Power Skating for Kids

This was an email I received from Scott Long and Youth Hockey. If you are looking to get your kids on the ice before season starts, take advantage of these.

DMYHA is happy to announce that they will be sponsoring Power Sakting sessions for at least the next 4 weeks. Sessions will be held at the Metro Ice Sports Facility (West Sheet) and as always cost is $10 per skater. This is open to all ages. Please let me know if you have any questions. Dates and times will be as follows.

Tuesday Sept 18-6:15-7:15 pm

Tuesday Sept 25-6:15-7:15 pm

Wednesday Oct 3-5:45-6:45 pm

Wednesday Oct 10-5:45-6:45 pm

Thanks,

Scott Long

Want to Play on a Pro Ice Rink ???

The Iowa Stars Home Opener is Friday, October 12th at 7:07 PM. I have spoken with the John Olver, the Stars President and have secured ice time after the Iowa Stars game that evening.

We did this last year and it was a HUGE success. I have already spoken to him about doing several of these and he agreed to this as long as there was enough interest.

Here are some of the details.

• We will get the ice for 1 1/2 hours after the Iowa Stars Game.
  
• We are taking approx 28 players (13 + goalie on each team)
• As a group we must sell 100 tickets
  
• Ticket is good for the Iowa Stars Game & our Game.
• Ticket cost is $9.50 (Awesome deal as last year it was $16)
• Ticket also gets you Hot Dog, Chips & a Drink.
• Open to registered C League Players first.

Each player will need to buy at least 4 tickets each. In order to get in on this deal, you MUST stop by and register at our store and pay a minimum of $38. This is good for 4 tickets. You can then sell these to whomever and also buy as many more as you need and add to the order. I am keeping an envelope here with all the money and requests, but must commit to at least 100 to make this happen. You will be able to buy tickets right up to the day before the game to get this deal.

So spread the word and as always, this is going out on the blog first as a reward to those who read it.

Call Alien Hockey 515-440-3456 for more info or details.

Annual Alien Turkey Tourney - Register Now

Its a go! We are hosting the First Annual Alien Turkey Tournament at MISF on Wednesday, November 21st.

Here are some important details:

• $45 includes, games, pizza & jersey
• Trophies for players on 1st Place Team
  
• 3 on 3 cross ice format
• 8 teams (4 players & 1 goalie)
• Limited to First 40 paid registrations
  
• Open to registered C & D players
• (2) 15 minute periods
• 4 Games guaranteed for each team
• Runs 6 PM - approx 1 AM
• Random draw teams
• Concessions will be open for drinks & snacks
• Great time for all....

This should be a blast as we will have a round robin format there will be 2 Pools. Each team will play every team in their Pool and then be ranked and head to playoff round.

Here is a great opportunity to hang out, socialize, make new friends and play some hockey late into the night without worries of getting up early next day.

Register at Alien Hockey as soon as possible as space is limited to first 8 goalies & 32 players.

Call Alien Hockey for more details at 440-3456

Free Iowa Stars Vouchers

I have some extra ticket vouchers for the Iowa Stars Pre-Season game at the Bucs Arena on Monday, Oct 1st.

Stop by if you would like to grab some. This should be a great game with a packed house making it nice & loud.

Call if you have any questions.

New Iowa Stars Jerseys Are In

Come take a look at the new RBK jerseys. Be one of the first to get the new streamlined jerseys made of lighterweight material and more aerodynamic.

Stop by the store and check them out. We only purchased 3 of each size in adult sizes, so stop in to grab your today.

Apology to Green Team

In the previous blog entry, I had stated that the Powerful Blue Team won the last Trainer's Cup and after Doug Bryant showed up at my house at 3 AM and threatened my life, I needed to make a correction and state that the Dominating Green Team won it all last sesion.

Sorry Doug and the entire Green Team!

Playing for the Cup (or Keg or Trainer's Trophy)

Every hockey players dream is to lift the cup over their head in the championship game. In our case we have the D League "Trainer's Trophy" and the C League "Boulevard Keg".

With the players in this league , the passion to win the trophy is the same. The Silver Bullets won the inaugural Trainer's Trophy by beating the Diablos. Their team was fired up for the game and even had "No Diablos" decals made for their helmets.
The 2nd session of D League had the powerful BlueTeam win it all. A strong group of players that took a few weeks to click and then became unstoppable.

The C League "Boulevard Keg" symbolizes what the C Leaguers do after each game. The social aspect keep this group together and growing. Alien Express Team 4 won the Keg in its first year. A group of mix & match players came together to defeat an Alien Hockey Team that couldn't pull out a win.
Plaza Printers won the 2nd year (summer 2007). This team had a strong team and strong record from start to finish.

