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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Friday, October 24, 2014 | 34 Jon Kuiperij Sports Editor sports@oakvillebeaver.com Sports "Connected to your Community" Draw is Blades' first in eight years Daniel Mannella made 40 saves as the Oakville Blades earned a 2-2 tie Wednesday in Georgetown against the Ontario Junior Hockey League-leading Raiders. Sports Briefs Ryan Burns and Sean Kohler scored Oakville's goals in the contest, which remained deadlocked after a pair of overtime periods. The OJHL eliminated shootouts from regular-season games this year, opting instead for a five-minute OT period of three-on-three play if games remain tied after a five-minute frame of four-on-four. Wednesday marked the Blades' first draw since Sept. 15, 2006, when Oakville tied the Hamilton Red Wings 2-2 in their season opener. The Blades (8-7-1-1) will be home to the Buffalo Jr. Sabres tonight (Friday, 7:30 p.m.) at Sixteen Mile Sports Complex. Oakville will then visit Georgetown once again tomorrow (Saturday). Burloak paddlers receive carded status Six Burloak Canoe Club paddlers were recently named national-team carded athletes while three others were selected to Canadian development programs. Kayakers Adam van Koeverden, Brady Reardon and Rob Clarke joined canoeists Mark Oldershaw, Paul Bryant and Aaron Rublee as Burloak's national team members who will receive carding support through Sport Canada's Athlete Assistance Program. Selections were based on results from the 2014 competitive season. Kakayer Alanna Bray-Lougheed was named to CanoeKayak Canada's senior development team, and canoeists Sam Pennyfather and Jillian Perrone were chosen for the junior development team. Development team athletes have been identified for development opportunities such as training camps. Two Oakville speed skaters win gold at regional meet Adam DeVellis and Daniel Giannotti both won gold medals representing the Oakville Speed Skating Club at the first Western regional competition of the season last weekend in Kitchener-Waterloo. Oakville's Damian Becker, Spencer Skeete, Kai Abdool, Alex Giannotti, David Hinton and Samuel Mathew each added bronze. Other members of the 33-skater local contingent at the meet to crack the top six in an event were Manon Garde, Colin Skov, Andrew Liou, Sydney Little, Alexis Halushak and Marcelo Giansante. Mathew eclipsed the 50-second milestone in the 500-metre race for the first time, crossing the finish line in 49.64 seconds. Lee Deluca, Cyprien Petiteville and Ison Li made their competitive debuts at the meet. Oakville native Patrick Duffy rounds a corner during the recent Canadian short-track speed skating team trials. The 23-year-old was named to the national team earlier this month and is slated to compete in all four races on the World Cup schedule this season. | Photo by Dave Holland -- Speed Skating Canada Local skater named to national team Salt Lake won't be Duffy's first World Cup, but with experience he gained since making his debut as an injury replacement in 2012, it can't help but feel like a fresh start. He got his first taste of international competition at the 2011 world junior As a youngster, Patrick Duffy never dreamed of being in this po- championships in Italy, where he turned in top-15 finishes in sition. Not that he ever doubted his ability, he just didn't know the 1,000-metre and 1,500m and was a member of Canada's bronze-medal winning 3,000m relay team. But Duffy said he this level existed. let the event overwhelm him. Duffy didn't become enamoured with speed "I remember how stressed I was," Duffy said. skating by watching the Olympics and picturing "Looking back, it was stupid how stressed I was. himself representing his country. He found the I didn't enjoy it as much as I should have." sport by accident after going to watch his brother The following year, he got into a late-season play hockey but instead ending up watching the World Cup in the Netherlands. He finished 15th speed skaters on the neighbouring rink. and 22nd in his individual events and skated the So when he was named to the Canadian shortheats for the silver-medallist relay team. track speed skating team earlier this month, However, it wasn't until the World Universiade it wasn't exactly the realization of a childhood in January that Duffy finally began to believe he dream. belonged on the world stage. Though the field "If I were to go back in time and ask that litwasn't as deep as a World Cup, it still featured tle kid, he'd say, `I just do it for fun,'" Duffy said. some accomplished international skaters. Duffy "Coming through Oakville and Ontario, you returned home with two silver medals and newdon't get to see the Canadian team in action. My found confidence. first five years (in speed skating), I had no idea Patrick Duffy The 23-year-old is now beginning to realize what a World Cup was, or who was on the naNational team speed skater the potential that those at his home club always tional team." saw in him. Now, he not only knows their names, he's their "By the time he was 15, he was head and shoulders, the best teammate. Duffy will compete in all four World Cup races, beginning in Salt Lake City Nov. 7-9 and followed by Montreal skater in Ontario," said Oakville Speed Skating Club president Nov. 14-16. He is one of four men's skaters that will race the Mark O'Donnell. "By the time Patrick finished in Ontario, he entire schedule, rounded out by events in China and South Ko- was unbeatable." see Duffy's on p.35 rea in December. by Herb Garbutt Oakville Beaver Staff My first five years (in speed skating), I had no idea what a World Cup was.