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Playoff preview Outmanned Gems make a go of it By MIKF TURNER Herald Sports Editor Anyone who came late to the Georgetown Junior B hockey game Saturday at the Arena may have had a hard time sorting out who the winning team was The final score showed the visiting Blades on top by a margin but the Gemini locker room dldn in any way resemble a hangout for spirit said Gemini assistant coach Jim who was at the helm Saturday night They showed some good stuff We proved we re In better shape physically than they the Blades are Georgetown coach Peter Sturgeon wasnt behind the bench for the game Saturday Instead he took a perch high In he stands bo he could better analyze the Oakville team who will probably be the Gems first playoff opponent Things have looked much worse lor the Gems Already riddled with assorted injuries matters became critical at the end of the first period when a mild skirmish broke out In the Georgetown end of the rink The dldn amount to much more than a of shoving but when the teams failed to return to neutral A total of four players and three from the Gems were sent to early showers further depleting the Georgetown ranks When they came out in the second the Gems had only three extra skaters on the bench while the Blades with a full squad barely noticed the loss of four of their players no complaints about Ice time chuckled Storr following the game We found out what they ra made of Everybody gave a hundred per cent Georgetown plight was helped somewhat when defenceman Mark Pries donned the equipment and took to ice despite an injured elbow Chuck Loreto was deservedly named tbe Player of the Game for the Gems after putting on a tremen performance that netted him two goals and an assist Shannon Storr opened the scoring in the game to give the Gems a lead before Tony Cole Serf and Simon Thompson struck for markers to put the Blades ahead Greg scored at to narrow the margin to 32 before he Terry Dixon and Brent were ejected for their part In the scuffle at the end of the period The went up on goals by Steve Richard and Darren Hunter early in the second but the Gems fought back as scored his first of the night at Taking the puck from deep In his own end rushed the length of the Ice sidestepped the last Oakville defender and slid the puck past Blade goalie Sean Gauthier to make it John Duff and Hunter scored for to make It 3 but Travis Cole replied for the Gems with a marker to make It at the end of the second The teams exchanged a pair of Suds each In the third period and Chris McEachem tallied for the Blades scored his second of the night for the Gems when he jammed in a rebound at 1 and Kevin Dance went top shelf with a shot in the final few minutes to round out the scoring game Saturday marked the first start by goal lender Charlie Pot vln In a Georgetown uniform after he was released by the Richmond Hill Dynes several weeks ago Pot vin made a number of excellent saves particularly In second when applied some heavy pressure He faced shots In the game while Gauthier faced Georgetown shots Friday the Gems were In Burl where they dropped a decision to the Cougars But the loss was more costly than simply In the standings Team captain Jim Mc- Cabe broke his wrist in the contest and has been sidelined for what will likely be the remainder of the each had a goal and two assists Bill Kovacs led the Cougars with three goals while Paul Constant In added a pair Last Tuesday In Streetsvlile the Gems were downed by the bys Presswood had a pair of goals for Georgetown while Joe had the other The Gemini round out the regular schedule this week Thursday they travel to Barrie for a contest with the East Division leading Colts who have only been beaten once this Friday Georgetown hosts the Monarchs at the Arena foranBpm game For Years We Have Delivered HEAD TURNER The officials In Saturday night Jr and three Gemini were ejected as a retail of fracas B hockey game between the Georgetown Gemini and the Here a linesman tries to untangle Travis Cole in white Blades hid their bands full when massive of the Gemini and Chris McEactiern or the Blades shoving match broke out between the teams after the first had ended total of four Oakville players Novices sweep series ByRONKERSLAKE Herald Special The Major Novice AA Construction Georgetown Firefighters won the first round of their zone playoffs against SLeetsviUe in two straight games Both were close exciting games with final scores or 10 and The Fighters started fast in both games as the Taylor Goodhew line led the offence with none of the team members letting down defensively The goal tending of Geoff Beauperlant and Andrew Craig In their respective games were major factors in tbe wins well may have been un prepared for Pete taking the puck into their end right from the faceoff but they were more surpris ed when Ryan Taylor took a pass and put shot over the keepers shoulder From there on It was offensive pressure that helped provide the defence and the boys carried that same effort into the second game in Georgetown The first quick goal was scored by Chris from Pete and Ryan The same threesome clicked again on a pretty threeway passing play that Ryan finished off Ryan took advantage of the open net at the end of the game with an In surance marker that would have been welcome relief earlier in the contest Needless to say there were lots of anxious moments or coaches Dave Bell and Mark although they may be relaxed by the facts that the boys have started to play more consistently and ag Registrations down GMHA takes on Bingo to raise needed funds Gems sharpen up for duel with Blades Unless something very drastic happens In this the final week of the Centra Jr B Hockey League schedule tbe Georgetown Gemini will face the Oakville Blades in their opening round of the playoffs The Blades will finish third In the Central loops West Division With two games remaining the Blades had a record of wins is losses and four ties putting them in third points The Gems will finish sixth in the seven- learn West Division amass ing a 10293 record with two games remaining Other West Division match ups will have the taking on the Mimlco Monarchs and the Et obi coke Capitals facing the Milton Merchants In the East Division tentative are Vaughan against Markham Aurora against Newmarket Richmond Hill against but these could change depending on the outcome