Ross Rouleau high fives Jordan Kary following Saturday night's win at MYTEX

Welcome to Brahma Land!

Americans dominated in 5-0 shut out

The Texas Brahmas introduced the newest Allen Americans to a taste of NYTEX Sports Centre hospitality tonight by handing them their a**es along with a "to go" box from Zuroma for the bus ride home.

One hates to get over excited about a pre-season win, but what the young bulls showed the fans tonight was nothing short of magnificence. If there was a down side to the evening, it was the fact that the fans were denied any chicken for the five goals scored - and believe me, no one minded.

Despite the shoot out loss on Friday night, the Brahmas showed excellent form and the home crowd (who chose to sacrifice watching the Texas Rangers win the American League pennant) got a taste of the excitement that's sure to come next Saturday night when the regular season opens at home against the Tulsa Oilers.

Highlights? How about a shut out for goalie Steve Silverthorn in his first game as a Texas Brahma? How about three goals scored in a span of just 71 seconds? How about two special teams goals including Ross Rouleau's unassisted, short-handed, empty netter while on a 6-on-3 penalty kill? How about another full 60-minute effort by a team built from scratch and molded over the course of five days in the shoe box? Magnificent!

Let's not forget how proud Dan and Ronnie are of these young men who have already proven to themselves and to each other that they have what it takes. Now it's time to make the final, difficult cuts and then to present the final product to the rest of the Central Hockey League. By the way, four have to go (Forward Stuart Stefan was placed on waivers today) - likely a goalie, a defenseman and two forwards; however I'd keep a seventh blue liner. History has shown we need the extra man.

The crowd in attendance tonight was far smaller than the announced 2,084 - understandable due to the Rangers game. There was a good number of Allen fans in the house as well as the small Mudbugs contingent, who made the long drive this weekend for their CHL hockey fix. As is the case at NYTEX, the smaller crowd didn't reduce the impact of the noise level - the cheers and jeers, led by the venerable 303 Rowdies turned the heads of several of the young players, who were getting their first taste of the NYTEX experience.

The Americans came out firing blanks again but out-shooting the Brahmas 7-2 in the first 10 minutes of play. Mark Ehl drew the first penalty of the night with a Hooking call 28 seconds into the contest and once again the Brahmas penalty killers shut down the Allen advantage. Mark Towns and Allen defenseman Ryan Hand drew matching Fighting Majors at the 7:44 mark although you could hardly call the display a "fight". Seriously guys, if you're going to drop the gloves, at least make a fist.

Brendon Hodge struck first blood at the 11:16 mark, sending the puck into and off the left shoulder of Brian Mahoney-Wilson (who looked like he was stuck in glue) to give the Brahmas a 1-0 lead. Kyle Howarth and Alex Curran were in on the assists.

33 seconds later, Greg Eskedjian made it 2-0 with a little help from Hodge and Andrew Lackner. Tyler Ludwig drew an interference call at the 12:18 mark, which led to a third goal nine seconds later, courtesy of Erik Spady, assisted by Phil Fox and Brock Meadows.

The Brahmas had a 13-10 shot advantage in the first 20 minutes and went into the locker room with a comfortable lead.

The middle frame was highlighted by Jordan Kary's goal (his second in as many nights) at the 8:34 mark. Phil Fox and Adam Hogg were credited with the assists. Allen had an 8-4 shot advantage and a 18-17 advantage after 40 minutes but could not solve Silverthorn.

The Brahmas out shot the Americans 8-4 in the final period which included six infractions called by referee Brent Coulombe; the last four against the Brahmas. The big fun began at the 17:30 mark when Silverthorn was called for Tripping (unfortunately, my photos appear to uphold the call) and then the Brahmas were assessed a Delay of Game penalty while arguing the initial call.

Allen pulled Mahoney-Wilson to provide a 6-on-3 advantage but were stymied by Ross Rouleau, who sent the puck across the length of the ice and into the Allen net for the "eff you" goal at the 18:25 mark, much to the delight of the crowd, needless to say. 'Nuff said.

