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The Canadian Champion, Tuesday, oclober 1 6, 2001-17 4Verchants' coaches UME get the collective axe -Wildcat on the move WlI. Dick's Brad Hoy (left) races to a second-place finish In the junior boys division during the Haiton Senior Cross Country Championahips lest week ln Burfington. Hare (above> the junior boys field set out on the course. Feliow Wlidcat Laurs Pruaha led for the girls wlth a thîrd-place par- tomiance amnong "h junior girls. W.l. Dick' Alysua Whltman took fourth ln the lntarmedtfat girls clans. Photos by PETER MCCUSKER By STEVE LeBLANC The Champion The Merchants got swept aside in three straight games this past week -and their three coaches quickly followed suit. Skipper Glenn Walsh as well as assistants Mike Kalapaca and Dan Sales were ail given their walking papers after tIse defend- ing conference champs slipped to second- las) place with a 8-1 bumbling in Brampton Saturday. Taking over as bcnch boss is co-owner and longtimie NHL'er Dave Gagner -who said the players -just weren't responding to what was bcing said" by the t'onner coach- ing staff. Milton's new coach recognized that injuries have played a part in an extremely slow starn the worst in about a decade but that the proper decisions weren't being made in some close contests as of laIe. Said Gagner, -There's a thin fine between winning and losing, and we want to be on a right side of that fiue." Echoing those sentiments was co-owner and teamn president Mario Forgione, who pointcd In a lack of chemistry between coaches and players an the reason bchind the change -which came at practice Sunday. 4&Wc jUSt felt we needcd a différent type of coaching," he announced yesterday morn- ing. "This team bas tremendous skill but they (former coacbing staff) hadn't been able to get tbem 10 gel." Walsh, however. argued this notion stating an inability to acquire players is just as much to blame for the club's recent woes. "They gave me the typical answer, that you can't lire 20) guys." he said yesterday. "But if Brad Grant was still in command, do you think we would have started the year with nine forwards?" He also argued the owners' daim o) play- ers not responding to bîm. -I thtnk you inay want 10 talk 10 the players about that." Also released was defencemnan and assis- tanit captaîn Mat Bartlett. whose on-ice leadership wasn't up to par -according to Gagner. Bartîcttîs departure ceaves an already short-statffd club with just live defencemen and three lorward fiues. Gagner said he doesn't expeet to have any new players in the lineup for tonight's road game in Bramalca but hopes to tiud some more help as soon as possible. General manager Nick Slawson remains on board and is expected 10 provide somne assistance on the bcnch for a whilc. "Obviously the injuries we've had baven't belp matters, but the emotion and passion we cxpect hasn't heen there," said Slawson. "It was a rcally difficult decision." Merchants fait to second-last with winless weekend Club's misfortunes mount with injury to Battaglia By STEVE LeBLANC The Champion TMe Merchants' bouse otf carda continues to crumble. While Milton hasn't quite reacbed thc division basement yet, that may jus) he a manter of time if recent resulîs are any indication. Now knce-deep in adversity witb threc more losses this pas) wcck and a broketi cottarbone sidclining number one goaltender Trevor Battaglia, Milton is -to say the very teast -in serirtus trouble. "ll's really sbockîng and frustrating. It's col- lective, cvetytbing is going wrong night now. We can') put our finger on il" said intcrim captain Dan Bognar. Bognar did suggcst a lack otf ebaracter is part- ly rcsponsiblc for some bumhling losses as otf lte. Certainly that had something to do with Saturday's 8-1 drubbing at thc hands of front- running Brampton. While Battaglia's absence cef) an already short-staffcd club without a rcassuning preseuce in net, tcamt gnit and inteusity went missing after a rather credible tiraI pcriod. As a result, the dcfendiug confier- ence champs' seemingly inevitable bass tumed mbt an cmbarrass- ment. Rookie Sean Samuel - Milton's back-up tumcd starter -surrcndcrcd thrce goals in each rtf the las) Iwo pcriods and enjoycd finie defensive support along the way. Blueliner Rick Janco made Uic lone deposit for the visitors, scoring bis second goal in as many uights and third-in four games. An overaîl lack of finish and thoroughly punchîcas powcr- play contributed In the lopsided defeat, which droppcd the second-las) place locals 10 4-7. Said frustrated gencral manager Nick Slawson, "t don') look at Uic standings these days. I bave a pretty good idca whcrc we arc." At home against steadity-improving Hamilton Friday, Battaglia became the tatest addition of a growing injwry tist. Comiug out 10 provide a tcad pass wiUi under four minutes remaining, he was tevetcd by hard-charging Kilty Bec Ricky Watton. b is third injury in jus) over a ycar -that should keep the vet- cran tender on the shet) until early December. "1 kncw right away (that il was ,broken)," said a cxtremely sore but prescrnt Battaglia Saturday. Whilc Friday's 3-2 final count was far f romt cmbarrassing, tl wasn't exactty indicative otf the' hosts' performance. Caugbt in an evening-long trap by the struc- turatly sound Killy Becs, Milton neyer enjoyed an cdgc in play and was somewhat flattercd by the score. Janco and promising rookie Ricb Meloche dented the twine for the Merchants -scoring nine minutes apart in the middle stanza. Battaglia's 17 save first pcriod kcpt lhings close carly on, as did a disciptincd night that saw each teamn take just one mîinuî infraction. The Killy Becs scorcd oin thcir tone powcr- play. Hamitton's Bryan Reid scorcd the game win- ner midway tbrougb the second. Toronto Young Nats' Ryan Mtînce was callec up as the back-up goalie Saturday. Merchant notes: Milton bas scrtred just on(. goal in its last two dozen powerptay chances . Aller scoring I1ltimes tn a home-and-home spît' with Streetsville, Milton bas lit the lamp just fivc times in ils las) tbrce games, and not once ir third-period play ... The Merchants are ii Bramatea tonight and hosi las) place Buffas Friday ... Former Merchants Nathan Gitties an( Jeif Hutchins bad tour and tbrcc-poinî effort' respectively for the NCAA Union Dutcbmrne during last week's two-game sweep of Notrc Dame. Milton Vs Buffalo Catch ail the Action S Excitement MeFriday, October I 9th at 8:00 pm, Memorial Arena <Thompson Rd.) TICKET PRICES, Aduits............ $7.00 Seniors/Students .... $5.00 Children 12 & Under . . $3.00 bivio Il