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Thse Canadian Champion, Tuesday, December 18, 2001 -B3 Merchants falter against lowly Cougars Milton'"s woeful powerplay leads to winless weekend By STEVE LeBLANC The Champion The Merchants' hopes of securing a top four finish - and the extra first-round home game that goes with it - are fading fast. And they'U] ail but completely disappear with anoth- er winless weekend like the one that jt'st passed. A 1-for-15 powerplay campaign, spotty goaltending and careless breakout passmng conspireti against the defending conference champs during a surprisingly unsuccessful homne-and-homne senies agamnst tise sec- ond-last place Burlington Cougars. It ended ini especially lacklustre fashion at Central Arena Sunday. Milton botched three two-man advantages and were uninspired through lengthy stretches of the night on the way to losing 4- 1. Tise Merchants' blueline unit offered their hosts a number of breakaway chances - one of which was convertrd for a backbreaking shorthandrd goal late in the second period. Trevor Battaglia waa flawless over the balance of the contest to keep bis tram within strikinig distance, but a Iack of cohesion and physical presence prevented even tise faintest trance of a comeback bid. Rick Carriere madie tise lone deposit - finishing a goal-À mouth acrambîr midway through tise evening. Assisting on tise play was dynam- ic newcomer Tristan Senior and rookie Ricis Meloche, who picked up bis first point in four games. Burlington's goals were delivereti by Jamie Bigger, Steven Johnston, James Maida and Patrick Rowan. Huge comneback.needed At Memorial Mrena Friday, Milton needed a littie of its dependable home-ice drama to stave off defrat. Down 5-0 late in tise first due to a horrendous start by Battaglia, tise Merchants rallird to tir 5-5 - punctuat- iog their comeback with a penalty shot deposit in tise dying moments of regulation. Providing tise heroics with an impressive backhand fake was Senior, who also initiated tise reversai of for- tune before first intermission. Milton's other goals were posted by Michel Bond, Shawn Mole and David Ovcjak. Vince Guiducci and Rick Janco escis drew two assista. Leading for tise Cougars with a hat-trick was Shane Jooris. Mercbant notes: Senior has figure i n nine of Milton's tIl goals ince bis arrval two wreks ago.. The Merchants are undefeated in their st seven home gamnes but have scored just one goal in tiseir last two road trips ... Miltonian Frank Fazio picked up an assiat for Burlington Friday ... Captain Kevin Anijda's retumn from a broken ankle is taking longer than expecteti. HeU1 likely be out until tise Newmarket Showcase.. (Joattender Ryan McManus receiveti a five-gamne sus- pension for inadvertently sisooting tise puck into tise meshisn Hamilton December 8. However, since tise puck didn't actually enter tise stands, term manage- ment is appeating tise cail and looking to have bis sus- pension shortened ... Milton wiil look to end a thee- gaine winless streak tonigst at home agalnst second- place Bramnalea. Gaine time is 8 p.m. The Merchants host Mississauga Friday and are in Georgetown Saturday. d--Jeif Haydar makes smooth, transition to se-mi--pro ranks DY STEVE L1*LANC Th~e Champion Jeif Haydar spent osoat of bis junior and iuniver- sity hockey cameer at tis top of thse standings. And dm atnd as contiud - tus fa ayway - with a jup utorthe sei-prranks tis y=. with tise OdesaJacalp - wiso curtmttly sit flrst in theïr sou8h west division and tieti for fous-lb overali in the Central Hockey League. 1Thse West Tcxas tean as abeesparticularly tougls to beat on bomn tee and bosat s season record of 14-7-4. Milton's 24-year-old centre bas bati a aignificant hand i n that suceas - aversging about a point a gaine following a ratser quiet firat nionts witlste *"h took mue about eiebt or atise Ranmes to reallv -,m k. mnau types of situaios." That's been thse former - provincial junor ehamp's inèluding this one, Wh=es he's being ealled on for naoat ùsspor- tant penalty kilts and face-ofs in Odesaa's end. powerplay time and been a reg- fl ular contributor in the, offensve zone as weil. He's lit thse lansp eight times mSnc for a gaine winner earier tis mnostl againse state rival Amarillo - andi sita witls 13 points He isat an offenssvely quiet weekend that ended wills a 3.1 loss e, fornar Merchant Lih Naaao's Mesmphis Rivedings Sattswdsy. This snapped tise tern's dutzgnwintre- ade pssle by Friay44-2 cisS ovez San Angelo. -u CDMINC6 ro MIUON!! fffttlEt ASTEST $NOOPott /1 NoiTri 4MER/Ci IS leSc W/lU I TO5V/ l 20092! THE MILTON ROLLER HOCKEY LEAGUE IS PRESENTING THE,"NILTON NIUI@N", -,RO t\tHOCKEY ADVENTURE ANSD ADULT LEAGUES % ~N ~,PSFROM LATE APRILtl-x T 2îM% ~~JIEYS, COOL MUSIC * 4, N~ LINES, WIDE OPEN, FAST P4CJI*D *îWME #IR WEEK, WEEKNIGHTS ONLY *~ErNLY, NO PRACTIVES (FUN, FUJN, U -GAMES PLUS CHAMPIONSHtý w MLL "ES AT MILTON MEMORIAL ý P RAM (4 OR 5 AWESOME TO NYS) At4 PNLY $160tF YOU REGIS teORTO~ D _j1001 ($175 AFTER) ]EIS lAION DAY AT~ PORTCR 1 1PM, SAT CÉ-. 22, 201» M"N , KEY CWtE 1 CTIONED DY THE "CAN AI(5NAL GOVERNINt ik KEY IN CANADA REGISTRATION FORMS AVAILABLE AT SPORTCHEK, JOHN tmucanqty & 1 plymcmpredto20 g " alo ofMoveswhmriellsa4 r'd TONELLI ARENA AND MILTON MEMORIAL ARENA ÉXp*ied 14yu,-Y adne4xen- a"stvth og"ngThrsy n klbonaFor more information cal Dale Conacher @ 905-464-6683j bo Y3or nc Wpose toha"guy rùingthe, Cit. Tey «m ocwtû actWicitaandor emal: dconacherl@cogeco.ca FREE SALT!a (Five 36kg bags) and FREE INSTALLATIN 1 When you buy a Culligan Water Softener 623 MAIN ST. EAST, MILTON (905) 878m2474 your team reports and sports story ideas ta Steve LeBlanc at 878-4943e or drop them off anytime #at aur office, 191 Main St. E. UMM" V _qzzz@z1ý ROUER n«Ey Is