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The Canadien Champion,22!Lda Maoe2h ý5 1999-21 e9'town game b ut struggling with Merchants By STEVE LeBLANC 1» The Champion Georgetown has made major advances up the tier two junior hockey ladder as of late but they don't appear ready to knock off the top ning tenants just yet. S., ~..That point was illustrated Tueaday night at Memonial Arens, 'where in front of roughly 700 fans the Merchants claimed a 6-1 l~IOAI .lkdecision in game one of the West Conference semidfinals. Photo by GRAHAM PAINE Peter Sturgeon'a Pro Bound Program, whlch attracta tal.nted young players such as those plctured hors, has had zp e major successes ince Its Inception elght years mgo. He hais hand ini many successes 8v STEVE LOBLANO The Champion Peter Sturgeon no doulit kept close tabs on st week's World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in Comerbnook, Newfoundland. Why? Because Ontario's team includes no leas than four players - Paul Baîlantine, Nathan Harîngton, Chris Newbury and Bobby Turner - wbo the former NHLer t urned instructor had a role in developing. It marks anotber chapter in tbe ongoing succesa story that is Sturgeon's Pro Bound Pmogram, wbicb bas operated out of Milton Memorial Mrens for thse past eigbt years. Designed as an in-deptb training ground for tbose wbose skill and desire separate tbem fmom thse pack, it began witb a simple phone call from the fatiser of Los Angeles Kinga' goaltender Jamie Stonx. 'l was retired, but still had a great love for thse game," recslled Sturgeon, who bas neyer advertîsed for Pro Bound, and recruits players into tbe program rather than just accepting applicants. "Jim Storr bad been Iooking to get bis boys some extra development and asked if I could belp." Sensing a new opportunity - in wbicb lie could stay involved in hockey and ald promising prospects - tbe ex IceDogs skipper quickly secured local ice lime and began developing contacts. It wasn' t long before tbe top players from Milton-and across the Greater Toronto Area were cbamping at the bit to sign Up. , StUgçdrn stresses that tbe program bas always been about assisting and develop- ing players - wbo already bave a founda- tion but may just need some extra guid- ance in order to get to that next level. Pro Round bas certainly succeeded, with numerous graduates now competing in Tier 2 Junior A, the OHL and the NCAA. Among tbem are bomegrown defence- man John Nadalin, wbo said the program belped give bim the mental tougbness needed to make an impact on the Merchants' blueline. ýFrsnk Fszio of tbe AAA Hurricanes' major bantanis added, "My skating and abot improved tbrougb the prograni, bot it was focus on thse one-on-one battîca tbat was oeally beneficial. Pro Bound rates rigbt up there with any hockey scbool around." e a BEST on page 22 The defending provincial champs had fewer quality acor- ing chances but capitalized on moat of them - going 2-for-2 with the man advantage and tossing in a shorthanded tally for good measure. This despite missing leading scoring and powerplay point man Ed McGrane, who was iii and unavailable for series opening play. The Raiders meanwhîle, showed littie in the way of fin- ishing power and their goal- tending paled in comparison to that of Milton. Crafty Jeremy Wenzel - whose postseason goals-against average (0.50) is s0 low it ifies undetected beneath most radar systems - continued to shine with another sublime effort while counterpart Jeif Hladysh simply wasn't able to make the big saves. "He (Wenzel) is playing great right now and we've got a lot of depth that's showing through," remarked captain Kevin O'Flaherty. "Ed (McGrane) puts tip big num- bers ahight, but there are many other guys that can contribute as welL" Over in the visitors' dressing room ares, Georgetown hencb boss Jay Anderson suggested the outcome had less to do with bis opponents' balanced sntack Kevin O'Flaherty and more to do witb one partic- ularly goal that was courtesy of a blueline blunder. He was referring to a mis- played breakout attempt late in the second period by defence- man Billy Fetheraton, wbo foihly tried to clear thse zone with his skate and instead coughed up a breakswsy goal to Geoff Scbomogyi. Before this, the Raiders were only down 2-I and their second line was starting to heat things up with plenty of zîp and cre- ativity. Said Anderson, "One bad bounce and thse complexion of the game completely changes. Up until then was I looking at Milton and thinking whst an extrsordinary team they are? Not at ai".1 Surprisingly enough, tbe - TALL on page 23 0 f- a I7-428ThmsnR. Unit #6, Milton 878-7422 I