Both of these trophies are being displayed at Alien Hockey for all to see. Currently, I am having plates made to place on these awards to display the past winners. Stop by sometime to relive your team's glory days or to talk about the one that got away. Feel free to bring your camera and take a picture with the "cup" as well.

Huge thanks to Shane Bast for making the Trainer's Trophy and to Brian Wierson for getting the Boulevard Keg. Its individuals like these that make these things fun.

B League Week #1

B League at the Bucs Arena had its first games Sunday. Great turnout and competition. Let's make sure it continues and attendance and interest doesn't drop off.

Thanks to all for making this start a success.

Youth Hockey Evaluation Update

Make sure you recheck the youth hockey evaluation schedule. With the Iowa Stars playing a pre-season game at the Bucs Arena on Monday October 1st, there was a schedule conflict.

Some dates & times were changed. The evaluations are the week of September 30. Visit www.dmyha.com for more up to date info.

B League Info Ready

The 2007 B League Rosters & Schedules are out.

Visit the links below to get your info.
See everyone Sunday!!!

http://www.alienhockey.com/07bleagueroster
http://www.alienhockey.com/B_League_Winter_2007

Become a Part of Alien Hockey...Permanently

For those who have not seen our "remodel" in our store, we have built a long counter/bar area. The bar is almost complete, but we wanted to involve our customers in finishing it.

The bar counter will be sealed with a clear enamel that can lock in pictures, or small flat items. If you have something (pictures, ticket stubs, articles, etc) that you would like to add and have sealed in Alien History, just drop it off. We may not use everything and will give back unused items.

Our goal is to pour the sealer Saturday Sept. 29th, so get your item in soon.

Help be a part of Alien History!

Thanksgiving Adult Tournament

Eating turkey, seeing family, watching football & relaxing....nothing beats Thanksgiving Day. How can it get any better???

We are having the First Annual Alien Turkey Tourney the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. A good friend of the Alien family, Scott Anderson, came up with the idea. He figured since there was no league hockey that night and most players who stay in town don't work the Thanksgiving Day, would enjoy some form of hockey.

More details will follow soon, but we are looking at playing 3 on 3 along the width of the ice. This will allow us to have 2 games (or 4 teams) all playing at the same time. Our goal is 8 teams with 4 + 1 goalie on each team. This means we need 32 skaters & 8 goalies. We would start at 6 PM Wednesday night and play until approx 1 AM.

Each team is guaranteed 4 games. Games will be (2) 15 minute periods. We have not finalized costs, but we are anticipating approx. $40/ player. This would include all the games & pizza.

The teams would be randomly selected based on entries. A few of us would get together and make teams as fair as possible. It would be open to any registered C & D players. This format would allow players from different leagues & teams to play with each other and socialize on a night where you are not working the next day.

With only 32 spots available, we are taking players on a first come first served basis. I need an email from those interested. I am putting this on my blog to allow those who actually read it an opportunity to register first. Other than Scott (who came up with the idea), nobody is getting a preferential entry.

So spread the word, sign up and get ready for some Alien Turkey action!

Stats & Standings Update

The website is current through yesterday's games for all C & D Leagues. Visit our website to see how you & your team compare with the league.

Last night's C League games showed some great competition.
In Game#1, Legends continues its undefeated streak with a 4-2 win over Bearings Group. The Bearings Group unveiled some sweet new jerseys & socks and looked like a pro franchise! (thanks for the business by the way).

Game #2 had Alien Joe win its first game of the season. A 7-3 loss has Irwins still searching for their first win. Bast subs in net for Irwins, and takes the loss.

Game #3 In a thriller, Plaza Printers gets the win in a shootout. 3-2 is the final score and Plaza keeps their undefeated record going.

Last Sundays D League had a close game as well. 11 to 7 Insurance edges out Alien Hockey in 1 4-3 game. Grahm (2) and R. Phillips each had goals for Alien with M. Phillips & Schnieders each assisting. 11 to 7 Insurance had goals by Kindred, Loverude & Bryant (2) with assists from Whiteman & Pedersen. Both teams looked good and many stayed for the practice hour afterwards to work on passing, shooting & positioning.

Sunday C League's Game #1 had Coke/YDD win a commanding game 12-2 over Team #4. Scoring came from all over the place so check the stats page for details. Another strong game for Reeves in net.

Game #2 had Don's Auto win 6-3 over the still winless Waste Management. Their new jerseys are coming soon, so things should be different. S. Kozak led all scorers with 2 goals & 1 assist for Don's.

With week #3 wrapping up, there have been many great games played. Lets continue to keep the games fun, clean & competitive. The refs have done a solid job with officiating, but if anyone has issues, please email me and I will forward on to the ref-in-chief.

Calling All Coaches

On Monday, September 24 @ 7:15 PM there is a MANDATORY coaches & Asst. Coaches meeting at the Bucs Arena.

