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THE CANADIAN STATESMAN ♦ JANUARY 5,2005 ♦ PAGE 11 durhamregion.com fi' ■ -, V r'---" 7 .' for Eagles Paul Futhey with care Signs are there, thoùgh, of a potential turnaround Nothing' imminent as trade deadline draws closer for Bowmanville Eagles BY BRAD KELLY Sports Editor BOWMANVILLE -- By the trade deadline Perry Bowles could be singing a different tune. But for now, the Bowmanville Eagles general manager is reciting the words to a popular U2 song as he discusses his team's likelihood of landing an impact player,by Jan. 10 to help during the stretch drive of the regular season and into the playoffs. "We still haven't found what we're looking for," he says of any discussions First on the shopping list for The time to do Perry Bowles so, however, is running out as Monday's deadline draws closer. "Things are really quiet right now, but who knows, in the next few days maybe things will heat up," says Bowles. So far, the Wellington Dukes are the only club to make a significant move in the East Conference, landing Syracuse Stars leading scorer Greg Goodnough. Bowles also expects the first place Port Hope Predators to be active, but admits his club won't make a deal just because others are bulking up. "We know what needs on our team need to be addressed," says Bowles. "If something comes available that will make our team better, we'll make the deal. Wejre not going to have a knee- jerk reaction based on someone else's moves." Bowles also notes that nobody on the current roster has asked to be moved before the deadline, and that the hockey club isn't expecting any additions from the OHL at this point, though they continue continue to monitor the progress of some, players they hold the rights to. As for the current state of the roster, centreman Brad Dormiedy was scheduled scheduled to see a specialist yesterday about his broken hand, with a date likely to be set for his return. The sooner the better for the Eagles, who return to action Thursday in Port Hope after a two-week layoff. Friday the Eagles visit the Lindsay Muskies, followed by a home game against the Cobourg Cougars on Sunday at 6:30 p.m. The Eagles enter the final 14 games of the regular season in fourth spot in the East with a record of 23-9-3-0. When Randy Ladouceur. takes the podium this morning as the next head.. coach of the Oshawa Generals*' he v . assumes the helm of a team that, for lack of a better term, is fragile. ■< Worst penalty killing percentage and goals against average in the league. Two top-six forwards unavailable for more than a month, at home awaiting a trade. Last place in the Eastern Conference. Conference. All that and more were part of a disappointing disappointing first half of the season, one peppered with trades and, ultimately, the dismissal of Bob McGill as head coach last week. In the meantime, general manager Brad Selwood, who stepped behind the bench in the interim,.has attempted to enforce a positive message to thè players: players: "It's just giving that guy a pat on the back once in a while," he said after Sunday's 6-6 tie with the Ottawa 67's that left the Generals unbeaten in three. "That confidence will come out in anybody anybody when you do that." ' V:' ' * ^ \ " He made the comment in reference • to Adam Berti, but it can apply to any number of players. ,Berti, who opened ' the scoring against Ottawa by absolutely absolutely wiring a shot past Danny Battochio, has seen his goal total go from eight to 15 in just four days. There are others, though, who have picked up their play. Andrew Gibbons, for example, ■ is one. Bret Nastiy, is another. Peter Tsimikalis, with seven assists in three games, looks much more comfortable and is now at a point a game pace after 11 games in an Oshawa uniform. . Yes, there are signs that Humpty Dumpty can be put back together. ' Against .the 67's, Oshawa blew a 3-0 lead and wbund up trailing 5-4 at one point. That kind of turn of events is enough on many a night for teams of stronger constitutions to pack it in. Oshawa, a team whose record' alone . suggests little reason to be confident, didn't fold. "The guys started to realize if we stay together as a team and play as a team we I can. turn this thing around here," says captain Brett Trudell. Meanwhile, off the ice, it appears Sel- woo'd might finally have an opportunity to finally: deal the disgruntled Donati twins in return for a forward or two. However, for signs of a turnaround to turn into irrefutable evidence of one, it will take more than just a reasonably solid three-game stretch. Stringing some more, wins together works.. While that's obviously easier said than done, Jhere at least appears to be a feeling, a sense of responsibility on the club, that if a turnaround does happen, it will be because of what they do on the ice;,p'.:-3 ! For»' a team whose confidence has taken a beating in the first half, that's tremendously important. "Only we can change it," says Gibbons. Gibbons. Exactly. ! Paul