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-The Canadian Champion, Frlday, March 13, 1998 Outstanding Oakville goalie turns back a last, best effort Ninur atoli tans couidri' t have asked for a more exciting series than the Milton-Oakville battle last week. But Martin Larkin's single A crew could have and should have enjoyed a better ending to the best-of-five quartertinal showdown. Despite outplaying the Rangers through most of the OMHA series, the Docs & Dents sponsored crew managed juat six goals in four games. Tbeir lack of output was due largely to crafty cage work by Brad Wagner. The Oakville tender held the Winterhawks at bay for tbe irst tbree games and was perfect in the series clincher Saturday at Memorial. His flawless netminding - which included some grand larceny saves against Scott Collard, Anthony Perruzza and Creigbton Reid - was needed as coun- terpart Carl Chan stood on his head as well, surrender- ing just one goal in the last 10 minutes of play. "It was a pretty evenly matched game, with most of the play in the neutral zone," said Larkin, of is club's final OMHA bout. -Up until then 1 thought we out- played them. Wejust couldn't score." The Docs & Dents skipper suggested that things could have gone the other way in game four had spark plug Elgin Reid been operating at full capacity instead of battling the flu. Turning in rock-steady defence were Nsthan Grenke, Jeff Kitchen and Kevin Parker. Milton staved off elimination Wednesdsy in Oakville with a 2-1 game three triumph. Big goaltend- ing by Michael Binnington plus goals by Matt Chuchmach and Kyle Heams kept the series alive. Prior to this the Rangers edged them 5-3 in game one and 2-l in a game-two overtime clash. Added Larkin, "We were probably the better team overaîl, but tbey (Oakville) really muscled us off the puck at times. "They played us very hard." Big confidence boost for Amy Annual joumneys to the nationals are becoming old bat for Amy DiPalma, but this year's trip will come complete witb a wbole new brand of confidence. The Milton rbytbmic gymnast's days as tbe long shot vanished into tim air last weekend wben sbe earned a second-placing ranking for June's Canadian Cbampionsbips in Vancouver. She did so at Elite Canada in Toronto. Tbe invita- tion-only qualifying toumnament saw eigbt of 14 junior and senior competitors earn Teamn Canada statua as well as byes tbrougb tbe provincials. "I was really happy wtb my performance," said 14- year-old Amy, a third-year junior. "I did better tban expected and beat a couple of girls, like my friend Roxyleana Prus, that I neyer had before." Her strong overaîl finish Saturday came on tbe strengtb of vast improvements in ribbon. She earned second-place bonours in this event as well as in boop. She ran her rope and bail rou- tines to third and fourth respec- tively, concedîng first overal - to Mississauga's Mary Sanders -by less tban two points. . Equally impressive the follow- ing day in individual competi- tion, Amy took silver in ribbon, bronze in rope and top five scor- ings in hope and bail. The Etobicoke Olympian gymnast hopes ber Elite Canada performance will set the stage Amy DiPalma for a successful Canadian Cbampionship campaign. Said Amy, "Last year I only finished I tb. TMis time I'm boping to crack tbe top three, whicb will allow me to compete at tbe Pan-Amnerican Games this summer." OVER 20 POOL TABLES, VIDEO GAMES, DAYTONA RACING, FULL MENU TILL 2:00 AM. OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK. LICENSED UPTO 460 PERSONS! de0 'AgAgof Mority required HWY. #25 (1mfi le Ný. of t he 401Ol) M LT1ONyONT1A RlO -23 1