Steve Silverthorn stopped all 22 shots faced for his first win as a Brahma. Brian Mahoney-Wilson stopped 20 of 24 shots faced in 59:05 minutes of play and takes the loss.

Allen was assessed 15 minutes on six infractions; Texas received 19 minutes on eight infractions. Allen went 0 for 7 on the power play; Texas went 1 for 5.

Referee: Brent Coulombe
Linesmen: Cory Piche, T.J. Nua

1st Star: Silverthorn, Steve (Texas) -22 saves on 22 shots faced in 60 minutes of play
2nd Star: Rouleau, Ross (Texas) - One goal on one shot
3rd Star: Meadows, Brock (Texas) - One assist, one shot, four PIM

You can view the box score here and the Game Live broadcast here

You can view my photos from the game here (It usually takes at least a couple of days to get all the shots edited and uploaded, so keep checking back!)

The Brahmas will get some rest tomorrow before beginning preparation for nest Saturday's home opener against the Tulsa Oilers. Plan on being there and as always, remember the Brahmas have One Goal in Mind, so Be there, Be loud, Believe!

Photo Credit: Robert Keith

Defenseman Andrew Lackner prepares to slow down an Americans' assault

Despite shootout loss, Brahmas look impressive

Game two of pre-season series tonight at NYTEX

Suffice it to say, you can't expect too much out of a pre-season contest. It's an opportunity for training camp rosters of each team to take what they've learned during their respective week-long camps and put that knowledge, as well as their skills to the test. An opportunity to show their coaches, their fans, themselves and especially their teammates what they can do on the ice.

Last night at the Allen Events Center, the young guns of the Texas Brahmas did just that - they showed everyone that this young team has come together very quickly and under the guidance of coaches Dan Wildfong and Ron Vogel, they should remain a strong contender in the Berry Conference.

It's always interesting to watch the progression of these young men from the first through the last day of training camp. Noticeable this year was the comparably relaxed demeanor of Dan Wildfong. Also noticeable was the work ethic and the obvious drive displayed by each of the players. Something Ronnie Vogel said to me really stood out in my mind - each one of these players has something to prove; to themselves as well as their teammates.

It's obvious that the work the coaches have put in and the efforts at team-building has helped these 24 men to bond quickly and the final 19 to make the 2011-12 roster will likely be the 19 we see for the majority of the season. Which is not to say if something gets broke, it won't be fixed.

Two young goaltenders, vying for the number two spot in support of Steve Silverthorn, were magnificent in their pre-season debut, granted the fact that they faced a number of soft shots. Also, unlike the Americans' Rejean Beauchemin, they faced the majority of the Americans' roster.

Mark Guggenberger stopped all 15 shots faced in 30:54 minutes in net. Kraymer Barnstable stopped 17 of 18 shots faced in 34:06 minutes and was excellent through a 12-round shootout, which was finally settled Allen's big man, Bruce Graham. If their performance throughout the training camp and in last night's contest (as well as any time they may see tonight), the final decision on the number two slot will be extremely difficult.

The boys came out strong in the first frame, with a lot of hard hitting and discipline. Matt Wallace made the first shot on goal 3:52 into play. Allen defenseman Tyler Ludwig drew the first penalty of the evening - a slashing call - and broke in the Americans' penalty box for the new season. The Brahmas failed to capitalize on the man advantage and although the Americans had a 9-5 shot advantage after the first twenty minutes, the Brahmas appeared to be in control.

Alex Curran sends Colton Yellow Horn airborne as Kyle Howarth pursues the puck

The Brahmas Mark Ehl drew their first penalty just 12 seconds into the middle period, an interference call. Once again, Allen out shot the boys; this time 13-2 as the homers started to pull together and match the Brahmas' physical play.

The Brahmas opened the scoring at 2:02 of the third period when Jordan Kary beat
Beauchemin with a one-timer on a pass from Phil Fox, who was stationed behind the Allen net. It remained a 1-0 contest until Mike Kompon scored on a pass from Colton Yellow Horn to tie it up at the 12:47 mark. Defenseman Dylan King was credited with a secondary assist.

