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The Canadian Champion, Tuesday, April 9, 2002 - 23 *SPORTS ,.,Tough finish Milton imajo novice Chrlstophar Lord (et rlgh) bailles a Guslp opposent for possesion %Wtlle (et W1*) fellow Wnehw Bradn LaWtholoolS on ln *$eMy as Guelo players colbrais a goa an rot* to a 4-1 w*9 oW rMllibon la #* Mel gain of "h OpilmIa Troumaimn Surny Mionsa benam Mid mldgsis both won the chomplonshlp. For hal resulis, ses poge 25. Photos by GRAHAM PAINE /Haydar ' s stellar season ends in heartbreak By STEVE LeBLANC The Champion It was the double whammy Darren (Mini) Haydar's family, friends and fans feared most. Milion's most prolific scorer bad a sbot at two crown jewels lasi weck - Uic NCAA's national cbaxnpionsbip and Uic Hobey Bakcr - but botb slipped Uirougb bis fingers. Hopes for the tcam title were dasbcd Tbursday aftcmoon during the semiftnals, wben bis New Hampshire Wildcats dclivcrcd two dismal periods and wcrc bammered 7-2 by bbc Maine Black Bears. Then on Friday, Haydar was cdgcd out of uni- vcrsity hockey's top individual bonour -as Minnesota defenceman Jordan Leopold got tbc nod over bim and St. Cloud Stabe's Mark Hartigan. Leopold's Gophers wcnt on to eclipse Maine 4- 3 in overtime ai Uic Xcel Encrgy Centre in St. Paul, Minnesota Saiurday evcning for the national cbampionship. Focuscd mucb more on Uic disappoinimeni that came Tbursday, Haydar said bowing oui in the semnifinals would bave been a lot easier to accept if UNH- bad offered a respectable effort. Tbat - be admnitted - was far from Uhc case. "lt's disappointing," said Haydar Sunday momn- ing from St. Paul. "We bad this kind of disap- pointment in 1999 an wcll (wben team lost to Maine in finals) but this is tougber to swallow becaute we just didn't play our gaine." The Hobey Baker runner-up couldn't pinpoint juot wben thc semifinal clash got away from bis Wildcats -althougb it was sometime during sec- ond-period play, wbcn a 2-I lead evaporatcd and tbc momcnbum swung sbarply in thc Btlack Hears' favour. Said Haydar, 'Rigbt from thc sîart (of second pcriod) cverytbing wcnt against us. We just wcren't at our best.- The Wildcats -wbo bad beat Maine for Uic Hockey East title tbree wceks carlier -looked poiscd bo rcacb the finals carly on wben Steve Saviano's shortbandcd goal put thcmn ahead 2-I jusb before firsi intermission. But Maine scored bwicc in Uic second bo take the lcad and dismantled Uicir conférence rivais in Uic Uiird wibb another four goals. As for tbe Hobey Baker Award, Haydar said bie wasn't nearly as disappointed at coming up short. He added, "Individual awards are nice, but hock- ey's a teamn gaine. Tbat's wby 1 play it." Tbe fact that be everything possible to win the award probably baa sometbrng to do witb this acceptance. Haydar's 2001/02 accolades were enougb to fiîl any accomplisbed player's resume - and then oe He led the nation in botb points (76) and points- per-gamne (1.95), posted a career-bigb I 7-game point streak, was named an MVP at tbree different toumnaments. was Hockey East Player of tbe Month for November and December, was bbc Hockey East Player of tbc Year and bad two-point efforts in botb the Hockey East cbamnpionsbip gaine and the quarterfinals of tbe NCAA tourna- ment. But as usual, the local star focuscd on UNH's accomplisbments. 1I tbink so," said Haydar, wben asked if be'll be able to look back fondly on this season rabber tban wibb disappointment at the way it ended. "We won the Hockey Eaat title and finisbed 30-7-3. Tbat's prebty good." Photo courtesy of UNH Darren (Mini) Haydar's senior year ended with a disappointing semnifinal Ioss ta Maine Thursday. HALI TROU' 1@81d. R.d ~5isAd ON HILLS 1 *Public Fishing for Rainboiw Trout * 2 spring ted ponds i* No fishing licence required FARM -No limits - cash only *Rentai rods available 10541 Fourth Line OPEN THIS WEEKENIJ BMetWef 1Oth an SATURDAY 8-6 l5th Skeoad SUNDAY 8-6 *$3.00 admission " Ask about our birthday party special " You must keep what you catch - $5.50 per pound 905-873-69 0 I