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Photo by GRAHAM PAINE The puck stops here E.C. Drury's Josh Dixon freezes the puclc whlle ane of bis teag ae strgma wlth a Notre Dame Irlah appo- nent lns maison openlng play at Memorlal Monday. The Spartans were edged 5-4. Mustangs edge Aces in opener By STEVE LeBLANC The Champion Exhibition victory wasn't in the cards for tbe Milton Diatrict Mustangs. But Tuesday's regular season opener was a different story - as tbey drew tbe bigb band and trimmed 'the Aldersbot Aces 2 1. Witbin the friendly confines of Memorial Mrena, MD stmuck early in perioids one and two. Brent Smith - wbo centres the first line - put thero on the scoreboard just over a minute into the aftemoon clash. Catcbing tbe visiting goalie way out of position, be deposited a bottom shelf shot to capitalize on the team's first scoring opportu- nity. Then Jon Sprenger needed a mere six seconds of the middle stanza to deliver tbe game winner - using a nifty bit of puck bandling to get past tbe defense and sink a low backband. Each sniper assisted on the otber's tally. Aldersbot would cut the lead in baîf moments later, but pull no dloser as netroinder Brett McClure sbowed strongly between tbe pipes and bailed bis blueline out a few times down tbe stretcb. The veteran cager made a couple of impressive diving saves and tumed aside another shot witb bis blocker in the dying min- utes of play to persevere bis club's aliro lead. Overaîl be was cballenged 19 times. Meanwbile, Milton District recorded 17 shots and offered a puncbless powerplay tbrougbout tbe gamne - especially in the third period when tbey bad a two-man advantage but managed just a single shot. TMeir efforts wbile shorthanded were mucb more inspired. Zak MacKay, Jeff MacLeod and Sbawn McConnell in particular came tbrough witb a crucial penalty kill in the laite going. Monday, E.C. Dmury was alan involved in a tightly contested home opening encounter - but came up with the short end of the stick, losing to Notre Dame 5-4. Paul Pento tallied twice wbile singles went to Luc Hendrie and Kaegen Sberriff. Merchant rookie puits brakes on overtime winless skid By STEVE LeBLANO left in sudden death to beat tbe Blues 2-1. Merchants. Coach Marty Williamson said bis The Merchants delivered an inspiring perfor- The Champion Assisting on the play was lan Malcolm. club's Iack of dominance bas a lot to do with mance in tbe overtime triumph - complete witb The Merchants kepi one streak going by The victory extended the team's undefeated having an many new players and - subsequent- fierce fore checking and dynamite goaltending bringing another to a hait ait Memorial Arena mun to four games - tbeir longest since opening ly - only part of tbe chemistry tbat was enjoyed by Joel Cameron. Wednesday. the season with, seven straight wins. at this point st year. Marsters was even more impressive at tbe Heading into battle against rebuilding Coupled with Monday's 4-4 stalemate in But be added the Ontario Provincial Jr. A opposite end and sbowed just wby several top Bramalea, Milton was winless in ail four of its Hamilton, Milton (16-4-1-3) remained one point League's West Conference is also morç compet- contenders are cbamping ait tbe bit to acquire overtime encounters this year. back of tbe first place Georgetown Raiders as of itive tbis seaaon - and that bis current charges bim for tbe playoffs. But Rookie Richard Peverley put an end ta last nigbt. are experiencing more adversity because of it. Milton's Ryan Eby broke a scorelesa game that - sinking a buge rebound past star goal- This week's close contests further illustrated "Maybe in tbe long mun it'll help us," remarked witb about six m-inutes to go in the second peri- tender Nathan Marsters witb only four seconds bow notbing is coming easy tbese days for tbe Williamann. a see OVERTIME on page 32 Nov aceptng egi-tr-Uos fr..by ChristinaF M«LLENNIUM .................H... aà