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30 Sports Oakville Beaver SPORTS EDITOR: JON KUIPERIJ Phone 905-845-3824 (ext. 255) Fax 905-337-5567 email sports@oakvillebeaver.com · SATURDAY, JANUARY 13, 2007 Got a flat? Donati twins flourishing in final OHL campaigns High-scoring forwards coping with change By Herb Garbutt (79) while matching last season's goal total. That production is a big reason why the Bulls are atop the OHL's East A lot has changed for Tyler and Division with a record of 23-15-3. Justin Donati in the past year, but not Tyler has also been a thorn in the their ability to terrorize opposing side of his former team. In his first goalies. game back at St. Mike's Arena, his While both remain prolific scorers third-period natural hat trick rallied in the Ontario Hockey League, the 20- Belleville for a 4-2 victory. That also year-old twin brothers are now suiting happened to be the first time the up for different teams. Tyler was traded brothers had ever taken the ice as to the Belleville Bulls in the summer members of the opposing teams. while Justin remained with the St. "It was weird. We had always lined Michael's Majors -- the team with up on the same side," Tyler said. "We which he enjoyed a breakthrough sea- both just wanted to have a good game son last year -- until Tuesday, when he and if he had ended up winning, I was dealt to the Sudbury would have been happy for "Once he got the Wolves at the trade deadhim." second goal, I line. "I didn't know what to The change of scenery thought, `Yeah, I do," Justin added. "Do I hit couldn't have worked out should be hitting him? Do I let him go? better for Tyler. Though he him.'" Once he got the second put up career-best numgoal, I thought, `Yeah, I bers (36 goals, 72 points) Justin Donati on should be hitting him.'" with the Majors last sea- facing brother Tyler Tyler added three more son, he was dissatisfied as an opponent for points in Belleville's 8-3 with his third-line role the first time win over the Majors on that saw him receive little New Year's Day while power-play time. Justin had a goal. "I knew I was capable of putting up Tyler had been the higher scoring of better numbers," he said. the two brothers through the first two With the Majors about to embark on years of their OHL tenures, but last a rebuilding phase, they traded Tyler to season it was Justin's turn. He finished the Belleville Bulls before the season sixth in the OHL scoring race, setting began. Majors' team single-season records for "It was a mutual thing. They want- goals (46), assists (63), points (109), ed to keep (overage) spots open for game winning goals (11) and power Justin and (Scott) Lehman, but I didn't play goals (25). want to wait around wondering where "They put me in every situation to I would play so they offered to put me be successful," Justin said. "Tyler's siton the block," he said. "They ended up uation was a little different. He couldsending me to a good situation." n't produce as much as he wanted to." With the Bulls, he was reunited Justin's outstanding season earned with coach George Burnett, who draft- him a trip to the OHL all-star game, ed and coached the Donatis during his where he scored twice and set up rookie season with the Oshawa another goal in a 9-3 East Conference Generals. Tyler led the Generals in victory. scoring that season so Burnett was well This season, playing on a much aware of what he was capable of, but younger Majors squad, the points did even he has to be pleasantly surprised not come as easy for Justin. Still, at the how things have unfolded. time of the trade to Sudbury, he was Forty-one games into the season, among the top 20 scorers in the league Tyler leads the OHL in scoring, having and was on pace for a second-consecu See Playing page 32 already set a new career-best for points OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF BARRIE ERSKINE / OAKVILLE BEAVER BOUNCE BACK: It appears Loyola's Ryan Muldoon (left) and Abbey Park's Pete De Vooght might be waiting in vain for the basketball to bounce off the floor during the teams' high school senior boys' basketball contest Thursday at Abbey Park. The ball, of course, did bounce back in the air and the game continued, with Abbey Park claiming a 72-65 victory over the Hawks. The high school basketball season will be put on hold for the next couple weeks due to the exam break.