of the final few scheduled games The leagues two kingpins the Burlington Cougars fromlhe West and the Barrie Colts from the East will entertain themselves with a beatofrive Super Series which will have no bearing on their league standing Following the best of seven preliminary playoff series Burl Ington and will have the choice of the team they will play next picking from their respective divisions Once the division champions have been decided they 11 square off for the league crown In five regular season meetings between Georgetown and the Gems lost four outings and managed one tie The Blades the Gemini in the fave match ups Playoff games for the GeorgetownOak He series have been slated tentatively for the following dates Tuesday Feb at Thursday Feb 11 at Georgetown Friday Feb at Saturday Feb at Georgetown Tuesday Feb IS at Oakville Thursday Feb IB at Georgetown and Friday Feb 19 at Oakville a home games will begin at and Georgetown are slated for p However this could change depending on availability time bhockevleaoce STANDINGS Jib I Wtilpfrbbn GEORGETOWN i Declining registrations have forced the Georgetown Minor Hockey Association to pursue alternate fund raising avenues In order to keep the status quo The association will hold a series of three at the Riviera Club In beginning with the first this Sunday There is also a plan to unveil a pay what youscratch ticket selling campaign at the end of February GMHA President Carson Mi Inch says a shortfall In the number of registered players com pared to prior seasons has forced them to take on the fund raising ventures The basic idea of the fun dralscrs besides balancing the budget for this year he soys is to maintain reasonable fees for next year Registrations for the current hockey season have slipped to about players compared to about for the season The downward trend in is one being felt by hockey associations throughout the pro vince says the assocla Hon had about players Just five years ago One of the main contributing fac tors in the drop is the fact that the number of children in the family unit has dropped considerably in recent years But while registrations dwindle costs tend to remain fairly cons hockey associations have to make up the shortfall Is to increase registration fees or hold fund rais ing events like the local tion Is doing tain registration fees A lot depends on the response we get to our fund raisers and March all beginning at at Riviera Club A total of will be up for grabs at each of the In cluding a Skaters complete tests Several Georgetown figure skaters took part in recent High Test Days and passed their respective levels At the Streetsvlile Figure Skating Club High Teat Day on Dec I Kelly Cotton passed her Starlight Waltz and Heather Gar risen passed her Rocker Fox trot On Jon a High Test Day was held by the Georgetown Figure Skating Club and Johnathan Allen passed his American Waltz and Kara Lynn Palmer passed her Paso Doble Relay team claims A Georgetown District High School Junior girl relay team medals Friday at an Indoor track and school games were held In conjunction Trite the TorontoSav held night at the Garden i Too team won their relay event In which each runner After winning their heat the Georgetown time of aft over alt Heathen of team are Anna Tonne Korack Lisa Carter east Thompson A Georgetown team also claimed the Boas Members of team are Yam and Dave Paid Individually Seas Cleary claimed a bronze medal In the Same A total of competitors from the Ge tow high watt Toronto to compete at the event Schools are elected to compete la the competition baaed en that Times must be submitted giving a of to tvaam and a selection committee makes the flu on If Sabres square off against The Acton Sabres were awarded second place In the C Hockey League and were ed to begin a bestof seven quarter final playoff series against the Flyers lost night Tuesday in Caledon After losing their final two games of the regular schedule lost week 100 to Bradford and to the Sabres finished with a record of wins 14 losses and one draw in the game schedule givingthemtJpoints The Bradford Bulls finished two points back of the Sabres with two gomes left The Bulls had a game with the All Is ton Hornets called when here was a problem with the Ice and the initial ruling was It would have to be replayed Another game with the Hornets was to be rescheduled after a Hon in December But In the interests of getting the playoffs under way It was decided the remaining two games would be snuffed The Crushers easily finished first in the seven team loop with points After Bradford came Schomberg with 38 points followed by with and with The Grand Valley Harvesters missed the playoffs finishing dead last with five points Aside from the Acton Caledon series other matchups hate the Crushers taking on the Hornets and the Bulls facing Schomberg The winners in each of these series will advance to play a homearid home round robin set with the two top teams going on to the league championship During the regular season won four of their six meetings with the Sabres But the two victories Acton claimed against the Flyers were In their final meetings of the regular schedule and were by convincing scores of and The Sabres- Flyers series con tinues this Friday In Acton with Game Two at p Game Three is slated for Tuesday Feb In Caledon at IS m and Game our is Friday Feb 12 In Acton at The remaining games in the scries If necessary go Saturday Feb in Acton pm Tuesday Feb 18 In at 8 15 pra and Wednesday Feb 17 in Acton at Fisher falls just short The scoring race In the Mid Ontario C Hockey League was a tight one but it appears Jamie Lilt of the Crushers has edged Tom Fisher or the Acton Sabres by one point In 33 games Lilt had goals and 59 assists for points cording to league statistics Fisher In gomes had goals and assists However In the Crushers win over the Sabres Friday night reportedly came up with live points on the night to give him a total of Fisher reportedly had two points against the Crushers giving A recount will be for both players to ensure no error has been made In the final tallies Tun IS Alton I pm Cakota f it Acton If SPORTS Chateau sweeps clean B2 Sports briefs B2 Royals lose three B3 M and rolling on B3 SPORTS I Titans clash B3 come close B4 Scoreboard Top Flight action B4 ENTERTAINMENT True murder mystery B5 Good Morning Vietnam First Class rocks B5 BangORama returns B5