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24-Tho Canadian Champion, Tuesday, September il, 2001 MerChants suifer wi*nless weekend versus Raiders Offense sputters through bot/i halves of home-and-home series By STEVE LeBLANC The Champion Quality scoring chances were mn short supply and goals even more so for the Merchants tbis past weekend. As a resuit, the defending Western Conference champs came up winless in their home-and-bome exhibition series with neighbour- ing Georgetown. Unable to lit thse lamp through the third period of either contest, Milton was edged 4-3 as Memorial Mena Friday and then settled for a 2-2 stalemate in Georgetown Saturday. On the bright aide, rookie netsnmder Sean Samuel shone in four straight perioda of work and tumned back tome quality stuif in game two. Meanwhile, newly acquired winger Dsvid Ovcjak - who seema capable of filling the void left by outgoing power forward Andrew Francone - buried the biscuit twice and helped set up veteran Shane Remenda's posensial game winner Saturday. Other goals were provided by Dan Carcillo and Wes Martin. Remenda finished the weekend with three points while chipping in single helpers were Michel Bond, Pat Devlin, Vmnce Guiducci Chris Krieg and Scott Malcolsm. A lack of powerplay punch and overail finish factored into the winless weekend - a tii-st in quise some âime against the Raiders. Only 10 Merchant forwards had been sigssed on for regular duty as press time yesterday, although general manager Nick Slawson wasn't overly concemed with tisas - stating that a strong affilia- tion with the Toronto Young Nats organization should belp the club get over its initial hump, which includes six gamnes in 10 days. Milton finished up its pre-season achedule st night in Vaughan. Regular season play begins tis Friday at home againat the Burlington Cougars. Game time, as always, is 8 p.m. Merehant notes: Former Merchant Adam Sturgeon bas been traded fromn thse OHl's Sudbury Wolves to the Belleville Buils.. Defenceman Ian Robertson, a late cut at this year's traininsg camp, will skate for Use Guelph Jr. B squad this season ... Veteran Kevin Ai-nids missed boUs weekend gamnes wiUs a stifi neck. -Vaive set to drop puck at Merchants' home opener The wait to nearly over sports fans. The Merchants' 2001/02 season- which corntet complete with a new set of owners for Use local junior club - kicks off at home this Friday. And helping get Use year underway will be a couple of special guet, includisg for- mer NHLer Rick Vaive - Use fii-st Toronto Maple Leaf so score 50 goals in a tesson - who'll make Use official season-open- ing puck drop. Joining Vaive in Use spotlight will be Diane Clemens - wife of Toronto Argonaut player tumned coach Pinhaîl Clemens -who'll sing the national anthem. Thse Merchants witl alto have a numiser of draws for great prizes as both Use open- er and shroughous the season. Also, Milton will be offering five-gamne passes to make shinga more affordable to Useir regular supporters. "We want to make each home game as event for Use cosmsunity," said Ken Chase, who sook over ownership of Use teamt alongtide fellow Oakville businessman Ma-o Forgione and former NHLer Dave Gagner. The Merchants will play hoat to Btsrlington Friday and have a raUser hectie start to Use year - with six gaines in Useir tii-st 10 days including. This stretch will be capped hy Usi-ce gaines in 40 hours during the annual College Weekend. "'Me schedule is definitely more severe tisas we'd ansicipated,' said general man- ager Nick Slawson. "But we've gos a lot of enthusiastic new guys in Use lineup and hopetully they'll be able t0 give that little extra as the starl' 'VISTA HEADLI(HT$ REG. $22.99 $14m99 HELMET %PECIAL Jack WIerzbickI Memw&orial Rid Sunc.àay, September 30/01 ~ 10:00 arn Milton GO Station $25 per cyclist Ail Proceeds Donated to the Wierzbicki famîly. -Riders and volunteers required * Over 300 iders wili attend from across Southern Onta-ria. 89 ONI O S N. M IO 905876767 148th MILTON FAIR Friday, Saturday & #uday (Milton Fair September '5e~[er MILTN FAI GROUNDS For more information ..Call 87&.5689