If you are coaching a house team this year, make sure you attend this informational meeting. Also, house league evaluation dates are out and posted on our website. Coaches need to attend their age groups evaluation dates.

A Few Early Looks at Hockey

The ISU Hockey Team is having a team scrimmage this Friday in Ames. Game time is 7 PM.
Take an opportunity to head up that way before the big football game and show your support to new coach Brian Wierson.

Also, The Des Moines Buccaneers are having their Blue/Red Scrimmage on Sunday, Sept 16th at 4 PM. This game is FREE. Then you can head down to InPlay in downtown Des Moines after the game to hang out with your favorite Bucs players and meet them in person.

Pre season for them starts September 22 at 7PM against the Blackhawks. If you have season tickets, you will be able to get them on this day at 5 PM.

Cheer these teams on as they get ready to start the season.

DM Adult Vegas Ranked #1

Local polls show that the Adult Travel Team heading to Las Vegas next April is the #1 Adult Travel Team in Des Moines. The fact that it currently is the only Adult Travel Team in Des Moines should not matter.

We have a great group of guys ready to take on this challenge and and we are focused on winning. Well, maybe we're focused on going to Vegas for a good time and hockey just happens to interrupt our trip.

Marty Wilford from the Iowa Stars was talking to us about adult tournaments and we all thought it sounded like fun. After Adam took the lead and researched all the different events, we asked the guys who first thought it was a cool idea if they were still in, and a team was born. Here is a small background on each member of this All Star Group.

Joe - (me.) Although size doesn't show it, I have taken on the role of enforcer for this squad. I don't want anyone taking cheap shots on my my guys.

Mike D. - My cousin. Although not a very strong skater on our team, we felt we should take him since he was family.

Adam - At 6' 4", he is definitely our power forward and goal scoring machine. He & I share enforcer duties.

Matt - Although he was not very athletic growing up, he has made it his goal in life to excel at hockey. His heart is as big as he is.

Shawn - The quiet one in the bunch, he will be the level headedness we will need in a town like Vegas.

Patrick - Banned from all Canadian Hockey Leagues for issues that we cannot disclose, his grit & toughness are his strengths (as stated by his parole officer)

Gene - Don't be fooled by Gene's young age. Although immature at times, Gene is that quiet defenseman that explodes when needed...bring your ID in case you get carded.

Chris - Loud mouth, obnoxious & arrogant are the best words to describe him. He backs up his talk on and off the ice.

Nathan - Leading the leagues in penalty minutes, goal scored, assists and shut outs, he is a one man wrecking crew in D League.

Mike F. - Or "Little Mike" as we refer to him has a "bite" worse than his "bark"...our hope is to keep him contained...for the other team's sake.

Neil - Although the slowest on the team, with not a very good shot, nor any passing ability...actually, why is he going with us again?

Shane - The only "legally blind" goalie playing organized hockey today. He had sonar implants from a dolphin to help him "see" the puck.

After a hard practice yesterday (yeah we practice 1 day every other week as a team) , I realized how much fun hockey truly is. Some may think I would get tired of playing because I'm around it all the time, but I saw my teammates last night and they can't get enough either.

Whether they're playing 2 leagues, hitting every stick & puck, going to extra pay & plays or even hanging out in the shop, one thing is the same...our love of hockey.

So whether we are carrying the Championship Cup in Las Vegas or leaving the tourney early only to drown our sorrows at the closest bar, one thing I guarantee is that it'll be fun.

Sunday C & D League Update

Week #1 is now complete for both C Leagues & the D League. With 4 games played this past Sunday, we have established standings & stats. These will be updated on our website as soon as I can get to it.

The Sunday C League saw Don's Auto & Truck defeat Team #4 by a score of 9-4. Anderson was superb in net allowing only 4 goals while his team had 9 different players earning points in a team effort win. Knight, Lang, Brandon, Kozak & S. Gorelik each scored goals with Lang, Brandon, Davidson, I. Gorelik, Hudyma, S. Gorelik & Dean each earning assists. Team #4 had T. Kleven, Wermers & Bilbrey scoring goals while Wermers & R. Kleven assisted.

In the 2nd game, the sharp looking Atlantic Coca Cola / Yankee Doodle Dandy Tattoo Team earns a win over Waste Management. A final score of 6-3 had Whitaker, Wolf, Wehrenberg & Glessner lighting the lamp for Coke/YDD while teammates Abrams, McDonough & Koenig each assisted. Runner, Cronin & Heckman had goals for WM while Kelley & Carlson earned assists. Coke/YDD Captain Whitaker when asked what he thought of the game stated, "After I drink this ice cold Coca Cola and get my leg tatooed at Yankee Doodle Dandy, I'll enjoy the win."

