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Sports Oakville Beaver By Herb Garbutt OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Sign up now for guitar, bass, drums, and piano OAKVILLE'S MUSIC STORE SPORTS EDITOR: JON KUIPERIJ Phone 905-845-3824 (ext. 432) Fax 905-337-5571 email sports@oakvillebeaver.com · TUESDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2009 35 Injuries in net haven't hurt Blades The Oakville Blades have had little trouble designating a starting goalie this season. For the most part, the decision has come down to this: if you're healthy, you're playing. In the last month, that's been Mike Morissette. The Blades netminder ran off a shutout streak of 164 minutes and 48 seconds, including shutouts of the Vaughan Vipers and Bramalea Blues Friday and Saturday at Joshua's Creek Arenas, as Oakville ran its winning streak to five games in Ontario Junior A Hockey League play. The team had to work a little harder to extend that streak to six on Sunday. The Villanova Knights scored with just two seconds to play to force overtime before Oakville's Josh Ranalli scored in the final minute of overtime to give the Blades a 6-5 win. "It's been strange how things have turned out," said Blades coach Jason Nobili. "Mike Morissette was (injured) for several weeks and Daniel Savelli carried the torch and did very well. Now, with Daniel out, it's been Mike." Savelli hasn't seen the ice since leaving after the first period of an Oct. 13 game with the evermysterious lower-body injury, as Nobili describes it. Since then, Morissette has started 14 straight games, going 12-2-0 over that span. Savelli returned to practice with the team this week and is expected to be back in the lineup for Wednesday's games in Georgetown -- coincidentally, the last team he saw action against. The showdown for second place sees the Blades sitting just one point back of the Raiders, but for Nobili, winning the game is not so much about leapfrogging their rivals in the standings. "Personally, I'd just like to go into the break on a winning note," he said. "Our next game isn't for 10 days, so that's a long time to (wait) after a loss." Regardless of the outcome, the rest will be welcome for a team that has battled the injury bug all season. And with fewer weekday games this season, the Blades have faced many more situations such as last weekend with three games in three days, a busy schedule made even worse with Sunday's game being a matinee. "That's a test for any team "but we've preached depth and utilizing our whole team as well as being in shape," Nobili said. "You can make excuses all you want but you have to be able to make those adjustments. It's not the first time we've done that and it won't be the last." In fact, it's nothing compared to what the Blades have waiting for them at the end of January, when they play seven games in 11 days. First they have to finish off December with their game against the Raiders, who won the only HOLIDAY SPIRIT: Kyle Blaney of the Oakville Blades (left) exchanges some Christmas cheer with Bramalea Blues opponent Kelly Barchan Friday at Joshua's Creek Arenas. The Blades dumped Bramalea 8-0, one of Oakville's three weekend wins in Ontario Junior A Hockey League play. Oakville will visit Georgetown tomorrow (Wednesday) in a game that will determine who's in second place at the turn of the calendar year. MICHAEL IVANIN / OAKVILLE BEAVER See Blades page 36 Homecoming for U17 goalie Festarini Hockey League. He was selected in this year's OHL Draft by the Erie Otters, but turned down a chance to be the Otters' backup in order to get more ice time On the way to where he hopes to go, Chris with the Port Colborne Pirates of the Greater Ontario Festarini is heading back to where it all began. junior B loop. The 16-year-old goaltender will suit up for Team "It's not a race. It's a marathon, this whole hockOntario at the 2010 World Under-17 Hockey ey career," said Festarini, who has a 5-13-1-1 record Challenge, a spotlight event for up-and-coming tal- and 4.09 goals-against average with the struggling ent. The tournament will begin next week in Pirates. "I've been told that many times." Timmins, the city where Festarini spent the early Team Ontario, which held three evaluation camps years of his life and learned to skate at the Jus Jordan in the summer to identify potential players and then Arena in nearby Iroquois Falls. selected whichever players were having Though Team Ontario will play its pre- "It's a great the best seasons, has won the World liminary round games at Timmins' honour to play Under-17 Hockey Challenge two of the McIntyre Arena, one of the semifinal for Ontario, just past three seasons. Local resident Stuart games will be played at Jus Jordan. like Canada." Percy of the OHL's St. Michael's Majors is Regardless of whether or not he plays at also on the team, which will be pooled his childhood rink, Festarini knows it will Team Ontario with Finland, Sweden, Quebec and a be special going back. team from the prairie provinces. U17 goaltender "It's going to be good," said Festarini, Chris Festarini Festarini said he and his teammates who moved to Oakville at the age of will take similar pride in representing seven. "I definitely remember growing up on Main Ontario as they would in wearing Canadian colours. Street, playing hockey, where I strapped up my first "This is big. It's a great honour to play for Ontario, set of pads. just like Canada," he said. "We're the best of the best "It doesn't change the way I'm going to prepare. It in Ontario." EDDIE CHAU / METROLAND MEDIA GROUP will be just another game. I'll go and do my best." Ontario's first game will be Tuesday, Dec. 29 HEADED NORTH: Chris Festarini will play for Team Ontario at the World Festarini is the only member of the Team Ontario against Finland. The tournament final is slated for Under-17 Hockey Challenge in Timmins. 22-player roster who is not currently in the Ontario Jan. 4. BEAVER SPORTS EDITOR By Jon Kuiperij