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The Canladian Champion, Friday, December 20, 2002-25 SPORT7S Merchants' win streak 110W 16 -a new record By STEVE LeBLANC The Champion The Merchants shuffled off to Buffalo Monday S night, and swaggered home sporting a new club 13 ~l ti he final tune-up to a crucial home-and-home series with Georgetown, Milton dumped ils lowly cross-border opponents to set a new benchmnark for conseculive victories - pushing its cur- rent win streak to 16. The 6-2 decision was typical of most gaines over the past several weeks - with a huge shots-on- goal differential and little-to-no suspense beyond the midway mark of the night. Caplain Craig Macdonaldan scoring leader Rich Meloche cach tallied twice to highlight the latest mile of Miltons ongoing victory march, which dates aIl the way back te November 5. Meloche kept hope'. for a 50-goal campaign alive with his 351h and 36îh deposits, and also surpassed the 70-point plateau 10 main- j sain a top-five spot in the Provincial Jr. A League scoring race. -~ -JVeteran defencemen Dennis Colterman and Rick Janco hclped fuel the win with three assists apiece, white other multi-point efforts came from Ryan Silveria and Rob Ricci - who scored a <" mere 21 seconds mbt the contest and then sel up Meloche 10 con- tinue a breakthrough season. Rookie Dean Strong also lit the lamp, white single helpers went to Mike Nicoletti, Arthur Sassa and Vic Oreskovich. ti s m in el Alex Evans picked up his ninîh wîn of the ycar in sed ah ion. Miltn Dibic Musang ody Milton out-shot Buffalo 48-19 and scored twice in each period M1ltn DIs ul ort MustanCdy to add a littie extra momentumn for what promises 10 be an emo- WIIIUnS Ofl P fo S ~tionally-charged pre-holiday showdown againat the highly-touted (aboya) mid thon finda hltldf Raiders. guarde by Biehop R.dIig oppo- The Merchants host gaine one of the series tonight and will trav- nents Andrew Roye, Maroas el to Gordon Alcott Memonial Arena for the remnatch tomorrow GIW Md 11On »CUtz (M W<) evening. Both gaines atart at 7:30 p.m. during croes4own lunlo boySl Merchant notes: Milton currently has lhree players - baUObSI Play li MD Mndily Meloche, Rmcci and Oreskovich - witb 50 or more points. aftemoon. BR won dm gane 42 Macdonald and Wes Clark are likely to0 hit the half-century point 37 to square Res season rwd nt mark somelime next month ... Cody Spicer continues to rank 22. ainong the top five nelminders in the league in ternis of bosh goals- againat average and number of wins ... Milton is in good shape 10 Photos by GRAHAM PAINE finish the season with a single-digit loss total, something the club has achieved three lunes before. IFIS THAT FIT TOS AFFORDABLE NEW & USED SPORS %i% SNOWBOARDS 2001 MODELS 1 - MaxfliNoodie \1~ JUNIOR SNOWBOARD $ifi~9 2 Ijozen Rails & n WITH BUNDINOS 2 99NOW %4.95 Â\~KATE EXCHANGEi 905-878-7422 # ~ Mon. Dec 23 108 Tues Dec24 10-5, Dec 25 & 26 Closed, Fi Dec 27 108, Sat. Dec 289-6, Sun. Dec 29 11-4 18 Thompson Rd, Unit #6, Milton