OPEN PRACTICE

Today the Bulls held an open practice at the Barn. It was a nice way to spend a Saturday morning. The practice included a tour of the locker room area, which I hadn't seen since the season started in early October. Here are some pictures.

GETTING CHIPPY WITH THE REIGN

It’s been a busy week for me. Wednesday night I was at the Fillmore to see the might Testament. What a great show it was! They’re touring now with Overkill, presenting the Dark Roots of Thrash Tour. It was a lot of fun. I’ve been part of the Bay Area metal community for decades and to hang out with old friends was a real treat.

On Wednesday night the Bulls played the Stockton Thunder in that busy metropolis Stockton. (I’m kidding, hardly anything ever happens there.) The Bulls lost in a shootout 4-3. I followed on Twitter and it sounded like an extremely nasty game with lots of fights. In fact, Jonathan Lessard hurt his nose, it may be broken, but I’m not sure about that.

Jonathan Lessard in full face mask 

Thursday night’s game was against the Ontario Reign. I took a friend who had never been to a hockey game before. He had a great time and wants to go to more Bulls games. It was the last Thirsty Thursday and the team gave away cute orange plastic cups.

I sort of knew this was going to be a nasty game. Even before the warm-ups started, the Reign tried to push the Bulls’ buttons, nearly starting huge a fight between the two teams.

Pre-game Chippiness

Unfortunately, the Reign outplayed the Bulls for most of the game. They’re a tough team, tied for top of the Western Conference with the Alaska Aces. It got ugly in the Third Period though when Alex Tuckerman gave a Reign player a nasty hit along the boards. The guy took personal offense for it, so they fought it out. It looked like Alex got the best of him. But, the guy wouldn’t shut up!! He was chirping all the way to the Box, and was still blabbing away once the door was shut.

Alex Tuckerman

In fact, AFTER the game was OVER, and the penalty box door was open, the Reign player kept yapping, so much so both teams wanted to fight each other again. The ECHL really needs to give this dude a fine or suspend him from a game or two. There was no excuse for that kind of behavior.

The Reign beat the Bulls unfortunately, 5-2. Peter Sivak and Dean Ouellet both got goals in the Third Period and San Francisco tried to stage a comeback, but couldn’t do it.

The Bulls have a few days off. Next game is February 6, Wednesday, versus the Wranglers, when the team holds their Wrangle a Date. Yeah, I know, but what can we do? Haha!

And this Sunday, the 49ers go to the Superbowl!! This is a huge deal for San Francisco, so I’ll write about that Monday! Go Niners!!!

GO BULLS!!!

OUR BULLS HOCKEY TEAM

I read some guy’s hockey blog a few weeks ago and he said that he’d rather write about ice girls because he thought that hockey players were stupid. Sorry buddy, but I think we ALL know who the dim one is, and it’s not hockey players! Not sure why he was even writing about hockey if he dislikes the athletes involved, but that’s none of my business.

My friend Matty had his Eleventh Birthday yesterday. He’s a stage 4 cancer survivor and every day is a battle of some sort due to his health problems.

Matty loves hockey. He lives and breathes the game. I tweeted the Bulls players and asked them to tweet Matty to wish him a Happy Birthday. He was so surprised that many of them did, including Coach Curcio. Matty and his family were really touched by the team’s warm-heartedness and I’ll never forget it. To a good kid who doesn’t have a whole lot of great days, they helped make his birthday a Great Day.

Of all the players I’ve met, spent time with, none were stupid. None were nasty or self-centered. The Bulls players are as cool as they get.  

So, don’t go telling me how stupid athletes are, especially hockey players. You say that to my face, you’ll be lucky to get away with a stern talking to.

In AMAZING Bulls news, the team took 2 games out of a 3-game series from the top team in the ECHL, the Alaska Aces. I wrote about Friday night’s game already. Saturday night’s game was close with the Bulls losing 2-1. The game was an exciting battle throughout, but the team just couldn’t get pucks past the Aces’ goalie Gerald Coleman.

Today’s game seemed more like a mission than just a game. The San Francisco team was determined to win. Dean Ouellet ranked a score first, followed by two goals by Peter Sivak, giving him a team high of 21 goals. D. Ouellet has 20.