The Americans blew several opportunities to take the lead later in the period. Brian McMillin nearly deflected one past Barnstable and Mike Kompon, again from Colton Yellow Horn, was set up with a chance, but failed to hit the back of the net before the horn sounded to end regulation play. The Brahmas had a 10-8 shot advantage in the final frame, but the Americans had the 30-17 advantage through 60 minutes.

Did I fail to mention the Allen Americans Ice Girls?

Easily the biggest smiles on these guys' faces all week

Nothing was solved in overtime as both net minders stood strong. The Americans' Mike Compon and the Brahmas' Kyle Howarth each struck in the shootout but it wasn't until the 12th round that Bruce Graham ended it, giving the Americans and Beauchemin the win.

Both teams were assessed six minutes on three infractions and neither was successful on the power play.

Referee: Brent Coulombe
Linesmen: T.J. Nua, Cory Piche

1st Star: Beauchemin, Rejean (Allen) -18 saves on 19 shots faced in 65 minutes of play
2nd Star: Kompon, Mike (Allen) - One goal on seven shots
3rd Star: Kary, Jordan (Texas) - One goal on one shot

You can view the box score here and the Game Live broadcast here

Game 2 of the pre-season series against the Americans will take place tonight at the NYTEX Sports Centre with the opening face off set for 7:30 pm. Due to the 6:30 pm start of Game 6 of the American League Championship Series at the Ballpark in Arlington, attendance may be sparse. The game will be broadcast at Zuroma and updates will be announced throughout tonight's contest.

Photo Credit: Robert Keith

Texas Brahmas Training Camp - Day Four

Initial cuts announced - 24 remain on roster

The Texas Brahmas ended day four of their training camp today and announced the first three players to be placed on waivers. Forwards Neil Ruffini, Alex Molnar and Tanner Tomlinson were informed on Wednesday afternoon that they had been cut from the roster.

Ruffini, 23, played the past four seasons with the University of Alabama - Huntsville. During his collegiate career with the Chargers, he tallied 37 points (18 G, 19 A) and 120 penalty minutes.

Molnar, 25, played the last four seasons at Salem State College (MASCAC) in Massachusetts. The 5' 6", 175-pound native of Nitra, Slovakia had a total of 37 points (16 G, 21 A) and 62 PIM during his career with the Vikings.

Tomlinson, 21, spent the last four seasons playing in the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League (GOJHL). The 5' 10", 185-pound native of Sarnia, Ontario played the last two seasons with the Sarnia Legionnaires for whom he tallied 58 points (26 G, 32 A).

24 players remain on the roster, which needs to be cut down to 19 players next week.

The battle for the number two goaltending slot continues between Mark Guggenberger and "Making the Cut" finalist Kraymer Barnstable. I spoke with Brahmas Assistant Coach Ron Vogel this afternoon and he said the two have both done very well and the final decision will be difficult.

The team will have an on-ice session tomorrow morning at 9:45 am and will travel to Allen later in the afternoon to prepare for the first pre-season match against the Americans at 7:05 pm.

Photo Credit: Robert Keith

Texas Brahmas Training Camp - Day Two

Hard work, team-building highlight busy day

Day two of the Texas Brahmas' training camp got underway early this morning and included two exhaustive morning sessions at 8:30 am and 10:00 am. The afternoon was set aside for team-building activities.

No cuts have been made yet and the Brahmas' coaches remain enthusiastic about the players' skill level and the outstanding work ethic being displayed by the attendees. Obviously, there's a lot to learn over the course of a week's time including new systems for a group of men who have never played together before. Establishing lines will be an ongoing activity over the next few days and will be tested during this weekend's pre-season contests.

Still a long way to go - 27 players need to be cut down to 19. We're likely to see the first of those to go after tomorrow's on-ice activities.

Photos from today's late morning session can be viewed here.

