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/ t www.durhamregion.com THE CANADIAN STATESMAN, DECEMBER 11,2002 PAGE 13 Ef)t Canabtan Statesman Fri., Dec. 13,7:35 p.m. vs Toronto Sun. Dec. 15, 6:35 p.m. vs. Belleville For General Merchandise visit Sports Section beside TD Canada Trust, across from Oshawa Centre 432-7682 I NOW THIS HOCKEY CIVIC AUDITORIUM 99 Thornton Rd. S. Info.: 905-728-5163 Weekend provides Eagles with big test JASON LIEBREGTS/ Statesman photo- Brent Small (15) of the Bowmanville Eagles gets held up by a Syracuse Stars player during a 4-1 win Sunday night. The Eagles will play three games in three nights this weekend. ' Three games in three nights presents ; 'mental challenge' , says coach BY BRAD KELLY : Staff Writer BOWMANVILLE - Coach Curtis Hodgins has learned a whole lot about his hockey club during the past six games, and there is likely more to learn this weekend. Unbeaten in their past six games, and limiting the opposition to just one goal in each of the past three outings, the Bowmanville Eagles have discovered discovered they are one of the better teams in the East Conference, as their fourth place standing would attest. The Provincial Junior A Hockey League team will learn if it belongs in that position this weekend after playing playing three games in as many nights, two of those on the road. "It's more of a mental challenge than anything to go full out for three games in a row," says Hodgins of playing playing three games in three nights. "It tests your depth, and that's one of the things we don't have because of all the injuries, but once we get healthy we have good depth on forward forward and defence." The Eagles added to that depth at the Dec. 1 trade deadline, picking up a couple of forwards. Chad DesRoches, of Summerside, PEI, had 1-5-6 totals and 87 penalty minutes in 21 games this season for the Campbellton Tigers of the Maritime Maritime Junior A Hockey League. Tom Fitzpatrick was signed after being -released -released by the Lindsay Muskies. He had 1-3-4 totals and 98 penally minutes minutes in 25 games. Both players were in the lineup during Sunday's 4-1 home ice win over the Syracuse Stars, but weren't around when the final buzzer went after getting ejected for separate fights late in the third period. "They are going to add some grit and toughness and help our skilled players play a little bigger," says Hodgins Hodgins of the new additions. "They aren't here to fight every game, as a coaching staff we don't coach that way." The win over Syracuse was the second second of the weekend for the Eagles, who also beat Port Hope by the same 4-1 score Saturday night. The wins moved the Eagles into fourth spot, three points ahead of Cobourg and nine back of third place Kingston. The move up the -standings is a direct direct result of posting a 5-0-1 -0 mark in the past six outings, improving to 15- 11-5-1 overall. That record will be tested this weekend with games in Bancroft Friday and Peterborough Saturday, finishing with a home game Sunday at 6:30 p.m. against second place Trenton. "It's going to be a tough weekend to get through," concedes Hodgins, especially especially the Trenton game. The Sting own 7-4 and 7-1 wins over the Eagles already this season. "They have beaten us handily twice this year. They are a class team and are going for (a league championship)," says Hodgins. "They are taking a run it and they think they can beat Wellington and they have shown it. "It will be a good test for us and 1 1 hope the guys give a better showing than last time." . Trenton is on a roll after ending Wellington's winning streak at 24 games to start the season with a 3-3 tie in late November, then handing the Dukes their first loss of the season Saturday Saturday in a 3-1 game. Wellington remains remains first in the East at 28-1-1-0 while the 22-8-2-0 Sting are second. THE SCOOP - Derek McGrath, Erik Petersen, Matt Caruana and Brent Small scored for Bowmanville in Sunday's 4-1 win over Syracuse. Jason Speight, Derek Lynden, McGrath McGrath and Small scored in the 4-1. win in Port Hope against the Predators Saturday...The Eagles were without John Gray, Kyle Branson, Steve Cornelisscn, Josh Goodman, Robert Eberle and Matt Carroll for Sunday's Sunday's game due to injury...Forward Pat Rowan has been released from team. . Generals swing trade for veteran forwards BY BRIAN LEGREE Sports Editor OSHAWA - The Oshawa Generals, a team racked by injuries, suspensions and departures, have added a couple of veteran veteran OHL forwards without giving up any players in exchange. The Generals dealt a second round draft pick in 2003 to the Owen Sound Attack Tuesday in exchange for over- ager Michael Gough and 19-year-old Brett McGrath. Gough, a 6-foot-3, 230-pound rightwinger, rightwinger, has 8-7-15 totals this season. McGrath, a 6-foot-1, 190-pound centre, has 1-4-5 numbers. Both have played 28 games and will be in the lineup for Friday's Friday's home game against St. Michael's. "What we're trying to accomplish is adding depth," says Oshawa coacli and general manager George Burnett, who also likes that both players have considerable considerable playoff experience, McGrath appearing appearing in a Memorial Cup with the Ottawa Ottawa 67's and Gough playing 23 playoff games over two years as a member of the St. Michael's Majors. Despite the trade, each day seems to bring with it more bad news for the Ontario Ontario Hockey League club, which is enduring enduring an ongoing rash of injuries, suspensions suspensions and departures. The most recent spate of troubles includes includes the likelihood that rookie Adam Berti is through for the season. The first round, sixth overall, pick is scheduled to undergo knee surgery Dec. 16 and should it go according to plan, surgeons will re-attach a "piece that's floating around in there," says Burnett. If the surgery is successful, Berti won't return until next training camp. If it isn't successful, other options will have to be considered. 'There's a lot of discomfort and inflammation, inflammation, we're not talking about a little piece, we're talking about a fairly significant portion of the patella or the knee and if it breaks off, it can cause some serious damage - that's tire information information I'm getting," says Burnett. Jordan Bcirnes, who suffered an eye injury Nov. 15, won't be re-evaluated by doctors again until Jan. 9, meaning his earliest return dale isn't likely until February. February. Oshawa's roster will be depleted further further for this weekend's three-games-in- thrce-days witli tire departure of Nathan Horton to the national junior team's selection selection camp in Halifax (Dec. 11-16) and the eight-game suspension of defenceman defenceman Dustin VanBallegooie, who was assessed a match penalty for high sticking with 30 seconds remaining in Sunday's 2-0 loss to the Sarnia Sting at the Civic Auditorium. The OHL announced announced the suspension of VanBalle- JASON LIEI3I1EGTS/ Slatosnian photo There was some close checking along the hoards Sunday niglil as Oshawa Generals captain Jamie Johnson and Evan Kolsoponlos (16) were pinned by a couple ol'Sarnia Sling players. gooie Tuesday. The rearguard isn't eligible eligible to return until Jan. 5 against Belleville. The Generals, losers of three of their last four, face three teams with winning records this weekend, beginning with a home game Friday at 7:30 p.m. against St. Michael's (16-12-3-1), followed by a Saturday game in Barrie (14-9-4-2) before before they return to the Civic Sunday (6:35 p.m.) to face Belleville (17-10-0- 1). In addition to being without Berti, Beimes, VanBallegooie and Horton, the club also endures the ongoing absence of overager Anthony Aquino, who is still waiting for a court to decide if he's eligible eligible to play in the Ontario Hockey League after debuting with the Generals this season following three years at Merrimack Merrimack College in Maine. Burnett says lie is not counting on Aquino returning to the Generals this season. GOING SHOPPING... For a New Car or Track? 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