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20-The Canadian Champion, Tuesday, March 30, 1999 0NEMMtablltd Sinc 1909 8789293 3006 Derry Rd.W. photos by GRAHAM PAINE Hous League Day of Champions feetured pienty of action Includlng a major novice tilt (et ieft) ln which Austin Noble Insurance tender Nichoies Nevins made a huge dlvIng save to heip hie team beat Canadien Tire 6-1. Meanwhiie ln the atom finale (aboya), Rebekeh Lodge bettied herd but dropped a 7-2 decision to _______________________________________________ Becton Dickenson. Day of Champions full of action By STEVE LeBLANO The Champion The outside was hot but the inside of Memorial Arena was simply sizzling Saturday when the Milton Minor Hockey Association held its annual House League Day of Champions. From dawn tili dusk, top teamo battled it out in every division - for their family, friendo, fans, coaches, teammales and especially for them- selves. The following is a rundown of the day's action. Renulto are in order of games played. Peewee Absolute Transportation 5 J. Michael's Optical 4 Daniel Neelando buried a blueline shot with 2:18 left to go in double overtime to cap what was arguably the most exciting kickoff to chair- pionship day in recent memory. Assisting on the play were Taylor Coulombe and Brendan Gwillam, who delivered the vic- tors' first and final regulation time goals on impressive close-range efforts. Coulombe and Andy Seto rounded out their scoring. Replying with a pair for J. Michael's Optical was Jonathan Collins while Jersy Coops and Matthew Delaney chipped in singles. TIse lead changed hands four limes in this nail bitter, that featured rock-solid neîminding at either end. Backstopping Absolute Transportation was David Van Der Vliet while Jonathan Pacheco was between the pipes for J. Michael's Optical. Beginners No scores or individual stats were kept here, but this initiai hockey pmogram pmovided some of the mont enîertsining moments of the day, as four teas - ail sponsored by Tim Hortons (affectionaîely called Timbits) - competed in two haîf-ice gaines. Playing with desire and enthusiasm rather than skill or strategy, theoe rink rats got their first tante of what will likely be yesrs of enjoyable mi nor hockey for mont of them. Little thingo like individual stats, awards and even who was winning didn't seem to intereot these youngotern - who playeti simply for the love of the game. Even taking the occasional tumble didn't seemn to bother them - after aIl, they didn't really have too far to faîl. Pre-Novice Bruce Hood Travel 4 Red Lobster White 3 and Red Lobster Black 3 Little Ffremen 0 Further results fromn these entertaiing exhibi- tion contents were not available. Minor Novice Husnt Plymouth Chrysler 4 Loblaws O A flawless perfonmance by goaltender Kaitlin Shuvera and hat-trick by sharpshooter Kienan Farrell highlighted Hunt's convmncing victory. Also scoring for the winners was Tyler Lafontaine wbile Ryan Stevens picked up an assint. Ben Stonehill provided solid cage work for Loblaws and kept his teammaten within striking distance until the bitter end. Major Novice Austen and Noble Insuraice 6 Canadiasi Tire 1 Canadian Tire kept pace through thse early going but eventually succumbed to their oppo- nento' well-balanced attack. Alex Davis led with a pair.for Austen and Noble Insurance, with singles added by Taylor Callahan, Jeremy Hamilton, David Majka and Josh Mandryk. In net for the victoro wan Nicholas Nevino while Bo Roberts-Laing guarded the cage for Canadian Tire - whone lone tally, from Tyler Gordon, snapped the ohutout with just 90 nec- onds remaining. Atom Becton Diekenson 7 Rebekah Lodge 2 Rebekah Lodge felI behind early and - despite a valiant effort - rédiscovered junt how mercilens Becton Dickenson can be with the upper hand. Matthew Lalonde's tally with thoee seconds to go in the opening frame proved to be the back breaker. Teammate Mitchell Rathy tallied twice with singles depositedl by Chris Carmichael, Ben Connelly, Clayton Holman and Jessie McConnell. Scoring for Une Lodge were Usa Brown and Marc Coulombe. Eric Bartlis was in net for o sese MILTON on page 27 '99 TOYOTA CAMRY CE per month for 48 months. Lease inctudea fretght & P.D.E. ONLY $1950 dewa w~~ .- ~taIxB1-Y g g. s M VLJPACK&CEINCUDES .Air Conditiosing - Astomatit 73--. Tranrmosior * Poseer Windows and 1000 0o1. Dr WksoAWFM Stereo Xith CD = 03-- CriseCortro - Carpet Fisor Mats suondiat 00 03 s Criselte 4 Cyioder DOIICt BI M : 7 BasaiS on a 48 mos. waflkaway lema. First paymssrt + security deposil duse on delivery. *Basad on 96,000 kim. Actditional charge of $0.10 9appicable ont Camsry CE.I Merchants up 2-1 Semi-final series so far a real nail-albiter By STEVE LeBLANO The Champion Victory may flot be a constant right now for the Merchants, but high drama certainly is. Garnes one, two and three of their nemi- final series against Collingwood have ail been decided by a single goal. As if this wasn't exhilarating enough, overtime has been needed to declare a winner in the bast couple of tilts. Milton, which is now acting as the league wild card and led the best-of-seven showdown 2-1 before st night's tilt at home, prevailed in the initial sudden death clash Friday at Memorial Arena. Their 4-3 triumph was capped 2:16 into the extra session when David Csumrik - who had sank the club'o equalizerjuot four minutes earlier on an explosive rush - delivered a centering pans from behind the net that ricocheted off a defenceman's skate and bounced past veteran tender Jonathan Forest. His overtime heroics. which have been preoented twice so far in the playoffo, helped the defending provincial champo overcome a near third-period collapse - that saw them oquander a 2-0 Iead and almoot cough up the win. Collingwood's late rally waa spcarhead- ed by captain and ncoring leader Rene Dorval, who tallied twice and added an sassit. His teamn capitalized on their final two man-advantage stinîs. Meanwhile, Milton's powerplay reached anemic status. They blew a double minor, a 5-on-3 opportssnity in the final frame and went 0- for-9 overail. Scoring the Merchants flrst two goals of the night - within a second of each other in periods one and two respectively - was Ed McGrane, who's now bunied the biscuit nine limes in post season play. Showing a little of the magic that earned him ail-star recognition this year, hie con- nected on a dazzling wide angle upstairs backhand while being closely guarded laite in thse flrst. o ses MERCHANTS on page 21 rA