OkillOAKVILLESMUSIC STOREwww.gearmusic.netSports324 Kerr St.905-339-3515SPORTS EDITOR: JON KUIPERIJ Phone 905-845-3824 (ext. 432) Fax 905-337-5571 email sports@oakvillebeaver.com WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2011 25Halftime showHornets ready to take the national stageThere will be more than just parents and siblings watching when Oakville Hornets Girls Hockey Association players work on their skills this weekend.The eyes of the entire country will be on Hornets players as they work out with Olympic womens hockey gold medalists Vicky Sunohara and Tessa Bonhomme Saturday at Sixteen Mile Sports Complex.Sunohara and Bonhomme will lead a unique edi-tion of Scotiabank Girls HockeyFest from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., with portions of the day being televised on CBCs Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada broadcast.This is really exciting for the town, so I can only imagine how excited the Oakville Hornets are to train with these two hockey legends, said Oakville mayor Rob Burton. Were proud that more than 300 girls from house to rep leagues will have the chance to show Canadians just how great they are at playing hockey.Girls from the novice, atom, peewee and bantam levels will have the opportunity to improve their on-ice game skills and off-ice life skills with Sunohara and Bonhomme. The all-day event will include on- and off-ice training, a skills competition and a keynote address from both coaches.Sunohara is one of Canadas all-time most popular female hockey players. She won a silver medal at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano and gold medals at the 2002 Games in Salt Lake City and the 2006 Games in Turin. Sunohara also won 15 gold and three silver GARY YOKOYAMA / METROLAND MEDIA GROUPmedals at the International Ice Hockey Federation World Womens Championships.Members of Oakville's Rising Sun Martial Arts Club's demonstration team put on a show Sunday at Hamilton's Copps Coliseum. The group wasBonhomme was part of Canadas gold-winning team performing during the halftime show for Sunday's Harlem Globetrotters contest.at the 2010 Games in Vancouver and was the top pick in last years Canadian Womens Hockey League draft. The Sudbury native, in her fifth year with the national Blades likely to draw Raiders in quarter-finalswomens team, is a former co-captain of the Ohio State Buckeyes.Even in a revamped Ontario Juniorand Milton IceHawks both sub-.500 got 29 saves from goaltender DanielThese opportunities (to work out with Olympic Hockey League playoff format, thesquads this weekend to close out the Savelli.athletes) didnt exist when I was young, so I feel very Oakville Blades and Georgetown Raidersregular season.The following night, the Blades'proud to be a part of this event and share my experi-appear to be on another collisionThe OJHL restructured its playoff for-10-game winning streak was snappedences with the girls, Bonhomme said.course.mat this year. The top six teams in each with a 4-3 shootout loss to the HamiltonScotiabank Girls HockeyFest in Oakville is just one The Halton rivals areconference receive a first-Red Wings in Hamilton. Mark Bennett,part of Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada a full day likely to meet in the quar-round bye while seventh Braedan Russell and Lysaght scored in aof hockey featuring a tripleheader of all six Canadian ter-final round of the OJHLplays 10th and eighth faces losing cause for Oakville.NHL teams broadcast on CBC. Oakville is one of six playoffs after the Bladesninth in a best-of-three mini The Blades (34-12-0-2) will play theirsatellite locations across Canada that will be featured earned three of four pointsseries to determine the final home game of the regular seasonon the broadcast, which is based out of Whitehorse. last weekend and movedother quarter-finalists.Friday at Sixteen Mile Sports ComplexThe broadcast will begin at noon.into third place in theOakville defeated the when they host Brampton for a 7:30 p.m.The Oakville Hornets Girls Hockey Association is North/West Conference. If Raiders 5-3 Friday at Sixteen start. Oakville visits Milton Sunday atextremely honoured to welcome Canada to our vibrant Oakville finishes third, itMile Sports Complex to 3:30 p.m. to conclude the regular sea-and ever-expanding girls hockey community, said would face the sixth-placeclaim a 4-2 edge in the son.Hornets president Mike Turczyniak. The women and Raiders in what would beteams' season series.On top of playoff positioning, teamgirls of our hockey community have been learning in a the opening round for both teams.Kyle Blaney scored twice, including bragging rights will be up for grabs inpositive, fun-filled environment for the past 15 years The Blades, who have eliminatedthe winner with 1:38 left in regulation, the next couple games. Midseason acqui-and we are all looking forward to the guidance and Georgetown from the playoffs the pastand added an assist to lead the Blades. sition Stefan Thompson holds a two-inspiration that the elite womens hockey players will three years, would lock up third placeBradley Ryan, Kyle Lysaght and Josh point lead on Lysaght for the team leadprovide throughout this event.with wins over the Brampton CapitalsRanalli also tallied for Oakville, which in scoring.