Jordan Clendenning got into a nasty fight as well. I sure wish the Bulls would FILM Bulls’ fights! It would be awesome to watch and rate them on www.hockeyfights.com!

The game was so close through the entire 60 minutes. It ended at 2-2 in regular time and went into Overtime. Sivak dropped in the first goal and the Bulls win 3-2!

Next Bulls game is in Stockton Wednesday, January 30^th. Next home game is January 31^st against Ontario. We got this.

GO BULLS!!!

BULLS TOP ACES

Last October 27^th I wrote about Hockey Heaven Alaska. Back then, the Bulls were different. They were less sure of themselves, not quite as strong, had much less experience and because of that, lost all three games against the Alaska Aces.

Of course, because of the Lockout, the Aces had five NHL players padding their numbers. Now, with the trade and a few months' experience, the Bulls are faster, stronger and prepared to take on anyone. Things have indeed equaled out and the Bulls took the first game 5-2.

Christian Ouellet made not only his first goal with the team but his second. Rob Kwiet, Jordan Clendenning  and Cody Carlson also scored for San Francisco.

It was an exciting game, complete with a terrific fight won by Hans Benson.

There were some technical difficulties at knbr.com so I was forced to listen to the Aces broadcast through their local radio station where the announcer kept saying, over and over “Frisco”. I wanted to smack him! Argh!!!

The two teams go at it again tonight at 8:15pm. Hopefully the sound will be working properly at www.knbr.com

GO BULLS!!!

MID SEASON PLAYER REVIEW

First, I need to take care of some business. I do THE BULLS SHEET for a couple of reasons. One, I love the Bulls! I want to show others what a great team the Bulls are and I hope at least a few people will get it. I also do it because it’s fun. I love writing about hockey. Sometimes I have to do my blogs late at night or when I’m pressed for time. I have many responsibilities in my life, so mistakes do happen. I do not mind at all if you email me or point out on Facebook or Twitter that I’ve made a mistake. I appreciate it! So, if I get a score wrong or make a typo or the like, feel free to let me know. I have a thick skin, I can take it. And I thank you in advance for keeping me on the right track. Now, if your criticism is purely because of my opinion, that’s fine, I’ll talk it out with you. Have at it.

Also, I want to thank Misty for putting together last weekend’s road trip to Stockton. It was awesomely great fun! I should have mentioned it in my last blog, but it was done quickly after I got home, so a perfect example of a not-perfect blog. So without further ado….

It’s time for my Bulls Player Review and with so many changes it will help all of us to go through the list of who’s in and how those on the Bulls Roster RIGHT NOW are doing. As a reminder, this is a POSITIVE review, I’m not here to bash anyone or criticize. THE BULLS SHEET is all about supporting the Bulls!

PAT CURCIO – Coach

Pat is a great coach. With the NHL lockout, he’s had to deal with a revolving door of players up and down the scale and he did this with professionalism and thought. He made trades as soon as the first hints of problems popped up rather than waiting until they were overwhelming. The most recent trade with the Gwinnett Gladiators is the perfect example. The team is faster, more skillful and better prepared to take on the rest of the ECHL than they were beforehand.

#6 – JOE SOVA – Defense

Sova is a fast skater and good with the puck. I expect him to continue stepping up his game and improving in future performances.

#8 – COLIN REDDIN – Center

Reddin is a fast skater. He only played two games that I saw when he was brought up from the SPHL as a fill-in player before the big trade with Gwinnett was made. The SPHL is a single A league, as opposed to the ECHL which is double A, so he may need a bit more refining before getting more playing time. With his spirit and attitude, expect to see more of this young forward.

#9 – JORDAN MORRISON – Forward (Alternate Captain)

With the trade of Justin Bowers, Morrison is on the Short List to be the next Captain. He certainly deserves this. He has 24 points; 11 goals and 13 assists. When he’s on the ice, Morrison has the instincts to keep the line together and battle towards the net.

#10 – SEBASTIEN TRUDEAU – Forward

Trudeau was part of the big trade, but he’s seen action this past weekend. He’s fast and smooth and helps rev the team’s speed up, which is vital to compete in the ECHL.  He scored his first goal with the Bulls Sunday, Jan 20^th in Stockton against the Thunder.

