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KXnowles not holding her hreath for local girls hockey program By STEVE LeBLANC The Champion Milionian Helen Knowles would like nothing heiter than Io sec a girls hockey prîigram estahlished liiially. But ai the same limie, shc's not holding lier hrcaih. -Until ihis iown really siaris groiîwng, 1 don't ihink you'Il sec it (girls hockey). Nol wîth such sîrong centres so close hy." said the veleran miember of' the NWHL's Missîssauga tee Bears. "If 1 had a daughter going oui tor hockey. id proh- ahly make the effort iii drive her lii an esîahlished centre loo.'* Bt Knowles was only 100 happy lii hring iop-flighl lemale hockey ici îown ihis pasi wcekend. tri front of a near capaciîy crowd ai Memorial Arena Saîurday nighi, her te Bears delighied tans young and old hy lhrashing Le Mistral de Laval 9-1 in a sanclîoned league gaine. Mition's 3<1 year-old centre - who's heen thoivîng under a new coaching siaff ihal was put in place last mîînlh -scored oînce and drew two assisis in the hlowîîui viclory. Said Knowles, "Event lhough we hlew (hem away, the game was vc'ry well received. We Photo by GRAHAM PAINE Helen Knowlea of the Mississauga Ice Beara would lave toi aes a girls hockey program eatablished Iocally, but edmita that problaby won'i happen until growth sets in. gave the f'ans a bit of every- contact league like ihis." ihing. including two fighîs The win kept Mississauga which is quite rare in a non- firmly entrenched in ihird place in ihe NWHILs Western Conlerence. Knowles has heen with the tearn for seven sea.sons and gol her siari in hockey more ihan iwo decades ago -as the lirsi lèmnale player 10 ever compele in Acion. -Two or lhree other girls joined aller ihai, but ihey kicked us oui allter peewec,- she recalled. Sisce ihen she's seen fenale hockey grow in hoth numbers and respecîabiliîy - 10 the point where the NWHL could go pro following the nexi %vin- ter Olympies. But Mississauga's tee Bears - regardless of their status sîjîl tait far short in the alien- dance deparîment when it cornes 10 iheir co-lenanîs ai the Hershey Centre. And white nsany might sug- gesi ihai has 10 do with the con- tact elemeni of men's hockey, Knowles disagrees. "1*m a bit of a goon, s0 swilehing to contact would be a henefil t0 me, but mosi people follow wonîen's hockey because il's non-contact and there's more skîll involved," she said. "If you iook oui the contact, we'd probably give the Merchants and other ieams in thai league a preity good mun." The Canadian Champion, Tuesday, Fobruary 6.2001 -21l receive $1 ,600 from Capitals' game walk-out The Merchants have scored more than jusi a for- feil vietory from a recenîly cancelîed home-ice game against Brampton. Milton will receive $1,600 (for oata incuroed) fromn the Capitals - whose players staged a lasi-minute walk- out on January 16 ini support of assistant coaeh Pete Gout, who leit*ihe teamn over a monetary dispute. The Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) alto fined Brampton $5,000 and suspended each of ils players for iwo games - with sus- pensions able 10 be apread oui in six-player mastaIt- ments. Capitals John Winstanley and Vito Montesano - who was oui with a concussion and who aenived laie for the game - are the only lwo players exempt from suspen- sions. Merchani general manager Nick Slawson seema atis- lied wilh the OHA ruling, which waa handed down by OHA president Breni Ladds ianuary 22. -I don'l îhink it overly punishes Brampton, but I ihink il's fair," he said Friday. '1 haven't seen anyihing like ibis before and I can't see anylbing subtequeni to this happening. Ibis (ru!îng) is juat the midnimum punish- ment and should tend a sîrong delerrent 10 other clubs." The late-season walk-oui esseniially took Brampton oui of the running for firsi place in the Ontario Provincial Jr. A League's Western CLonférence. And the Noaninees Are? Rer. is your oppotunit*y Milon -- to nominate your favoudit buines. to runthe 1I1111191Ogl FINAL DEDLIN Wed. Feb. 7, 2001.nt Dont Miss Your Chance To Vote! GIRLS SOFTBALL REGISTRATION Milton' Girls Softbal Association -our 22n$w.season! S6ffiâ11 for girls bo#r,',1982-1ý91,, Frid , 1týion: Milîn t , Fridy, Fb _"ý1,e:00 Saturduy, Feb 10 I 9 M FINAL Saturday, Mar 3 1 AM Stay active! Have fun! MeetàW Low registration fee $80 for 1 st player in family, $60 for 2nd, $50 for 3rd o. ý- At'ter MARCH 3 add $15 per player FREE Clinics! Pitcher/Catcher and SkiIls Clinics for players born 1987-199 1. Sign up at Registration. For more information contact Don Williams 878-0081 or Roy Harrold 876-3357 F. 1