins a contender. Alien Mike's team is inconsistent. They get destroyed by Bearings Group last week, but beat a first place Legends team. Doesn't make sense, but helps me with my prediction. I will follow the roller coaster ride and pick Alien Mike to beat Irwins.

Game 3 - Legends Vs. Alien Joe
Legends continues its winning ways by taking their record to 5-1. Confidence is setting in and Davis in net seems to not even be trying at times. Alien Joe is 3-0-1 in its last 4 games and has seemed to find the winning way. I think these teams will be fighting for the #1 & #2 spots all season, so this should be a preview to great match ups to come. Alien Joe's streak will continue as they upset the first place team.

Sunday C League
Game 1 - Team 4 vs. Don's Auto
The LOCK of the week. You can put your mortgage on this one. Don's Auto will regain is elite status and destroy Team 4. Sorry Team 4, nothing personal, as you just happen to be the team that has to play them after a disappointing loss last week.

Game 2 - Atlantic Coca-Cola / Yankee Doodle Dandy Tattoo Vs. Waste Management
Both teams coming off big wins last week give each team momentum. Coke/YDD is a consistent team that should be a force all season. Waste Management has the talent, but needs everyone to come together for each game in order to succeed. Coke/YDD's consistency will pay off this week as they defeat Waste Management.

Sunday D League
11 to 7 Insurance Vs. Cup O Kryptonite
The caffeine drinking, comic book reading players of Kryptonite will start a "rookie" goalie in net. A tough loss to Alien Hockey last week, will have Kryptonite wanting a win. 11 to 7 Insurance brings their 2-2 record to the table and hope to go over .500 this Sunday. Although a very close game, Kryponite edges out 11 to 7 Insurance.

Vegas / Des Moines Line

Favorite Spread Underdog
Bearings Group +2 Plaza Printers
Alien Mike +3 Irwins
Alien Joe +1 Legends
Don's Auto +7 Team #4
Coke/YDD +2 Waste Management
Kryptonite +1 11 to 7 Insurance

I should have the rest of Sunday C & D Leagues schedules finalized this week for the remainder of the season. Thanks for being patient and good luck this week.

Adult Novice League Needs Your Support

My goal from day one of opening the store was to see the growth of hockey at all levels. By hosting some Learn to Play for Adults with Brian Wierson & beginning a Novice League, we have seen all levels of adult hockey grow.

Many of the current C League Players, got their start in the D League (our poster child, Tom Kielty pictured to right was one).

We have close to 40 players currently involved in the D League this Fall / Winter session and want to expand this even more. This helps fuel the growth of all levels and makes each league more fun & competitive.

To help generate awareness of the Novice League, we have an opportunity to have D League players skate during intermission of the Tuesday, October 23rd Iowa Stars Game. I am asking for support from all hockey players to make this event a success. Players will only skate for approx. 2-4 minutes.

What can you do?

• D League Players - I need at least 10 players to play during the intermission. This is an opportunity for the fans to see that you can start playing hockey as adults even if you have never played. Some players have mentioned that it could be embarassing to skate during this event, and my response is that is correct. We want the fans to say "I can do that!" We already have several who have decided to do this and are helping expose the sport to more players. Please contact me if you are a D League player and can do this.

• Adult League Players - Show your support for growing hockey. Some of you may have started in the D League or play in the C League that now has 10 teams. This wouldn't be possible without the D League, so show your support and come out to this game.

• Fans - If you are just a fan of hockey, the Iowa Stars or the Adult League, be a part of our group. Power in numbers gets us opportunities like this to skate at Wells Fargo.

We are offering the same group deal as before. A $9.50 ticket gets you into the game, hot dog, chips & drink. There is no maximum as to how many tickets, but we need to sell at least 20. Since 10 players will be skating, we are 1/2 way there. Spread the word to casual fans, co-workers, teammates, neighbors, enemies, etc.

Stop by Alien Hockey to pre-purchase your tickets. I will need a final count on Monday October, 22nd.