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Published on March 29, 2006 under North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Bozeman Icedogs News Release


After raising their Regular Season Championship banner to the rafters of the Valley Ice Garden last weekend, the ICEDOGS turn their focus to goal number two-a Borne Cup Division Championship.

The ICEDOGS welcome the Billings Bulls tomorrow and Friday in round one of the NAHL playoffs. Tomorrow's game is sponsored by Venture West Realty. Friday's game is sponsored by Montana Title & Escrow and will feature a Platt Paper Airplane Contest for tons of prizes and a Cash Dig sponsored by Stockman Bank.

Here are the game dates for the remainder of the first round against Billings: Game 3 on Monday, April 3rd at the MetraPark Arena. Game 4 (if necessary) on Tuesday, April 4th at MetraPark Arena. Game 5 (if necessary) on Friday, April 7th at the Valley Ice Garden.

2005-06: THROUGH THE EYE'S OF COACH LAFONTAINE

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Q: From the end of tryouts and into training camp, what were your expectations for this season? Coach: Coming out of tryouts, it was hard to be overly optimistic. There were too many unanswered questions, and we weren't sure if we had what it took to be a champion. At that point, we didn't have Dalton, we weren't sure how deep our defense was and we didn't have Pete Fylling or Heidinger at camp. Up front, we were excited. We had size, speed, and a ton of skill players, but were still missing something in the power forward position. We knew we would be able to move the puck, but were not sure how well we could control it down low.

After training camp, we had some questions answered. We could see Dalton had a lot of potential, but needed some fine-tuning. Brett Barta and Bryant Molle had a great camp and we could see the depth at the defensive position, knowing that Jameson Raymond and Zach Josepher were improving and almost ready for the Jr. A Level. In addition, that is when Pete came to us and we could see that his size was going to be huge for us, and his low play started to establish. After the two weeks of training camp I was starting to feel better about our chances.

Q: After you lost the first three games of the regular season, what was going through your mind? Coach: I was frustrated, but not concerned. We out-skated, out-worked, and out-played our opponents for most of the game, but made some mistakes that turned out to be costly. Dalton hadn't settled in between the pipes and struggled through those first few games. We could also see that our defense was pinching way too much so we made an adjustment to allow them to do their job, and challenged our forwards to back check hard and help support the puck. We could see the adjustments in our fourth game against Helena, we eliminated their quality chances and we picked up a win.

Q: From there you head on an eight game in ten day road trip, and go undefeated. What now? Coach: We could see the team starting to trust the coaches. Everything you do in camp is to build trust, to start molding the team in the direction you need them to go. The wins just validated that we were headed in the right direction. The guys started to believe in themselves as a team, and believe that they could win. The eight wins were key and after the showcase I felt that we had a team that could win the division. The thought about league champions never crossed my mind. It was on that long trip that the guys bought into the concept of eating right. They started to understand what it takes to be an Elite Athlete and we focused on mental preparation, all of which helped us down the road.

Q: Before you know it, you're on a 20 game winning streak. What were you thinking about then? Coach: Just another win, night after night, just another win. For the entire streak, we focused on the task at hand, and that was the game. We didn't think about a streak, never looked at the numbers, just focused on preparing and winning hockey games. We weren't playing the best hockey towards the end of the streak, but they still worked hard and we found ways to get the job done. It showed the resilience of the team and the work ethic that it takes to be a champion.

Q: Now you end your season tying the All-Time Single Season Record for Wins, and win the Regular Season Title. As you prepare for Billings and Round One, what will it take to make it to Ohio? Coach: The key is being prepared, mentally and physically. The playoffs are tough, some of the toughest hockey these men will ever play. We can't look at the series, can't be over anxious, and we can't dwell on the past. Sure we won the league, set records, but teams aren't remembered for what they did, if they don't make the big dance. I think we are ready for the run, and we set our goals high. This team has overcome many obstacles this season, and battled through adversity. We just have to take it one game at a time, and play the way we have all year long. We have a team that can accomplish a lot more and they are hungry to prove it.

ICEDOGS Goaltender Matt Dalton Excited About Next Season

The Bozeman ICEDOGS came out of tryout camp with a pair of goaltenders and a lot of uncertainty. They opened training camp with three battling for the starting spot between the pipes, and in the end, it was the late addition that set the league on fire. Matt Dalton got a call in late July from ICEDOGS Assistant Coach Kevin Stone. A week later, he was on his way across the border and to Bozeman, Montana.

When he arrived, the coaching staff had high expectations for the Clinton, Ontario native who spent last season with the St. Mary's Lincolns of the Western Jr. B League in Canada. He got right to work fine-tuning his skills and working hard for the starting spot.

"When we got Matt Dalton I knew he had potential, but had to realize it first," ICEDOGS Assistant Kevin Stone said. "Dalton was what I call a ‘Pizza Box Goalie' in when he went down, he covered a lot of net but was slow to recover. After training camp he came to me and asked for more goalie sessions, more workouts to improve, and it shows in the numbers."

The extra sessions and practice with ICEDOGS Goalie coach Kevin Stone paid off as Dalton set the league ablaze, shattering the records for goals against, save percentage and shutouts. His 1.63 GAA is tops by a good tenth of a point, and his save percentage broke a five year old record. His nine shutouts also set the mark, beating Ryan Miller of the Soo. Miller, currently with the Buffalo Sabres, played two years under ICEDOGS Head Coach John LaFontaine, when LaFontaine was the assistant with the Soo.

Dalton, who never looked at the numbers, was surprised to learn he set the mark. He knew he was having a good season, but never thought it was this good. "I struggled early on but then turned things around," Dalton said. "After the showcase I knew I was in the top spot, but didn't really pay attention to the numbers. I just focused on stopping the puck and putting my team in position to win games."

Dalton, who led his team to 33 victories on the season, realizes that his defense played a integral role in his success. "The guys in front of me are awesome," Dalton noted. "It's not hard to stop the puck when your opponents are only getting around 20 shots per game. When they force shots from the outside and keep the scoring chances to a minimum, it makes my job real easy."

Dalton added that although his name goes down in history, he feels it was a team effort that helped win him the award. Over the course of the season, Matt was named Sher-Wood Defensive player of the week a league leading four times. He has attracted the attention of numerous scouts during the season, but is weighing his options for next season.

Miscellaneous News, Notes, and Happenings

The ICEDOGS Booster Club will be taking a bus to Billings for Monday's game three of the playoffs. If you are interested in going, please stop by the Booster Club booth during Thursday's game for more information.

Are you interested in getting ICEDOGS jerseys, hats, or other merchandise for the team to sign? If so, stop by Play It Again Sports on Oak Street or Top Shelf Hockey at the Valley Ice Garden for official ICEDOGS merchandise.

Individual tickets for the Big Sky Thunder football games will be on sale soon. Visit their website for pricing information.

2006-07 Season Tickets are now on sale! If you are interested in avoiding lines and getting the best price- per-game deal then Season Tickets are for you!

Congratulations to Patricia Albrecht who has won two tickets to Thursday's game. She was randomly selected among those submiting online surveys from the ICEDOGS website this past week.

Murdochs Ranch & Home Supply Trivia

How many more goals did the ICEDOGS score this season than they did last season?

Murdoch's Ranch & Home Supply wishes the ICEDOGS the best of luck in the playoffs!

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North American Hockey League Stories from March 29, 2006


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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