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m~uIdB~ay ismoi-L SPORTS Short Terni LesMs ® Fme ikW&*M *No ctuapfor "4-892 Ad*" Wm. ______________Jr. Merchants' home-ice _____ ______supremacy goes missing By STEVE LeBLANC The Champion A couple of troubiing trends have quickiy deveioped for the Merchants. Afier reigning supoeme on bome-ice tbrougbout the lion's sbare of regular season play, the local juniors have dropped three of Ibeir fast four games at Memoriai Armna. And alier comfing out on top in four slraight batties against Bramalea, Milton bas done so just once in its last four encounters wtb the Blues. These changes comne at the worst possible limie, and now bave the perennial powerbouse squad trailing two games 10 one in first round playolf action. The Merchants, wbo're just two losses away t'rom a second straigbt opentng round exit, fell behind once again in the bes-stf-seven series in frtnt of a rather large but lifeless crowd Tuesday. Cougbing up thre separate leads -as a result of' ll-timed penalties, sbaky goal- tending and a disjointed delensive effort - (bey were outdistattced by visiting Bramalea 7-5. Jamie Willtams' rougbing atter the whistle infraction led to the game-winning goal midway tbrougb the final frame -but ltis brain-dead actions were bardly the only cause for defeat. Defenceman Adam Sturgeon bas been figbting the puck since bis retum and continucd to do so tn game tbree white a less bhan stellar performance was deliv- ered by veteran stopper Joel Cameron. Furthermore. Milton was far too eager to band over ils momenturu at crucial points on the nigbt. -We keep getting down too easily. We've got t0 stay more focused,' added assistant captain and playoff scoring leader Andy Roak. His comments reler (t Orst and tbrd-period break- downs -wbicb were the result ofI sbortbanded stints vA Royal air-strike Blshop R.ding*s Jool Castro (5) sends peet a couple of St Thomne Aquines defenders during senior boys beaketbali play et BR Mondsy.The Royale lost 59-56. For s story on how the local cagers dld In firet round playoiff action, se page 27. Photo by GRAHAM PAINE âASte X One-Stop Souvcs ustom T-shirts, Corporate Goff Shirts, Mats, Jackets Etc. y"Wens Ch tu SE Peut wêw- T amiPr* euply Milton Pn*nor Hockey Mlton Youth Soccer and many local Meamns & leaques with their uniformas [~] "We keep getting down too easily. Weve got te, stay more focuw and a general lack ol enthusiasm on the bench. Challenging Bramnalea's David Digironimo 23 tinies in the second period and only coming away with a couple of' goals had to bc a major source of' frustration and likely led to an uninspired finish. Milton held their guests (o two dozen shots on net, a respectable total tor this level of hockey, but wcre caughit flat looted on a lew too many occasions. Said Rozak, -They'rc a rcally fast teatn and we're having trouble containing thent in our own end." They certainly did with Scoit Neil. Tie Blues' pow- erplay specialist scored three uies with the mian- advantage and linisbed the night with l"ve goals - the fast of which was an empty net isurance marker. Rozak led olfensively (or thie hosts, tallyittg twice and seting up Atsdrew Fraticotte. Also standing out with three assists. plus a nifty bit of work creating traltic in front of the opposing cage, was lellow Oirst-i er and roo)kie-ol-the-year Kevin Arruda. The Merchants' other marksmen were Sturgeon and checking winger James Coleman, wbo nctted goal number five wibh a beauty backhand t'our min- utes tnto the tbird period. Milton capttalized on one ol (jve powerplay chances Tuesday. Overaîl, iheir playofl record with the extra-attacker stands at a lair- ly disappointing 3-for-14. To date, ail three games have been won by two goals - with an empty net nsarker sealing tlie deal each tinse. Also, aIl three victories have gone to tîte team firing fewer shots on net. Game four of the series goes tonight aI Bratnalea's Victoria Park Arena. Gamne ime is 7:45 p.m. Milton hosts gante five Sunday at 7:30 p.m. Other West Conference playoff match-ups had Georgetown and Brampton leading 3-0 over Hamilton and Streetsville respectively heading int fast night's action white Mississauga led Buffalo 3-I1. ICItuirke"ds www.clarkesgolf.com ý1wiiilkilifil eài eli bai I:J:J DROP IN & SEE S r'igemUUF: Sffli, 2001 NEW PRODUCTS ý Suy 1 8t Mt 11111*11 lot tw TRAVEL Calloway X14 Pro Series Irons 2ed fw COVM Callaway Hawkeye VFT Woods l Y frm Taylor Made 300 Sepies Drivers 2 Prim L$ýq38z951 Adams Tight Lies Iron _A I ýà hý:r f rom $39.95 Lis 1 11110111111111 Id.9 Unit 7 & 8 Milton N" 79-1818