The Canadian Champion, Tuesday, April 20, 2004-21 -04 struggles continue Milton remains winless as home opener beckons By STEVE LeBLANC The Champion It's shaping up to be a rather rocky start for the 2004 Mavericks. Now just tbree days away from regular season-opening play and still winless after Saîurday's Spartan Toumnament, Milton isn't exactly looking like a teamn ready to retum 10 tise playoff picture. "We're not as far along as I would like," admitted bead coachs Trevor Reid, whose charges were 0-6 headitsg mbt last nigbt's trip to Spantan. "We're still missing about seven guys aI college or university. and there's some big isoles rigist now. We're still very mucis in tise building process." Tisai last comment refers specifical '0 seasoned rigist-handers. somethiing tise Mavericks are severely lacking rigisi now. Combine tisai with offensive efforts tisat remnain a litîle on tise stagnant side, and suf- ficient production could be a tougs thing 10 comne by Ibis spring. Il certainly was this past weekend, when Milton scored just 14 goals in four games. and were nearly shut ouI against Six Nations Saturday aflemoon -~ losing 6-I1. "On tise plus side. we did get great goal- tending in that one from Adamo Elias," noted Reid. Tise Mavericks skipper expects Elias and Brampton's Chris Ingrahani wbo affords bis new club more of a fasî-break option tisan bis retuming couniterpant to see the lion's share ot cage work Ibis year. Mati Smith of Mississauga bas also been retaîrted, but will likely be relegated to third-string status. Offensively, Milton is still missing notable retumees like Kyle Hagel and Paul Pedulla. and tise numbhers have rellected tisat. "Kyle Goertzi s bere. buit tbere's not a lot to help him oui rigisi now," remnarked Reid of last year's scoring leader, who's now back froin a brief playoff tenure wiîb Spartan. "One guy we've been quite impressed witb so far is Troy Hazzard. He bad a great figisi Saturday and scored a couple of goals, so it looks like he could be- more than just a tough guy." The Mavericks' closest brush with victo- ry thus far came at John Tonell Sports Centre Friday nigist. when they were upstaged 7-5 by the Orangeville Northmen. Milton held two earlier leads and lied things up in the thîrd before being outdis- tanced down the stretch. Ingrahamn was steady for two-plus periods, while leading witb two goals and an assist was Mark Galick. Fellow homnetown players Derek Blanchard, Rick Gallinger and Adam Rutz rounded out the scoring. On Saturday, Milton went 0-3 - losing 10 Spartan (14-3) and Niagara-on-the-Lake (8-5) as well as Six Nations. Tise Mavericks host Guelphs tonight and then kick off tise regular season against the neighbouring Halton His Bulldogs Frtday. Botis gamnes start at 8:30 p.m. ince set f or another World Cup Ainsley Vince will look 10 shine on a global stage tbis week. Milîon's 27-year-old show jumping ace and long-lime patiner Catch 22 will com- pete in their third World Cup in five years staning tomorrow in Milan, Italy. Tise duo will be lookirtg 10 improve on their 3Otis place effort last spring, when as altemates they had just six days 10 prepare for the international showcase in Las Vegas. lu 2000, they finisbed 32nd. Expectations will nu douht be bigiser this time arouîsd, as Vince and Catch 22 clinched tise World Cup's Canadian League championship by virtue of four top îisree performances last year -including a July 6 triumph in Blainville, Quebec. Once again spending much of tise winter in Florida, tise seasoned partners iselped Canada take top isonours aI last month's Nattons Cup in Wellington Florida. Vince, Ian Miller, Eric Lamnaze and Harold Cisopping combined to upstage half-a- dozen otiser coutries. Tise World Cup cons until Sunday. Twiss Lubricants Ltd. PENCqIL FM I IND N PER TED IN 19 7 32 Steeles Ave., Unit 1 5 Milton, Ontario L9T 5A1 (905) 878-5987 *Fax: (905) 878-6198 âLà-ýsieblanc@haltonsearch.com Mavs'9 pre-season