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Sports Oakville Beaver SPORTS EDITOR: JON KUIPERIJ Phone 905-845-3824 (ext. 255) Fax 905-337-5567 email sports@oakvillebeaver.com · FRIDAY, APRIL 11, 2008 49 Blades strike early, hold on late to retake series lead Waxers goalie Rank yanked for second time in three games By Jon Kuiperij BEAVER SPORTS EDITOR Comeback specialists most of the playoffs, the Oakville Blades used a different approach Wednesday to take a 2-1 lead in the Provincial Junior A Hockey League championship series. Oakville built an early 4-0 lead and then held on for dear life, defeating the Markham Waxers 6-4 at Joshua's Creek Arenas. The Blades, who had rallied from deficits in five of their previous six post-season wins, will look to take a stranglehold on the best-of-seven final tonight (Friday) when they visit Markham for Game 4. Leading 1-0 after the first period, Oakville appeared to have blown the game wide open when Kellan Lain, Jeremy Welsh and Steven Guzzo scored in the opening 6:05 of the second frame. Markham, however, replied with three consecutive goals of its own, pulling within 4-3 early in the third. Dustin Alcock gave Oakville some breathing room by scoring eight minutes into the final period, but the Waxers narrowed the Blades' lead to one again with 6:58 to go in regulation. Nick McParland iced the Oakville victory with an empty netter late in the third, his second goal of the contest. Blades defenceman Scott Judson said the Blades can't afford to relax against the high-scoring Waxers, who have averaged nearly 4.5 goals a game in the playoffs. "They're the best team we've played so far," he said. "Their forwards are really fast. You can't let up against this team, that's for sure." Guzzo, who has two goals in the championship series, added, "Their ability to score is very high. Sometimes you let up and think the game's over, but you can't do that, especially this far in the playoffs and playing a team like Markham." Oakville head coach Carlo Coccimiglio attributed part of the Waxers' rally to undisciplined penalties by the Blades. Oakville was shorthanded nine times, allowing a pair of power-play markers in the third period. "Our (penalty killers) were getting tired in the third period, and they were pressuring hard," he said. "For the first two periods, I was very pleased with the way we rebounded back (from a 4-2 loss in Game 2) and played as a team." Markham starting netminder Kyle Rank was pulled after the third Blades goal, a long shot by Welsh that Rank should have stopped. Rank was also yanked in the series opener, and Waxers coach Rick Cornacchia did not want to discuss his goaltending situation going into tonight's Game 4. "That's our team business, and I'm not about to publicize THAT'S A RAP: The Holy Trinity senior girls' basketball team pose for a picture with Toronto Raptors coach Sam Mitchell after participating in the first annual Sam Mitchell's Home Depot Coaching Clinic at the Air Canada Centre. Titans get tips from Raptors coach By Adam Johnston SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER See Greenham page 51 Considering the freefall that the Toronto Raptors currently find themselves in, one might think they were auditioning for point guards or power forwards before playoffs begin. Instead, it was the Holy Trinity Catholic Secondary School senior girls' basketball team taking to the court recently for the first annual Sam Mitchell's Home Depot Coaching Clinic. "Oh yeah, for sure," said team captain Izabella Wozniak facetiously, regarding the prospect of suiting up for the Raptors in the post-season. All joking aside, the girls were treated to a once-in-a-lifetime experience over the weekend-long event. The clinic -- which took place at the Raptors' training facility within the Air Canada Centre -- was intended to showcase coaching tips and strategy that the Raptors employ on their team for a group of high school coaches selected from across the GTA. The girls were invited to be a demonstration team for the session. The next day, the girls were providIt included instruction from ed with tickets to watch the Raptors Raptors' strength and conditioning battle the New Orleans Hornets. Prior coach Keith D'Amelio and player to the game, they were treated to a development coach Eric Hughes. behind-the-scenes tour of the arena, The highlight of the weekend for which included front-row seats to the Titans came when watch the Raptors' Raptors head coach "They warned us... that pre-game warm-up. Sam Mitchell stepped he is a joker and he This event brought on the court -- standan exciting conclusion might tell you to do ing at an imposing 6to an impressive season foot-6 tall -- to lead the something (strange)." for the Titans, who fingirls through numerished with a record of Titans captain Izabella ous drills. 9-1 in regular-season He also added Wozniak, about Raptors play. insight on his coaching coach Sam Mitchell They rolled through philosophy and basketthe playoffs on their ball vision. way to a berth in the Halton High "He's so tall," said Kaitlyn Ross, a School Athletic Association finals, third-year student at Holy Trinity. "You where Notre Dame defeated them 55don't really notice it [on television]" 42. Mitchell, who has a reputation for "It really brought the team back being a prankster, made the girls feel together," said Wozniak. "It was kind of comfortable during the workout. just the closing [trip]. It was really "They warned us. They said that he good." is a joker and that he might tell you to As for the Raptors' job security, they do something [strange]," said might want to hope that a new girls' Wozniak. "He wasn't, though. He was locker room isn't erected anytime really friendly." soon. 2009 CAMRY 2009 COROLLA 2009 MATRIX Starting from only 2375 Wyecroft Road Oakville · 1-866-451-2722 · email: sales@oakvilletoyota.ca $ 23,400 Starting from only $ 14,565 Starting from only $ 15,705