Icedogs update

Published on September 1, 2005 under North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Bozeman Icedogs News Release


It is hard to believe summer is almost over and hockey season is here! We have been working at a feverish pace the past few months to make sure that your experience at an ICEDOGS game will be better than it has ever been!

There have been a lot of questions over the past few weeks about the season. Many of them don't fit into a normal spot on bozemanicedogs.com, so we are creating a list of common questions and answers that you can check out here.

We hope you enjoy this Dog Pound Weekly and are looking forward to seeing you next weekend! As always, please send us an e-mail if you have any questions, comments, or ideas about this newsletter or our games in general!

A Long List of Improvements

There may never have been so many changes in previous off-seasons as there were this summer. We have tried to be proactive in tending to the needs of our fans, and want to thank those who provide feedback. Without this vital connection, most of these improvements would not have been made.

Tickets: The Valley Ice Garden has teamed up with ticketswest.com. All tickets will now be available online or at any Ticketswest location: The Valley Ice Garden, Borders Books, Cactus Records, and MSU Athletics Ticket Office. We will also have FOUR ticket windows in the Ticket Office instead of two which means shorter lines and quicker access.

For kids, free face painting will be available in the lobby before every game so they can look like a true ICEDOGS fan. There is also a new "Rex the Wonderdog Kid's Zone" which is comprised of the southeast seating sections including sections U, V, W, X, and Y. All kids with a ticket to those sections will receive one pair of complimentary Cheerstix and a two minute session on the new inflatable bouncer that will be located in the northwest corner of the concourse. Is your child having a birthday? Before the start of the regular season, the ICEDOGS will be releasing a customizable birthday package that can be tailored to your needs. Your child will be the envy of all their friends with a birthday party at an ICEDOGS game! Does your child want pictures and autographs? No problem, read the Post-Game section below to see how easy it will be this year!

There will also be a Bozone Dog Bone nightly prize giveaway. Mixers Club is also giving away a $100 beverage credit to the MSU student bringing the largest student group to every Friday home game!

The ICEDOGS have new jerseys and improved colors! They will be unveiled against the Texas Tornado on September 16th. This game will also reward fans with FREE golf at Big Sky Resort with a sellout! Be sure to come to that game and check things out.

Back by popular demand is the Cow Toss sponsored by Country Classic Dairies! Big O Tires and Pepsi will again be providing target prizes on their in-ice logos. Country Classic Dairies is also sponsoring a new Cow Tip! ICEDOGS' staff will be personally selecting a child at random from Rex the Wonderdog's Kid's Zone to ride the Zamboni after the puck toss. That child will be given five foam cows and be challenged to hit a larger inflatable cow with one of five shots...and win the inflatable cow if successful.

Following every game, new Play-By-Play Announcer Jim Stephens will be interviewing Head Coach John LaFontaine from the bench. This will be broadcast over the PA system and on KBOZ 93.7 FM as part of the game broadcast. Every attempt will be made on road games to interview Coach LaFontaine as well.

Another post-game improvement includes five ICEDOGS appearing in the lobby via the elevator to sign autographs for fans. This will happen immediately following Coach LaFontaine's brief post-game team speech. Don't worry, there will still be post-game parties at Old Chicago that are being personally overseen and organized by GENO. The popular Pepsi Family Night special and post-game skate nights are once a month, and there will be nights where the entire team mingles with fans afterwards for autographs and photos.

The ICEDOGS are now on KBOZ 93.7-FM! Be sure to listen to new Voice of the ICEDOGS, Jim Stephens, when the 'DOGS are on the road or when you cannot make it to the game. Broadcasts will still be carried on Sportsjuice.com for a fee of $5 per game.

After reading these changes you might feel like a dog chasing your tail, but don't worry. This year ICEDOGS games are all about having fun...and lots of it! Be sure to find out about additional changes that will be announced in next week's newsletter!

Do You Need Internet Access?

BridgeBand Communications is having a Back to School sale! Get dedicated DSL bandwidth and professional installation which is perfect for cell phone users because you don't need a land line! Right now is the time to call for the best value in broadband. Questions? Call BridgeBand at 586- 1102. BridgeBand is the official Internet Service Provider of the Bozeman ICEDOGS!

NAHL Teams To Use Pointstreak.com

This season, all teams in the NAHL are required to use the Pointstreak.com game statistical software! What does this mean to you? When the ICEDOGS are on the road, you can quickly check the official game scoresheet with the click of a mouse. You can also follow other teams in the league.

Many questions have been asked about league video webcasting. Technology is improving, and it may not be too many years away before you will be able to watch all away games from the comfort of your home over the Internet. A few teams in the NAHL have done this, but we have decided to wait until technology improves to near TV quality presentation.

ICEDOGS Camp Update

One week in and already the ICEDOGS are looking like they are ready to go. The players are bigger, more physical, up beat, and full of skill with enormous potential for growth.

"It's been an exciting first week of camp," ICEDOGS Head Coach John LaFontaine said. "There are some kids that have more than what we thought they had coming out of tryouts. Guys are learning their roles and where they fit on the team and it's great to see that. They really are starting to come together as a team."

Although the ICEDOGS are returning only six players from last year's squad, the veterans are setting the example. The defensive core is lead by Brett Nylander, Brian Moore, and Graham McManamin, with Josh Heidinger, Chris McKelvie and Ryan Bunger up front.

"The vets have been good, especially on the ice," LaFontaine added. "They are really leading by example, being first to show the drills, competing hard and setting the tempo, and pushing the younger guys to step up to the level of competition that they are going to see in the North American Hockey League."

In addition to the returning players, Coach LaFontaine is surprised by the progress shown by some of the first year players. Brett Barta, a defenseman from Moorhead Valley High School in Minnesota, is playing solid and is showing awareness on the ice. Barta's Moorhead teammate, Cory Loos, currently in rehabilitation for an off-season injury, also excites the coaching staff. Loos is expected to join the line-up a week after the season opener when the ICEDOGS play a pair of exhibition games against Shattuck-St. Mary's Prep School.

Other young players that have impressed Coach LaFontaine include Jason Krispel from the LA Selects, Alaskans Kyle Bailey and Luke Bennett, and Traverse City Michigan's Cody Omilusik.

"Up front they have shown more than we expected of them," LaFontaine said. "Day in and day out they seem to be getting better and adjusting to the level of play quicker than what we thought they would."

In goal, Coach Kevin Stone is excited by the level of competition between the three battling for the two spots and says the starting spot is up in the air. "Last season we only brought two goaltenders into camp and we had a clear number one and two, but they didn't have the level of competition that I would have liked to see," Stone added. "This year there is instant competition between the three. It's like a game sometimes on the ice. When one guy comes over and talks to me about a skill, they all want in and all three are right there to learn. In terms of development, we are steps ahead of last year and it's going to be a tough decision in a couple of weeks.

For the ICEDOGS, training camp will continue through the "BOZEMAN SHOWDOWN" on Saturday, September 10th. Tickets are $10 for adults, $6 for students, and $5 for children and are available by calling the Valley Ice Garden at (406)-585-1415.

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North American Hockey League Stories from September 1, 2005


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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