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38 Sports Oakville Beaver $ 50 OFF * on any ser vice SPORTS EDITOR: JON KUIPERIJ Phone 905-845-3824 (ext. 255) Fax 905-337-5567 email sports@oakvillebeaver.com · FRIDAY, JANUARY 30, 2009 Going downhill fast Clash with Raiders chance for Blades to prove themselves They are one of the haves in appear to have top spot locked a division filled with haveup. nots. The Blades aren't conceding But when they've faced the anything, but realize that a other top squads in the win against Georgetown would Ontario Junior Hockey impact more than the standLeague's MacKinnon Division ings. this season, the Oakville "I know they've got the 3-0 Blades just haven't had it. on us, but if we can pull one Yes, the Blades sit second in off late in the season, that will their division with a boost our confirecord of 36-8. Yes, dence going into the they've won eight of playoffs," Oakville their past nine, defenceman Sean averaging more Ryan said. "If we than seven goals per can come out with a game during that big win, it will give stretch. And yes, confidence to the against the bottom guys to know we're seven teams in their the team to go far, division, the Blades hopefully get to the are 25-1. (Central Canadian But it won't championships) and mean a hill of beans if the move on to the RBC (national defending league champion championships), which is our Blades can't find a way to ideal goal." knock off the MacKinnon's Ryan, who joined Oakville a other top clubs, the divisioncouple weeks ago after being leading Georgetown Raiders released by the OHL's Ottawa and third-place Burlington 67's, wasn't with the Blades for Cougars. any of their previous meetings Despite being ahead of with Georgetown this season. Burlington in the standings, Neither were a few of the Oakville has struggled against Blades' other recent acquisiits neighbours to the west. The tions, like forwards Chris Cougars have Muise and Tyler "I know they've got the taken three of Leimbrock as the five meetings 3-0 on us, but if we can well as defencebetween the man Jordan pull one off late in the teams this seaSmith. season, that will boost son, including Muise and our confidence going the past two. Leimbrock have into the playoffs." The Blades' both averaged results against well over a Oakville Blades' Sean Ryan Georgetown are point per game worse. Oakville this season, has lost all three contests with while Smith -- who won a the Raiders thus far, being national championship two outscored by a 20-7 tune in years ago with the Aurora the process. Tigers -- has picked up six That makes tonight's points in his nine games with (Friday's) clash with Oakville. Georgetown an important one Certainly, the Blades are for the Blades. better than they were for their Initially, it appeared that last clash with the Raiders. tonight's game (a 7:30 start at And that's reason for optiJoshua's Creek Arenas) might mism. determine who finished first in "A lot of that (disparity in the division and earned homethe season series) is from one ice advantage in the playoffs. game," said Oakville forward Now, with Georgetown three Ryan Murphy, referring to a points ahead of the Blades, 10-2 beatdown Georgetown owning a game in hand and laid on the Blades Nov. 15. enjoying a soft schedule the "It'd be good to beat them, rest of the way, the Raiders though." GRAHAM PAINE / OAKVILLE BEAVER Oakville's Darcy Smith, 15, crashes gates as she races down the course last weekend at Glen Eden Ski Area. Smith finished first in her division as the Milton Heights Racing Club junior white team hosted a slalom ski race against the Craigleth Ski Club. Spencer Lee and Gregory Cummings finished fourth and sixth, respectively, in boys' competition. Milton Heights' junior red and Rockies teams were also in action on the weekend, with Oakville's Eleanor Merry placing second at a junior red slalom event in Collingwood and Andrew Wilkinson claiming first at a Rockies giant slalom competition in Mansfield. House league teams to paint the rink pink Two Oakville house league hockey teams will help paint Mississauga's Hershey Centre a different colour next month. The Minor Oaks Hockey Association peewee red Eagles and Wolfpack are taking part in the St. Michael's Majors annual Paint the Rink Pink Night Feb. 13 in support of breast cancer research. The house league teams will play on pink-coloured ice while the Eagles and officials will sport pink on their uniforms. Even the Majors will wear pink uniforms for their Ontario Hockey League game against the Barrie Colts later that night. Eagles coach Nelson Pavao is organizing MOHA's participation in the event. The coach attended last year's Paint the Rink Pink event and approached the Majors this year to see if he could get his team involved. Helping raise money for charitable causes is nothing new to Pavao and his teams. The coach gets his players involved in a Christmas toy drive each year, and the Eagles raised money for cancer research by wearing pink laces during the recent Frank Sabatino Memorial Tournament in Oakville. The Eagles, sponsored by St. Hilda's Church, are hoping to sell 500 tickets to Paint the Rink Pink. The Eagles and Wolfpack will play at 4:30 p.m., followed by the Majors/Colts contest at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $12, with two dollars from each ticket going towards breast cancer research. Pavao hopes to have all ticket orders in by Feb. 4. Morgan Rawson, owner of The Canadian Rugby Shop, donated the pink uniforms that the Eagles will wear for the event.