HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2006-04-26, Page 15Sports
Dalton a key player in best season yet for Ice Dogs, says coach
The Huron Expositor • April 26, 2006 Page 15
From page 14
Dalton said the NAHL is meant
for 18-20 year old players who are
looking to play hockey at the college
level. Players in' the American
Hockey League and Ontario Hockey
League are not eligible for scholar-
ships because they are professional.
There .are currently no Canadian
teams in the NAHL, although there
used to be one in British Columbia.
Each U.S. team is allowed to have
two imported players.
Bozeman head coach John
LaFontaine said Dalton has been a
key player in the 2005-06 season,
which has been the team's best ever.
The Ice Dogs ended the regular
season first in their division with a
grand total of 97 points — 48 wins,
nine losses and one over time loss.
"We tied the league record for the
most wins in one season and Matt
was a huge part of that," he
explained.
"Matt came in here and was a lit-
tle jittery the first couple of games.
We lost the first three, but when he
started feeling more comfortable
and confident, that's when things
really got started."
"When we got Matt Dalton I knew
he had potential, but had to realize
it first," assistant coach Kevin Stone
added. "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 Stone paid off as Dalton set
the league ablaze, shattering the
records for goals against, save per-
centage and shutouts.
His 1.63 GAA is tops by a good
tenth of a point, and his .940 save
percentage broke a five-year-old
record. His nine shutouts also set
the mark, beating Ryan Miller of
the Soo Indians. Miller now plays
for the Buffalo Sabres.
Dalton, who never looked at the
numbers, was surprised to learn he
set the mark. He knew he was hav-
ing a good season, but never
thought it was that 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 defence played an integral role
in his success.
`The guys m front of me are awe-
some," Dalton noted. "It's not hard
to stop the puck when your oppo-
nents 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.*
Although his name goes down in
history, Dalton said he feels it was a
team effort that helped win him the
award.
Over the course of the season, he
was named Sher -Wood Defensive
player of the week a league -leading
four times.
The Ice Dogs' excellence has con-
tinued into the playoffs. With
Dalton in net, Bozeman won its first
best of five series against the
Billings Bulls in three games — 5-1,
5-3 and 4-0.
Currently up 3-1 in the second
round series against Fairbanks, the
team is set for game five this
Friday.
Games six and seven are sched-
uled for Saturday and Sunday, if
necessary.
A win will allow the team to claim
a top four spot and compete in the
nation-wide Robertson Club
Championship Tournament May 10-
13.
Games start at„7:05 mountain
standard time and can be heard
online at www.bozemanicedogs.com.
"We have a bit of a rivalry going ...
it'll be a wild series,” Dalton com-
mented.
Scores in the series are 1-2, 4-2, 7-
2 and 5-1 for Bozeman.
Dalton's play-off statistics feature
six wins, one loss, one shut out, .11
goals against, a 1.58 goals against
average, 157 saves and a .935 save
percentage. He is ranked fourth in
the NAHL's playoff goaltenders.
LaFontaine praised Dalton for his
excellent rebound control, ability to
seal the bottom of the net and focus.
"He's been an amazing asset to
the team, simply because of how
hard he works," he commented.
"If there is an area of the game
where he feels he is weak, he will
work endlessly to improve. -
"Each month he is getting better.
and better."
Dalton played at the Jr. 'D' level
in Mitchell and Jr. 'B' with London
and St. Marys.
He is hoping to spend a few weeks
at home in Clinton this summer,
prior to the Ice Dogs' training camp
in August.
Talks continue , with North
Dakota, Bemidji State (Minnesota)
and other universities, but Dalton
said he will likely return to
Bozeman next season while taking a
few university courses.
Eventually he hopes to play in the
National Hockey League.
"I just want to get some schooling
in first," he said. "It'll be a stepping
stone to bigger things."
Wfirr
t41
l�l
Mitchell District High
School
Alumni Basketball
Toumament
Sat May 6/06
Any student who attended MDHS
who is over the age of 18 male or
female may participate.
Cost: $20 per player (includes r -shill gym time)
Prizes & Awards
Individual registrations welcome!
Please send registrations to:
A.J. Moses, 58 Cobourg St. SS 1,
Mitchell, ON NOK 1 NO (348-9631)
Please make cheques payable to Mitchell Basketball.
ontario w ait tin e s ( o rn