Photo Credit: Robert Keith

Texas Brahmas Training Camp - Day One

Brahmas release 27-man roster

The Texas Brahmas opened their week long training camp this morning in preparation for the upcoming 2011-12 season. So what can be said after one day? Not much, obviously after just two sessions. It is interesting to note how odd it is having so few recognizable faces on the ice.

This will truly be a Brahmas team built from scratch and it will be a real challenge for Fonger and Ronnie to work with so many rookie players, as well as so many who have never donned the purple and back.

Here are the 27 players invited to attend:

Forwards (14): Alex Curran, Mark Ehl, Phil Fox, T.J. Fox, Brendon Hodge, Adam Hogg, Kyle Howarth, Jordan Kary, Neil Ruffini, Stuart Stefan, Mike Towns, Nolan Waker, Matt Wallace and Chad Woollard

Defensemen (7): Jim Burichin, Gregg Eskedjian, Andrew Lackner, Brock Meadows, Jaques Perreault, Ross Rouleau, Erik Spady

Goalies (2): Steve Silverthorn and Mark Guggenberger

Making the Cut Prospects: Kraymer Barnstable (G), Thomas Galiani (F), Alexander Molnar (F) and Tanner Tomlinson (F)

Photos from today's afternoon scrimmage have been edited and are available for viewing here and here.

The schedule for the week will change depending on the day. Contact the Brahmas before coming out. All on-ice sessions are open to the public, so come on out if you have the time.

Photo Credit: Robert Keith

Texas Brahmas training camp opens tomorrow

New faces, new philosophy for 2011-12 season

On Monday morning, the NYTEX Sports Centre comes back to professional hockey life as the Texas Brahmas open their 2011-12 training camp. A couple of noticeable changes this year, the number of attendees is expected to be limited - there are but a few spots up for contention. Also, you're going to see a lot of new faces - young faces, as the Brahmas have brought in about about a dozen rookie players to complement the new roster.

Another thing you will notice - those who earn a spot on the final roster are likely to be around most of the season. No more revolving door like we've seen the past couple of seasons. The commitment this season is to work with and develop the players that have been brought in - which doesn't mean that replacements won't be made where necessary or holes won't be filled - but we won't see guys here for a few games and then gone.

As far as the enforcers go, you won't see guys like Saunders, Sgroi or Maxwell this season. The boys coming in are big and able to take care of themselves, as well as their teammates. We're likely to see less side show fights, which I know many like to see but many more agree is unnecessary for the ultimate success of the team. There's one goal in mind this season and the Brahmas are going to be playing it smart all year.

The Brahmas had the least number of announced off-season signings this year (except for the expansion Bloomington Blaze) in the CHL. The training camp roster will be about soon enough so I'll refrain from publishing a list of players here and now. Suffice it to say, Dan and Ronnie have done a great job once again - This is a very talented group of young men and they are sure to please the fans.

Obviously, the number one spot at goaltender goes to Steve Silverthorn, not only a very talented and disciplined 'minder but also an extremely nice fellow. You'll see a lot of the qualities Brett Jaeger possessed and more in Silverthorn, a player that Fonger has been after for years. His possible number two, a sizable young man whose name I'll be surprised fits on his sweater.

On defense, the Brahmas have brought back the very capable and popular duo of Ross Rouleau and Jim Burichin. Brock Meadows, who joined Burichin at the Oklahoma City Barons training camp is also on board. Add in Andrew Lackner, formerly with the Mississippi RiverKings and a small group of talented rookies and the Brahmas blue line looks to be in good shape.

At forward, the Bulls are led by the venerable Chad Woollard who is joined by the returning Alex Curran. Added in the off-season are former Rapid City Rush center Brendon Hodge, T.J. Fox and rookies Mike Towns and Phil Fox. A former Odessa Jackalopes center and several others will be competing for the remaining spots on the final roster.

If you have the time, stop by the NYTEX Sports Center this week. All on-ice sessions are open to the public. Training camp will culminate with two pre-season bouts against the Allen Americans. The first game will take place Friday starting at 7:05 pm at the Allen Events center. The second will be at NYTEX on Saturday night with the opening face-off at 7:30 pm.

Photo Credit: Robert Keith