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26 - The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday January 21, 2009 www.oakvillebeaver.com Blades coach unhappy after uninspired weekend efforts By Herb Garbutt OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Toronto Maple Leafs coach Ron Wilson was in town Sunday, but if you closed your eyes and listened to Carlo Coccimiglio Saturday, you might have thought Wilson had arrived a day early. After watching his Oakville Blades -- the highest-scoring team in the Ontario Junior Hockey League's MacKinnon Division -- score just once in a five-period span on the weekend, Coccimiglio didn't hold back in discussing the root of the problem following a 3-1 loss to the Burlington Cougars. "The forwards didn't want to compete tonight," the Blades' bench boss said, taking a page from Wilson, who has made a habit of ripping his team since arriving in Toronto. "It started (Friday). They were awful and it carried over into tonight. Burlington's second goal, it was a turnover, just the result of a forward being lazy." New players no excuse Coccimiglio said the team is still trying to incorporate four new players into the lineup, but he made it clear that is no reason for a lack of work ethic. The weekend started promising enough for the Blades. They scored three times in the first period against Bramalea, but the scoring dried up from there. Playing a team they torched for 17 goals just two weeks ago, the Blades failed to add to their lead over the final two periods. Instead, the Blues got one back in the second and, had it not been for Matt Hache stopping a penalty shot early in the third, the Blues would have tied the game when they scored in the final minute of the third. How different were the two outings? Oakville managed just 33 shots in Friday's game. Last time out against the Blues, they were credited with 40 -- in the first period. Against Burlington, a team that is now suddenly on their heels in the race for second place in the division, the Blades had a chance to snap out of their funk. Jeremy Welsh's shorthanded marker midway through the second pulled Oakville within one at 2-1 and provided a brief spark. The Blades failed to maintain the momentum, though, giving Burlington three power plays in the latter half of the period. Coccimiglio was at least able to find a silver lining in the play of the Blades' back end, which held Oakville in the game. HERB GARBUTT / OAKVILLE BEAVER ILLUSION: Though it appears Oakville Blades netminder Matt Hache was beaten on this shot by Burlington Cougars' Scott Godfrey-Wilson, he actually deflected the puck over the goal on the play. Hache was one of the few Blades to earn praise for their weekend performance from Oakville head coach Carlo Coccimiglio, who was particularly frustrated with his forwards. "The strong point was the D and Matt Hache," he said. "Without them, we're not even in the game." As if the weekend wasn't bad enough, the Blades also learned that Burlington successfully protested a December game in which Oakville used a player from its Jr. B team affiliate whose rights still belonged to Burlington. The reversal of that game's outcome moves Burlington within a point of the Blades, though Oakville still has three games in hand. Perhaps more damaging is the fact it drops Oakville five points back of first-place Georgetown with just eight games remaining. "We know it's going to be difficult to catch them," Coccimiglio said. "We just want to finish off on a good note. Those eight games will go a long way in telling us who wants to play." Providing Quality Baseball in Our Community for over 45 Years Boxer at amateur nationals Oakville's McKenzie Wright will begin competition today (Wednesday) at the Canadian Senior Male & Female Amateur Boxing Championships in Trois-Rivieres, Que. The 18-year-old Wright, who won the provincial title at the lightest weight division, 46 kg, started boxing only a year ago after earlier taking up kick-boxing. "There was self-defence week in gym class (at White Oaks Secondary School) a few years ago and I was really good at it," she said. "So I took up kick-boxing. Now, I think there's more opportunity in boxing." Despite her inexperience, Wright has progressed well, according to Burlington's Bay Area Athletic Club owner and trainer Muzammal Nawaz. "She just picks up things very, very quickly," he said. "There's no unlearning I have to do. The biggest challenge for her, which will help her, is she is sparring with (teammates Jackie Lachapple and Jacqui Park). They test her. She'll never fight more competitive athletes at nationals than who she spars with at the gym." Lachapple, 20, and Park, 30, are also competing at the nationals. -- Kevin Nagel, Metroland West Media Group 2009 Player Registration House League, Select and Rep Programs for all Boys & Girls Born 1986 ­ 2004 Visit our website at www.oakvilleminorbaseball.com to register online with Register-4-Sports or download our registration form and mail with payment to 1236 Speers Road, Unit #4, Oakville, Ontario L6L 1X4 For more information please call 905-847-5545 or email us at omba@oakvilleminorbaseball.com The Oakville Minor Baseball Association is affiliated with McKenzie Wright Oakville Little League - 2009 Youth Baseball Registration Division Age Space is limited in some divisions. Register early to avoid disappointment. Blastball 4-5 T-Ball 5-6 Coach Pitch 6 - 7 Rookeball 8 Minor A 9 Minor AA 10 Minor AAA 11 Major 12 Junior 13 - 14 Senior 15 - 18 WHERE: OAKVILLE LITTLE LEAGUE FIELDHOUSE, 425 Cornwall Road WHEN: SATURDAY, JANUARY 24TH, 2009 from 9:00AM to 4:00PM Oakville Little League offers: 6 6 6 6 The largest youth baseball organization in Oakville. The highest caliber, fun and fair-play house leagues. Grass infields, pitching mounds, outfield fences & dugouts for ages 9 & up. The only All-Star program to compete in Senior, Junior & Little League World Series playdowns. 6 Fees include: Major League replica uniform, individual & team photos. For more information call 905-827-1831 or register online at www.ollb.org