The D League kicked off their first games as well, and in a much anticipated match up, Cup O' Kryptonite beats out 11 to 7 Insurance for the first win of the season. Whiteman, Graham & Johnson registered goals, while Whiteman, Graham & Beyer earned assists. Kindred scored the lone goal for 11 to 7, with the assist coming from Keller. Alien Hockey had the Bye week and many D league players took time to develop their skills in the 1 hour practice session after the first game.

Good luck to all in Week #2!

Youth Hockey Info

With Fall hockey just around the corner, it will be important to watch our website, youth hockey's website and this blog for updates.

The house league evaluation dates have been set and are posted here. This goes by age and by last name, so be sure and verify where you and your child need to be.

Also, with travel tryouts over and teams selected, look to youth hockey's website for team meeting dates, practice schedules, etc.

This year, RED Breezers are being utilized again, and we have many pair in stock. We have reduced the prices on EVERY pair in stock, so stop by Alien Hockey to get your pair today.

Good luck to all this coming fall and we will do our best to keep everyone posted on future events.

First C League Games in the Books

Last Wed, the first 3 games of C League were complete. Outside of a few penalties, the games went very well.

In Game 1, Bearings met Alien Mike. With a 5-4 win, Bearings starts their season 1-0. Blickley, Hoekstra & Mersberger each had a goal with Jake Brott scoring 2. Vermulm, Mersberger & Hansen each with assists. Alien Mike's team starts off in tru Alien fashion and takes a loss. The Dylo & Dylo combination (Mark & Mike) each had a goal, with Mike Kielty scoring 2 goals. Mike Dylo & Karrick each had assists. Hard battle, close game in the season opener.

In Game 2, Legends defeats Irwins in a game where Brown must have had his eyes shut in net. Allowing 8 goals, Irwins earns the loss 8-1. "Hat Trick" Callahan tallies 3 goals while many of his teammates also helped. Anderson, Hoepner, Lenhard, Skarphol & Wente each scored goals, with Callahan, Hodges & Lenard earning assists. In typical Greg Davis fashion, only 1 goal was allowed for Irwins. Kavan with the goal assisted by Kundel. Irwins will regroup for Week #2.

In Game 3, Plaza Printers comes off the championship season and earns their first win. A 4-2 defeat of Alien Joe starts the 2nd Alien team with a losing record as well. Roquet, Sedrel, Landers & Thomas each score for Plaza with an assist by Mulford. Topliff & Brand score the 2 goals for Alien Joe with Topliff assisting on 1.

You can see current rosters, standings & stats at the link below on our website.

http://alienhockey.com/adultleague.htm


With the first Sunday C league games starting today, I am excited to see what the long season brings. Happy Hockey!

Getting More Exposure

As we enter into the Fall / Winter season of adult hockey, we are always looking for ways to grow the sport.

Our efforts with creating the Novice League has fueled the growth of the C League. This week 10 C League Adult teams will start their season and play on 2 nights. This expansion was made possible by the interest in the Novice League which gave these players a place to develop their skills.

Since a significant number have moved up the ranks, we have been left with a Novice League that will consist of 3 teams. On the surface, I was disappointed that this league was not 6 teams going into the Fall / Winter, but I realized how far we have come.

Approx 2 years ago, there was no D League. No place for beginners to practice or play among similar level players. One could join the C League, but after seeing some of those games, players could be intimidated with even that level. Now, 2 years later, we have moved 20+ skaters through the Novice ranks into the C League world. Even with this, we still have 30 players going into our 3rd official season of the Novice League. The Silver Bullets won the inaugural season's championship, with the Green Team winning season #2.

Our focus on this Novice session will be better than ever.

First, with only 3 teams, we have designed a format that will have 2 teams face each other in the first time slot, and the team not playing will have the 2nd time slot to work on skating, teamwork & other drills. Players from the first game are encouraged to join the practice as well.

Second, new players can join at any time. We will prorate the game remaining and place them on a team. Players unsure about playing also have an opportunity to skate at just the practice. You can do this up to 3 times before deciding if you will like it (there is no doubt players will stay).

Next, we are getting exposure through current players in all leagues recruiting their friends, neighbors & family to play. There are 7 new players to the sport and most have been brought in by an active adult league player. We have submitted info to Juice which has us listed as an activity. http://events.dmjuice.com/eventdetails.php?eventID=58602
We also have 2 days reserved to play a game during intermission at an Iowa Stars Game. This could be huge exposure in front of thousands of potential players who may be say "I think I can do that" after watching these players.

Finally, its the current players that make this league a success. Its can be very intimidating to join what I consider a difficult sport to play if never having played. The current players suit up in all their gear, come late nights, and often times play short handed because they love the sport.

So a note to ALL players: Tell everyone you know that we have a league for them. Whether its, A, B, C or D, there is a place for anyone to feel comfortable.