Futhey's column appears every third Wednesday A.J. Groen/The Canadian Statesman Oshawa Generals general manager Brad Selwood was behind the bench, for Sunday's 6-6 tie against the Ottawa 67's, but won't be at the helm when the hockey club returns to action tomorrow night in Brampton. The Generals have hired Randy Ladouceur to coach the team, replacing Bob McGill, who was fired just after Christmas. The team is holding a press conference today to announce the hiring of Ladouceur. Gens get 'a teacher' Selwood can concentrate on : GM duties, as .. Randy Ladouceur is new Oshawa coach BY PAUL FUTHEY Staff Writer OSHAWA -- General Manager Brad Selwood admits he's enjoying himself behind the Oshawa Generals bench but he knows that duty calls. Randy Ladouceur was to be introduced introduced as the new head coach of the club today, ending Selwood's four- game interim head coaching stint with the club. • . "He's positive with people, good with people, works on systems," said -, Selwood of the new bench boss. "He's . a teacher and that's what we need." ■ Owner John Davies said before Sun- day's-Generals-67's game that Ladouceur. Ladouceur. had accepted the team's contract contract offer and all that remained were some contractual ironings-out between Ladoubeur and his old team, the NHL's Carolina Hurricanes, where he'd been employed as a scout. He'd served as an assistant coach with the franchise from 1996 to 2004. Ladouceur's deal with Oshawa is for this season and the next three, Davies said; In the four games under Selwood, the Generals went 2-1-1 and produced their first three-game unbeaten streak this season. Selwood had assumed the interim coach tag early last week when he dismissed Bob McGill from further duties just 32 games into the season. "I enjoyed it, mind you, and it's fun but there's so much else to do that we decided to search elsewhere," said Selwood when asked if he had considered considered assuming the dual role on a more permanent basis. Among the items awaiting Selwood's attention from his general manager's chair are wheeling twins Tyler and Justin Donati. When the twinsTeft the team at the end of November, they had originally requested to be dealt together and to only one of three teams -- Guelph, Kitchener or Mississauga. It appears they have relented on the latter demand, and have now only requested they simply not be dealt to Sault Ste. Marie. "I got an interesting phone call from their agent -- expanding their horizons," Selwood revealed Sunday. "That's very encouraging for us. Hopefully Hopefully by next week we'll have something something done." In appears, the asking price is "two quality forwards or one forward with a high draft pick." Meanwhile, with other teams seeing Oshawa's record and maybe looking to pluck some of Oshawa's veteran players for a playoff run, Selwood says teams looking for a fire sale will be in for a surprise. "Tell them to lose my number," Sell- wood said. "There's-lots of battle in. there. There's no quit in there. We're thinking playoffs." Oshawa prospered with Selwood behind bench BY PAUL FUTHEY Staff Writer OSHAWA -- The dense fog that has accompanied the Oshawa Generals for most of the' first half of the season just might be lifting. Riding a season-high -- albèit modést -- three-game undefeated streak after Sunday's 6-6 tie with the Ottawa 67's, the Generals certainly appear to be a team with a sunnier outlook than the one that headed into the Christmas break in last place in the Eastern Conference. "We're looking at the second part of the season as . a new year for us," said forward Andrew Gibbons, who picked up an assist against Ottawa and is one of five players with points in each of his last three games. Adam Berti and Brett Trudell, two of the other players, each fired hat tricks for Oshawa. . Indeed, considering last Thursday's 6-2 win over Belleville, a 5-3 victory victory in Kingston in a New Year's day matinee and Sunday's tie, the Generals have made a good start in the post-Bob McGill era in digging themselves out of the cellar. The Generals are 2-1-1 since' Brad Selwood made the deci- See Three-game page 12 Ontario's new free vaccines will protect kids The government of Ontario is helping kids stay safe from chicken pox, meningococcal meningitis and pneumococcal disease. Here's how it works: 11. Vaccine for pneumococcal disease is now available free for children born on or after January 1, 2004. i. Vaccines for chicken pox and meningococcal meningitis are now available free for one-year-old children bom on 1 or after September 1, 2003. I • Five-year-olds and high-risk people of any age who haven't had chicken pox can also get the free vaccine. • 'Twelve-year-olds, 15- to 19-year-olds and high-risk people of any age can get the free meningococcal i meningitis vaccjne. Ilfor more information, talk to your doctor or local public health unit. Call 1-877-234-4343. TTY 1-800-387-5559. Or visit HeàlthyOntario.com. 1 F"! . . .. i :n ■' u' [ { ©Ontario > P