The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

The Canadfar ChamPion. Tuesday, March 6. 2001-19 Diminiutive rookie making big impact with Merchants By STEVE LeBLANC The Champion K evi n Arruda was brought aboard to be a future building block for the Merchants. flowever, bts inîmediate impact wit the junior club bas been tb say the leasi impressive -and to say the int iiulslanding. The 16-year oîd's, physîcal stature may be sitiail, but bis <tri ce performtance is îîsualîy btg -anîl offert larger iban file. Tike Fniday f'or example. lit a prcssurc-fiîicd gamne live clash wiîth the Mtssîssauga ('bargers. Arruda rose iii the challenîge wit a two-point effort - bigbîighîîîîg the nigbî wttb a iyitîg îaiiy instde the itai five minutes tif regulatitîn ibai set itbe stage fotr att eventual sudden deatb deposit by Dan DeLîîng. Three nigbîs eariier. the diminutive winger deiivered wbaî was arguably the bardesî-working gîtai îof the playîf f s - holding off a deflender in both gutsy and dynamic fashion hefore jabbing a shof tbrîîugh ibe legs of opposi ng cager Trevor Battaglia. 'He's gol such soit bands (around the net)," said general manager Nick Slawsîîn. But Arruda's natural talent represents juot one dimension of bis game. His kîîack for absorbing punisbment in the siot- t'romu guys as much a.s twice bis site - bas been jusi as great an asset, and is something tbe West Cîînference's toîp rookie bas always tnied 10 incorpo- rate. "Wben yuîu're a small guy, you've got 10 be able 10 take if (bits in frot). Otberwise you're just non-exîs- lent," said Arruda, wbîî tbree years agit led bis peewee squad to the Ail-Ontario finals. Added Slawson, -Kevin neyer shies away lrom any kind ofi trafftc.' That*s on0e ofithe main reasîtns bLhind the yitung for- ward's late-season promotion lto the fiIt fine. Since hîîîking up with teant sconing leader Andy Rîtzak, Arruda bas taken bis already productive gamne t new fîeig bis. Fittishing tîtp îbree it gîoais (211 and itp fîve it poilaîs (411 on the club fîor the regular seasîîn, beys slepped il up fîtr tlic piayîttfs anîd suts second in boib gîtais anîd points wîtb six aitîf 17 respectively - ail alîîîg acting as obne of fltc team's tiîp penalty killers. lits really ait bîînour t play (lithie tirs tfine. espe- File photo by GRAHAM PAINE Kevin Arruda <seen hore ln firet round piayoff action againat Bramalea) hâas been showlng strongiy ln his freshman year wlth the Milton Marchants. cially as a rookie, and my f inemnates have donc a great job prcparing me for games," said Arruda. Skipper Glenn Walsh bas been extremely pieased with how the young forward bas perfortned under duress, responding like someone with mucb more than jusi orne season of junior hockey. -l jusi can't say enough about his character. He's so strong on his skates and plays like he's got years of expetience," said Walsh. "Hopefully we'iI be fortunate enough to have hlm around f'or three or tour years.- That would suit Arnida just fine. since he's got hts sigbts se( on going the NCAA route. lIm definilely hoping to get a scholarship so hopie- tully l'Il be around for a while. It's a great organiza- tion," he satd. 'tfrom DELONG'S on page 17 Meanwbile. Caierîtti mmd back mitre than ibree dien shîts inciuding il in lvertinie. Counterpart Trevîîr Battaglia saw a lot less nabber in gamne five but did culme up with the stop of the nigbî robbing Arruda wilb a grand-tbeft larceny glove save midway tbrîtugb the firsi extra session. Andy Roiak was flie hîsis' other nîarksman. sciîring wif b a powerplay wnister to lift bis teant-Ieadiîîg playîîfl goal total lto il. The lirst-periitd îîarker exîended bis pîtttt-scitring streak Ioi anit ncredtble 14 gantes. Mississauga's Jeff Liîucks lallied îwice white teatr- mîate Kevin Tracey netied the itber. At Iceland Tbursday. Miltoîn was in second gear f'or inucb (if the night and was eventualfy denied flie sweep. Back-up Richard Fîournier -perbaps nisty f rom a lengtby inactive siretcb - wasn't quite up tiI par betwieen the pipes wbile bis teammates. wftile certainly disciplined. sucren't exactly tîtîpressîse. Sturgeitî anîd Rîck 1-erronii deted the îwînc fl'or Miltoîn. 'ie Merchatîts sol its boas e a bit of a break bel ((e squaring off wtth the detetîding Icague champion Brampton Capitals in the division finals, The series starts in Milton Fniday. Merchant notes: Milton had three shorthanded goals versus Mississauga. They now have a total of four for the playolis, surpassing their regular season mark in that depariment ... Milton and Brampton have îlot done batfle in the playofîs since 1993. Ail hom gTu es stan 1 ait ilton Ail home games start a 7:3 p.m. Be sure ta check out Friday's Champion for a preview column on the Merchants-Capitals West Division finals. IUVTPbuESIzuNA[ collision & paint Cali Steve Boers 706 Main Street, East a ii Milton, ON N ilf as faow vamamat McCormack Auto Services r JOHN MCCORMACK LICIENCIED MECHANIC , DOT Inspection * Computer *Air Conditioning Station Diagnostics *Tune Ups * Rust Proofing * General Repairs *Brakes 85 St"le Avel Unft 6 muon87 Mittcrn Import Car Cente VOLKSWAGEN & AUDI Speclalist In: Authorlzed BOSCH service IMPORT & DOMESTIC # FUEL INJECTION & DIESELS AIR CONDITIONING a ALIGNMVENT USED CAR SALES & SERVICE GERHARD & RUDY 583 Main St., Milton, Ontario, L9T 3J2 (905> 878-5330 re sales Service _lo 555 Main St. E. '"L~s,4876,4788 SENTINEL AUTOMOTIVE eMajor & Minor Repairse T une Ups ' Air Conditioning eBrakes , Engines e Exhaust - 4x4 Safefy Inspections ' Towing * Marine Repairs eEmission Repair & Pretesting 9{ýqh-'Tedh Service wit/i O(é-Jas/iioneé q)a(ue 342 Bronte St. South, Units 12 & 13, Milton 878-8066 MN service ÀoU iUfEf centire Specializing in.. # FUEL INJECTION ' AUTO ELECTRIC & CHARGING , AUTO AND TRAILER WIRING SYSTEMS ' DELCO BATTERIES é TUNE-UP & EMISSION CONTROLS ' BRAKE SERVICE ' AUTO AIR CONDITIONING - SAFETY INSPECTIONS 18 Thompson Rd. Unit 12 8t%7 27 21 Cameron continues rock-solid pkzyoff run for the Merchants _ROI - w à 1 -.-.OOQO Ti