Double Derbys 6-3 Raiders draw first blood

For local residents who may not know that the OHA Provincial Jr. A Hockey League's playoffs have started, Georgetown Raider players decided to get the word out by punking things up for their first-round opponents, the Streetsville Derbys. "If you see a bunch of goofy-looking guys with Mohawk haircuts walking down the street, you'll know who it is," laughed Raiders' winger Jeremy Whelan after his club's 6-3 victory over the Derbys on Saturday night. Whelan scored just 20 seconds into the game before many of the 600-or-so spectators were comfortably in their seats on a bit of a soft goal that sent the Raiders on their way to a 1-0 series lead in their bestof-7 West Conference quarter-final. Game two of the series was played last (Tuesday) night in Streetsville, with game three set for Georgetown's Mold-Masters SportsPlex tonight (Wednesday) beginning at 8 p.m. Whelan was actually replacing suspended winger Paul Marchese on a line with Travis Kauffeldt and David Jarman, who like Whelan, were late-season roster additions by the Raiders brought in to bolster a struggling offence. "It doesn't matter who scores, just as long as we win," the 19-year-old Whelan, a Pickering native, added. "If you want to go far in the playoffs, you need different guys to step up every night. That's how it works. Winning the first game is just something to build on."

The sixth-place Derbys won four of the five regular-season matchups versus third-place Georgetown, but the defending Dudley Hewitt Cup champs were aggressive and disciplined for Saturday's opener. The Raiders outshot Streetsville 40-21, went 2 for 9 on the power play and took just 14 penalty minutes compared to 32 by the Derbys. Jarman helped create what was likely the game-clinching play while his team was shorthanded midway through the second period, holding a 3-1 lead. The former Wexford Raider stole the puck behind the Derby net and passed out to a wide-open Wade Finegan, who wristed it past out-of-position goalie David Wilson. Mike Gurtler led the way for the Raiders, scoring twice, with Frank DeAngelis and Andrew Dennis, into an empty net, rounding out the scoring. Mike Scheu, with two, and Steve Tamaridis replied for Streetsville. Whelan has been pulling double-duty recently, also suiting up for the OHL's Barrie Colts when that club is shorthanded. He has been nicknamed "Little Harv" by some of his Georgetown teammates for his always-jovial demeanor, similar to that of former Raider leading-scorer and fan favourite Kevin Harvey. "Actually, it's funny because Harv has become one of my best buddies since I came over here," said Whelan, acquired a month ago from Aurora for Austin Corredato. "We work together and we've got similar personalities, so I guess that's

why we get along so well." Game four of the series will be at Streetsville's Vic Johnson Community Centre on Friday at 7:30 p.m. If a fifth game is necessary, it will be played in Georgetown Saturday at 7:30 p.m. RAIDER RAP: Former Raider Joey Tenute made his NHL debut last week for the Washington Capitals in a 5-0 loss to the Florida Panthers. The 22-year-old centre from Hamilton played with the Raiders in 1999-2000 and has 13 goals and 22 assists in 40 games with the AHL's Hershey Bears this year...Raider forward Paul Marchese missed the first two games of the Streetsville series due to a suspension incurred in the final regularseason contest against Buffalo last week... Jesse Adams and Adam Campbell were healthy scratches for Georgetown in game one... The Raiders will hold their inaugural Meet the Players fund-raiser this Thursday at Boston Pizza on Guelph St. from 6-9 p.m. Silent and live auctions, along with Joker Poker and door prizes, will also take place. Maple Leaf and Raptor tickets, among dozens of prizes, are up for grabs. Admission is $10 per person