#14 – JONATHAN LESSARD – Right Wing

Lessard was with the Bulls at the start of the season but had to be let go because of the lockout and the movement of players down to make room for NHL players. This was a shame because the team didn’t want to lose him, he’s a great player. He’s fast, aggressive and isn’t afraid to get into a scuffle. In fact, he had his first fight of the season this past weekend when he clearly out boxed his Thunder opponent in a few seconds, knocking him roundly to the ice. Lessard can score, he can block, and he’s fast! He’s a valuable asset to the team.

#17 – ROB KWIET – Defense

If you’ve read my blogs before, you know how much I admire Kwiet’s game performance. When Tam was sent back to Worcester and Guimond was traded to Gwinnett, he helped fill the void. Kwiet is a leader and I would be more surprised if he wasn’t a captain on a team in the future. Get your shades out, the future’s sunny.

#18 – ALEX TUCKERMAN – Forward

Tuckerman has 4 goals and 6 assists, totaling 10 points, but this doesn’t tell the whole story. He’s gritty and fast. His style definitely shows where he’s from, the East Coast. He’s not afraid to attack the net and take people with him. He’s one of the most entertaining players to watch because there is no fear within. He can block and stand up to defensemen who try to intimidate. That’s just not possible!

#22 – RYLAN GALIARDI – Forward

Galiardi scored his first SF score this past Sunday in Stockton. He’s speedy and brings tons of energy to the Bulls lines. I look forward to watching him the rest of the season.

#24 – SCOTT LANGDON – Defense (Alternate Captain)

Langdon’s come a long ways from the awkward, hot headed defenseman he once was. OK, he still has the temper, but he can handle the puck so much better now. He’s very capable at guarding the net and he doesn’t hesitate to take an extra shove in the back of an over-anxious forward who takes a cheap shot at one of our players. He’s proven himself to be a leader and will continue to do so.

#25 – SIMON DANIS-PEPIN – Defense

Few have improved their game as much as Danis-Pepin. My friend keeps asking “why isn’t he using his size more?” Not every large player mimics their game like Zdeno Chara. But to Danis’ credit, he’s developed his method of playing so much this season. He’s protective of the net, quicker to get to the puck and yeah, he pushes his 6’ 7” height around much more than he used to. I’ve seen him in one fight with a confused Colorado Eagle player who challenged him, not sure why, the dude was nearly a foot shorter. The lesser guy lost, badly. He’s also a good puck handler, one of the better we have on defense and that makes him very useful close to the crease.

#26 – CHRISTIAN OUELLET – Forward

Christian Ouellet (no relation to Dean Ouellet) was part of the trade to Gwinnett and has only played a couple games. He’s fast and smooth and I want to wait to see him in action more before I write about him.

#29 – TAYLOR NELSON – Goalie

With Thomas Heemskerk’s appendectomy, Nelson had to fill in as the main goaltender. He has done so better than anyone could have expected. He’s done a great job. Sure, there have been a few burps, but, nothing out of the usual, and this was before the big trade. Before, when he was the back-up goalie, he only had a couple chances to fill in and his play was spotty. But now, with some great games in the win column, his confidence should be stronger than ever, which, more than nearly anything else, is needed in a great goalie.

#30 – BRYAN HINCE – Goalie

If you’re a goalie and you wear #30, you have a lot to live up to. At least you do in my eyes. Hince was brought in as a back-up for Nelson while Heemskerk was out. He’s done a good job at this. We’ve only needed him in a couple games, but when we did, he succeeded.

#32 – HANS BENSON – Left Wing (Alternate Captain)

Benson wasn’t playing for most of the first half of the season. He played the first couple of games or so and then for reasons unknown, he was scratched. That’s how it goes sometimes. Well, he’s back. I’m very happy to see him. He’s a good player and adds an intimidation factor that was missed while he was away. He could be mistaken for a defenseman. The PA announcer did that at a recent game. Make no mistake, he can handle a puck. Lest you forget he can fight too, so don’t get in his face.

