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

T-I 20 -The Canadian Champion, TUesday, August 28, 2001 Merchants' back-up hopefuls show strongiy Goaltending prospects earn shutouts in club's exhibition-opening win By STEVE LeBLANO The Champion Glenn Walsh had said it was gomng to be difficult selecting a back-up goalie for this year's Merchants. And Friday might's exhibition-opening resuits didn't make bis decision any easier, as three of four hopefuls gave flawless auditions in front of a healtby pre-season crowd at Memorial Arena. Sean Samuel, Adamn Dennis and Kyle Foster each delivered a single-period shutout as the local juniors wbitewashed Vaughan 2-0. Coach impressed "They're looking awfuily good," Milton's bench boss said, addmng that one of the candi- dates would likely be eut at practice Sunday. "I told them afterwards, 'Couldn't one of you guys have played like crap and made my decision cas- ier?' Tey ail lauglxed." Added Merchants general manager Nick Slawson, "We're trying to give these guys lots of opportunity and hopefully one of them will emnerge (as the standout performer)." Samuel faced twice as many shots as his net- minding partners, which rnay have given hlm an initial edge ini the battle for back-up cager. The North York Canadian's lO-save perfonm- ance wasn't anything too spectacular, alshough he did weatber a brief storm midway through period one and was quite steady wben chal- lenged downstairs. Also vymng to play second-string to Trevor Battaglia, Erin Shamrock Brad Taylor wifl see action tonight when the defending Western Conférence champions host St. Mfichael's. Gaine time is 9 p.m. Goals 17 seconds spart in the miùddie stanza proved to be enough for the win Friday. Sophomnore defenceman Rick Janco jumped into the nîsb to make the game-winning deposit, while immediately adding a ittie insurance on another short-range opportunity was rookie lefi winger Dan Carcilo. The- North York bantain graduate also assisted on the initial tally to record pomt fort as bit fortuts a Mercbant. He wrapped up the might with a short- lived slugfest in the final fr-ame, getting the bet- ter of Vaughan's Mark DiBiase. Other assista went to Kevin Arruda, Peter Langdon and Richard Meloche. The Merchants bail ample opportunity to put their guests away, but squandered a couple of two-man powerplays and were turned away on more than three dozen scoring chances. Solid goaltending aside, the two-hour contest featured littie in the way of excitemnent for tie approxmately two hundred fans in attendance. Vaughan had a dozen veterans in the lineup compared to five for Milton. Aznong those patroling the blueline were Miltonian Josh Vanderbreggen, who's expected to crack the lineup this ycar. The 16-year-old defenceman - who saw spot duty with the Georgetown Raiders last sea- son - may be the only hometown player suit- ing up, since sophomore Winger Frank Fazio and Merchant management couldn't tee eye-to- eye and bave parted ways. Fazio given release Fazio has been given permission to skate with other clubs and shouldn't have mucb difficulty fmding a new home within the Western Conference. Meanwhile, fellow Miltonians Christian Nomis and Ian Robertson were still on the bub- hIe heading into practice Sunday. Veterans Rick Ferroni and Adamn Sturgeon remain question marks. Ferroni was sfili trying out with die British Columbia Jr. A club late last week while Sturgeon's future in the OHL is stili unclear. The Merchants will be severely sbortstaffed tonight, with several players away at OHL camp. They continue pre-season play at St. Michael's Fniday and open regular season play at home Sept. 14 against the rebuilding Burlington Cougars. p.--o Týs