Blades move into first place in OJHL South Back-to-back victories over the weekend vaulted the Oakville Blades into first place in the Ontario Junior Hockey League's South Division. The Blades blanked the Milton IceHawks 4-0 Friday in Milton and followed that up with a 4-3 overtime win over the St. Michael's Buzzers Saturday at Oakville Arena. As of yesterday (Wednesday), Oakville (26-17-2-2) owned a one-point lead over the Toronto Patriots and Toronto Jr. Canadiens for top spot in the South. The Blades had seven games remaining on their regular-season schedule, while the Patriots and Jr. Canadiens each had eight. Oakville will visit the Patriots this Saturday in Toronto. Daniel Mannella made 20 saves to record the shutout Friday, and Ross Sloan paced the Oakville attack with a goal and two assists. Kamil Tkaczuk, Ryan Burns and Daniel Jelic also tallied, and Christian Rajic and Tyler Rollo each contributed a pair of assists. Brandon Hughes was the overtime hero for Oakville against the Buzzers, scoring 2:43 into the extra frame. Matt Lippa scored twice during regulation and Jackson Bales provided the other goal for Oakville, which fired 59 shots at St. Michael's goalie George Argiropoulos -- including 27 in the second period. Mannella recorded the victory in relief of starter Brendan McGlynn. 29 | Thursday, January 29, 2015 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com National silver medallist skater Chartrand trains part-time in Oakville Alaine Chartrand, who spends part of her weekly training regimen working with Skate Oakville competitive director Michelle Leigh, finished second in the women's competition at the Skate Canada Canadian Tire National Skating Championships Saturday in Kingston. The 18-year-old Chartrand, who lives in Prescott, Ont., was third after the short program but posted the top score in the free skate. Her overall total of 184.24 points was 12 points more than her previous personal best, and ranked her behind only Gabrielle Daleman of Newmarket (186.02). "That was really exciting," Chartrand said after earning the first standing ovation of her career following her long program, which was based on the movie Doctor Zhivago. Chartrand will represent Canada at both next month's Four Continents Figure Skating Championships in Seoul, South Korea, and the World Figure Skating Championships in Shanghai, China, in March. Skate Oakville's Gina Cipriano and Bradley Keeping-Myra finished seventh in the novice dance division. The team, which is coached by Skate Oakville competitive dance director Mark Bradshaw with assistance from Debbie Lee and Roy Bradshaw, is in its first season together. Synchro Capers this weekend Skate Oakville, in collaboration with Skate Canada-Central Ontario, will host its annual Synchro Ca- Figure Skating pers competition this weekend at Sixteen Mile Sports Complex. The event is one of the largest synchronized skating competitions in Canada. More than 100 teams are expected to participate, including 10 from Oakville, and more than 1,600 competitors will represent their skating clubs at the meet. Synchro Capers will begin at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, with action continuing until past 10 p.m. It will resume Sunday at 8 a.m. and conclude at approximately 7 p.m. The event is open to the public, with tickets being sold at the door ($8 for adults, $5 for children). Skaters prepare for Central Ontario finals Skate Oakville will send a large contingent of skaters to the Skate Canada Central Ontario STARSkate Championships Feb. 6-8 in Milton, where competitors will attempt to qualify for the Skate Ontario championships in March. For more information on Skate Oakville programs and synchronized skating teams, visit www.skateoakville.ca. Alaine Chartrand (above, left) of Prescott, Ont., who trains part-time with Skate Oakvlle, was second in the women's competition at Saturday's Skate Canada national championships in Kingston. Chartrand will represent Canada at two international meets over the next two months. Skate Oakville will host its Synchro Capers synchronized skating meet this weekend, where teams like the Oakville Edge elementary squad (above right, pictured last year) will compete. | Chartrand photo by Bernard Weil -- Toronto Star / Synchronized skating photo by Graham Paine -- Oakville Beaver Tavares ties NHL record Former St. Thomas Aquinas high school student John Tavares tied an NHL record by scoring four goals in the league's all-star game Sunday in Columbus. The New York Islanders star had a hat trick before the end of the second period and added his fourth early in the third, joining Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, Mike Gartner, Vincent Damphousse and Dany Heatley as the only players to score four times in the NHL all-star game. TO A Game Based LearninG Soccer Player Development InnovatIve technIques to Develop InDIvIDual skIll Brain Based LearninG soccer player Development Both NoW IN oAKVILLE! 905-467-2775 Learn more anD register at POWERED BY aPeXFootYLaB.com XFootYLaB.com Program Director: Dino LoPez