#33 – THOMAS HEEMSKERK – Goalie

Just before New Year’s, Heemskerk had an appendectomy. He’s been out since. I was fearful of the Bulls going without him and yes, they have missed him. Thankfully, with Nelson, they’re doing well, but I am looking forward to having our main goalie back on the ice again.

#43 – KRIS BELAN – Left Wing

Kris keeps his point count going with 17 total, 7 of which are goals. He’s an all-around great player. He can score, obviously, he can protect, he can fight. What CAN’T he do? His PIMs is 105 and I’m sure that will get much higher before season’s end.

#44 – CODY CARLSON – Defense

Taking the number and part of the place of Sacha Guimond, who was part of the big trade, Carlson is still fresh, yet has already made an impact. He’s already scored a goal in one of the two games he’s played. His style is head-on, power hockey. I can’t wait to see more from Carlson.

#45 – DEAN OUELLET – Forward

One of our two best players (Sivak being the other, see below), Ouellet’s ability to score is near legendary. His skating isn’t smooth, and it doesn’t have to be. All he has to do is set his sights on the goal and it happens. He’s the lone Bulls player to make it to the ECHL All Star game and we’re darn proud of him. Expect many more goals from this superstar!

#47 – DYLAN KING – Defense

King has always been a good defenseman. He doesn’t get a lot of points; that’s not his focus. He protects the net and stops offensive players from scoring. He has improved and even though his -12 doesn’t show it, he’s one of the better defenseman we have. And yeah, as I said in my first review, he’s a brick wall.

#49 – JORDAN CLENDENNING – Center

Clendenning continues to be a well-known and long, last name in ECHL hockey. If he’s on the ice, he’s going to let you know it. I’m glad to have him on our team; he’s very aware of puck presence, what’s needed and when, whether it be a check or a fight or extra coverage. He’s a very valuable part of the Bulls.

#91 – PETER SIVAK – Right Wing

With moves smoother than should be illegal, Sivak, can weave the puck past a series of opponents. His skating ability comes from years of European experience. He’s just getting better and better. He’s on a six-game scoring streak and I don’t ever want it to end!

The Bulls have three tough games against the Conference leaders, the Alaska Aces up north. Games start tomorrow 8pm Pacific time. Listen at www.knbr.com The first game back at the Barn is January 31^st with Thirsty Thursday and plenty of drink specials!

GO BULLS!

GREAT DAY FOR THE BAY!

One year ago, I met Coach Curcio and the Bulls new mascot Rawhide at Park 77 Bar in the Park Merced area on San Francisco. Curcio talked about the new hockey team he was bringing to San Francisco. I had been reading and hearing about it since July of the previous year, 2011, but this was the first time I got to hear about it from the man himself.

Warm Ups

It was also the day the Forty Niners lost to the New York Giants in the NFC Championship Game. On that rainy, dreary, and very cold day, the Giants dashed all hopes for the Niners. Sometimes good things come from not-so-good things, and the dreams of having a San Francisco hockey team came closer to reality that day.

At noon today, I was on BART going to Castro Valley to meet other SF Bull devotees ready to watch the Bulls take on the Thunder in Stockton in the last of a three-game series. Each team had won one game so this was the deciding and most important contest.

Rob Kwiet

As we waited in line to get in to the shiny and nice Stockton Arena, (we love the Cow Palace, but let’s face it; it’s “rustic”), the Forty Niners game was ending. The Niners WON and would go to the SUPERBOWL!!!! WOOHOO!!! So one year made all the difference. It was a beautiful day, almost warm, and the wonderful 49ers were off to New Orleans. We were all smiling, regardless of whether we followed football or not, it was good news for the Bay Area and for all of Northern California. It brought Bulls fans and Thunder fans together.

Jonathan Lessard

There were about 10 of us in the group. It was a great, energetic group, complete in our orange jerseys and t-shirts. We first went to the warm up area to get pictures and let the team know we were there to support them. How could they NOT know with our loud voices and bright orange colors?

Our seats were also really nice, and to their credit, the Thunder fans were very cool. It was on a Sunday, Family Day and much more sedate than what I've heard about Friday night games anyway. 

