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24 Sports Oakville Beaver www.aplushomes.ca Adam Campbell 905-844-4444 I N D E P E N D E N T LY O W N E D A N D O P E R AT E D Broker of Record B R O K E R A G E SPORTS EDITOR: JON KUIPERIJ Phone 905-845-3824 (ext. 432) Fax 905-337-5571 email sports@oakvillebeaver.com · WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2009 Expectations high as Ice opens season with rout By Jon Kuiperij H better than the previous few seasons, when the team finished middle of the pack and didn't ayleigh Cudmore's eyes lit advance very far in the playoffs. up as she discussed the One main reason for that optiprospects of the Oakville mism is the addition of defenceIce this season. man Lauren Kelly, who played for "I'm really excited about this Team Ontario Blue at the underteam," said the Oakville captain, 18 nationals last year. beginning her fourth year with "Adding another defenceman the Provincial Women's Hockey who is that good and moves the League club. "Our defence is puck that well, I think that could solid, we've got a couple forwards put our team over the edge," who can put the puck in the net, Cudmore said. "She's that good and our goaltending is great. It as a player." looks good." Rothon, who came back down The Ice certainly looked good to intermediate after playing in in its season opener Saturday at the Canadian Women's Hockey Joshua's Creek Arenas. Twelve of League last season with the the team's 14 skaters contributed Vaughan Flames, should help the at least one point each as Ice up front. The Newmarket resOakville laid an 8-1 ident scored twice beatdown on the "I'm really excited against the Hawks. Hamilton Hawks, about this team... "We're a young avenging a first- It looks good." team. She's 20, has round loss to been around the Hamilton in last Oakville Ice captain league and is comyear's playoffs. posed," said Hayleigh Cudmore "That was huge," Cudmore. the 17-year-old Cudmore said. Boyd also likes what she's seen "(The playoff loss) weighs on you from forwards Julie Hall, Brianna all summer. To get a good win Veerman and DeBruin. Hall and against Hamilton means a lot to Veerman had third-period goals the team, particularly the return- Saturday, while Megan O'Neill ing players." rounded out the scoring. Cudmore was the catalyst "The bottom line is, all the Saturday, breaking a 1-1 tie in rookies on this team are really the second period with a short- going to contribute," said the handed highlight-reel goal. The coach. defenceman intercepted a pass at NOTES: The Ice came back the Hamilton blue line and blew down to earth a bit Sunday, droppast one defender, toe-dragged ping a 6-1 decision to the the puck around another and Mississauga Chiefs in Erin Mills. out-waited Hawks goalie Veerman opened the scoring for Samantha Harman before sliding Oakville, but the Chiefs respondthe puck into the empty net. ed with six consecutive markRookie forward Caroline ers... Ali Binnington earned the DeBruin added another goal for victory in goal for Oakville Oakville 31 seconds later, Saturday, stopping 28 shots. Melanie Rothon and Jaclyn Michelle Scanlan took the loss Conacher tallied before the end Sunday, making 28 saves... The of the frame, and the rout was Ice will be busy this weekend on. with three games in three days. "It was very good," said Ice Oakville will host the Stoney head coach Stephanie Boyd, vic- Creek Sabres Friday (7:30 p.m.) torious in her first game behind and Mississauga Saturday (4:30 the Oakville bench. "We have a p.m.), then will visit Hamilton lot more to do and a lot better we Sunday... This is the first season need to become, but it was good." the Ice is playing its home games Boyd and Cudmore both feel at Joshua's Creek Arenas. The there is reason to believe this team's previous home was at year's edition of the Ice will be Canlan Ice Sports. BEAVER SPORTS EDITOR PHOTOS BY NIKKI WESLEY / OAKVILLE BEAVER ICEBREAKER: The Oakville Ice opened the Provincial Women's Hockey League season Saturday by pounding the Hamilton IceHawks 8-1 at Joshua's Creek Arenas. Above, the Ice's Caroline DeBruin (left, in white) beats Hamilton Hawks goalie Samantha Harman to give Oakville a 3-1 lead in the second period. Pictured below, Lauren Kelly (6) and Hayleigh Cudmore give Oakville one of the best defence tandems in the league, according to Ice head coach Stephanie Boyd.