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PAINTING & WALLPAPERING SERVING OAKVILLE SINCE 1963 (905) 827-5584 ALVIN T. JONES Royal DECORATING LTD. DECORATING & COLOUR CONSULTANTS COMPLETE PAINTING & WALLPAPERING SERVICE QUALITY WORKMANSHIP BY QUALIFIED TRADESMEN RESIDENTIAL SPECIALIST INTERIOR & EXTERIOR CUSTOM COLOUR MIXING RESTORATIONS PLASTER REPAIRS & TEXTURING YOUR AD HEREPAINTING Plaster Repair Stucco Wallpapering/Stripping Interior/Exterior Personalized Service Free Estimate Inter-Can Painting Inc. PROFESSIONAL PAINTERS (905) 469-0092 Over 30 Years In Business Hubert Klein (owner) To advertise in this section contact Jessica at 905-845-3824 905-845-3824 ext. 299 jlangero@oakvillebeaver.com ADVERTISE YOUR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES HERE Painters Builders Renovators Decorators Plus all other home improvement services AND BE NOTICED! w w w . o a kv ill eb ea ve r.c o m O A KV IL LE B EA V ER W e dn es da y, Ja nu ar y 5, 2 01 1 3 6 By Herb Garbutt OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF With seven first-time rep players on their team, you could forgive the Oakville minor bantam AE Rangers for being slow starters. Except the Rangers began the season with a win streak and havent stopped winning. In fact, Oakville has already wrapped up first place in the Tri-County Hockey League standings with a record of 18-1-3. But even if the Rangers dont have the best start, they have proven they can still win. Four times at the Richard Bell Memorial Minor Hockey Tournament, Oakville surrendered the games first goal. That included last Thursdays final against the Hamilton Phantoms, when the Rangers fell behind just 21 seconds into the game. But like they did in each instance before, Oakville scored three unanswered goals as it claimed the title with a 3-1 victory. Though he had seen it many times before, Rangers coach Stephen Sweett couldnt help but wonder how many times his team could get away with spot- ting the opposition a lead. I was a little worried, he admitted, but our players stepped up. I think the break between the second and third (periods) helped us. After Connor Droog had tied the game in the first period, the Rangers came out after the break and added two more. First, Nick Jedryk broke in and lifted a backhand past the Hamilton goalie and just over a minute later, Thomas Laws shot from the top of the faceoff circle found its way through a crowd in front. Meanwhile, Matthew Rusak blanked the Phantoms over the final 44 minutes. The Rangers surrendered just four goals in their five tournament games and in league play, they have allowed just 24 in 22 games. Backstopping that effort have been Rusak and Nathan Gravelle, both among the first-time rep players. Neither netminder has had trouble adjusting to rep, perhaps a testament to the depth of the Oakville system. The teams we play are not that much better (than in house league), Rusak said. The lone difference? The schedule is a lot more intense, said Gravelle, who blanked Georgetown in the round robin. Even if he gives up an early goal, as he did in the final, Rusak has confidence in his team- mates to supply some offence. I know they can get them back, he said. His confidence is well founded. The Rangers average 5.3 goals per game, 1.5 more than any other team in their league. Sweett attributes that to the teams conditioning, which allows his team to outskate opponents in the late stages of the game. In the tournament, the Rangers did not allow a single goal after in the second or third period, proving its not how you start, but how you finish. And the Rangers have some lofty goals in how they want this season to finish. I think we have a good chance of going all the way, said Gravelle. Minor bantam AE Rangers continue to roll at Bell tournament Thomas Law and two of his Oakville minor bantam AE Rangers team- mates celebrate after Laws goal gave Oakville a 2-0 lead in the final of last weeks Richard Bell Memorial Minor Hockey Tournament. The Rangers defeat- ed the Hamilton Phantoms 3-1. HERB GARBUTT / OAKVILLE BEAVER The Oakville minor atom A, minor peewee A and minor bantam AE Rangers werent the only local rep teams to enjoy success at last weeks Richard Bell Memorial Minor Hockey Tournament. The minor peewee AA, minor bantam AA and minor midget AE Rangers also made the finals at the tournament, though all three were foiled in their attempt to win gold at the hometown competition. Coverage of those finals will appear in tomorrows (Thursdays) edition of the Beaver. The minor peewee AE Rangers Richard Bell champi- onship and minor atom AE Rangers finals appearance were covered in last weeks editions. Meanwhile, the Oakville midget AAA Rangers earned a big tournament victory of their own over the holidays, winning the Golden Horseshoe tournament in Burlington. Coverage of that championship will appear this week in the Beaver as well. More holiday hockey tournament coverage to come in this weeks editions The teams we play are not much better (than in house league). First-year rep goalie Nathan Gravelle