Kris Belan

The Thunder are a good team. Playing against them is not easy. But the Bulls were the better team today. The team was switched on. They communicated successfully, were well prepared, and on those rare occasions when the refs called penalties, they got through the PKs without giving away any points. I don’t have any stats, but if the last two games are any indication, the Bulls will not be last in the Penalty Kill much longer. They’ve been doing an excellent job at getting through them without any damage. Much of the credit has to go to Scot Langdon, Rob Kwiet and Cody Carlson. The team suffers without Langdon, his ability to fight off attacking forwards is missed greatly when not there. Kwiet is such a leader, especially at the set-up. He has a grace, even in the face of seeming chaos, he can settle down the lines until they get into the right positions, and Cody has some greatly needed energy on the defense that the team lost with the Guimond trade. But all the defensemen have been doing well in the last two games.

Scrimmage right in front of us!

And please, keep Dean Ouellet and Peter Sivak skating together! They skate so well in one line. Peter kept his goals scored to six games. He also saluted us Bulls fans as he skated past!!! With the addition of Galiardi or Trudeau, that line may be the best one the Bulls have. Lessard could potentially be strong enough to carry another line with Tuckerman, they seem to skate in a similar fashion; smash em up hockey! In fact, today Lessard fought and pounded his opponent into the ice in five seconds!

Once again Taylor Nelson did an outstanding job at the net.

The Bulls scored quickly and often. Even the lack of penalty calling didn’t stop their goal drives. Tuckerman was given a free shot, which unfortunately, he missed, but the score was already 5-1 at that point.

Here’s the scoring:

1^st Period: Rylan Galiardi scores 1-0, Peter Sivak scores 2-0

2^nd Period: Berglund (Stockton) 2-1, Sebastien Trudeau 3-1, Cody Carlson 4-1

3^rd Period: Alex Tuckerman 5-1, O'Neill scores 5-2

I would love to make a trip like this again during the season and hopefully do this a lot more next season!

The Go Bulls Gang

 Also happening today, the Sharks won their first game of the short season against the Calgary Flames in Calgary, beating them 4-1. A great start for the Sharks!!!

There is no Bulls Weekly until Feb 20^th and the next Bulls home game is January 31^st against Ontario, which is a 50% off beer night!

GO NINERS! GO SHARKS!

GO BULLS!

BULLS SNAP LOSING STREAK WITH WIN OVER THUNDER

It was Orange Cap Giveaway Night at the Barn, so there was a sea of orange heads watching this great game last night. The Bulls were on fire in an exciting and fast game against Stockton. Nothing was easy in this battle, but the Boys got us a great win, with a final score of 5-2, that included an empty net goal in the last minute.

Peter Sivak, robbed of a place in the All-Star game, got the first goal of the game. This is his fifth game in a row he has scored. He is indeed on fire! Jonathan Lessard got the second goal, his first professional goal and his first as a San Francisco Bull. Kris Belan scored the third goal of the game.

Alex Tuckerman in the foreground Simon Danis-Pepin in the background

Jordan Morrison

The game was not without some bad refereeing. Dean Ouellet was called four minutes for high sticking, which was sheer nonsense. And, even though the team is last in the PKs, they held off all of them last night, which is something they should be very happy about. Then, in the Third Period, Stockton hit the puck which dinged the Bulls goal post. It NEVER went in! A few minutes later, the refs conferred and called it a goal! We in the stands didn’t really know what was going on because it was never explained over the PA. So we looked at each other and wondered what happened.

Anyway, it was a moot point minutes later when Belan scored and cemented our win.

It was exciting seeing the new guys playing. I have been very impressed with Jonathan Lessard especially. I also liked watching Christian Ouellet and Rylan Galiardi.

Also, I want to add how proud I am of Taylor Nelson's goaltending. He did a fantastic job last night. Also, not to be forgotten, Rob Kwiet has stepped up as a true leader in defense.

The two teams face each other in a third game in Stockton this afternoon. I’ll be going to this game with a few members of the Matadors Club. Because the Forty Niners playoff game is a few hours beforehand, we’ll be listening to it on the radio on the way up.

With the energy from last night’s victory, the team can win today. Listen to the game online at www.knbr.com

After today, the ECHL takes a break for the All-Star game then the Bulls have three grueling games against the Alaska Aces in Alaska starting next weekend.

GO 49ers! GO BULLS!