Editor: Norm Nelson Phone: 9 0 5 -845-3824 (ext. 255) Fax: 905-337-5567 email: nnelson@haltonsearch.com SPORTS DOES YOUR CAR WAX GIVE YOU BETTER PROTECTION THAN YOUR CUT-RATE CAR INSURANCE? Don't m *t JuM anyone to iniure your cm . M t me. ZM SVtyraoftRd. W l.O ik v illc Wayne McGill 905^47-5671 Blades beat Burlington Cougars in playoff preview By Neil Becker SPEC IA L T O T H E BEAVER Peter McCusker · Oakville Beaver Burlington Cougars Jared Wiseman and Steve Johnston battle with Oakville Blade Nick Dodge on Friday. PROVINCIAL JUNIOR A W EST CONFERENCE GP W L T OTL GF GA Pts GAA PMA MILTON HAM ILTON GEO RGETO W N BURLIN G TO N O A K V IL L E M ISSISSA U G A BUFFALO STR EET SV ILLE B R A M A LEA BRAM PTO N 49 49 48 48 48 49 49 48 49 49 41 38 36 28 27 24 12 10 10 10 6 8 7 17 19 19 32 30 35 36 1 2 3 2 2 3 1 3 3 2 1 1 2 1 0 3 4 5 1 1 279 286 278 222 218 189 167 168 168 208 139 157 154 197 195 203 229 288 282 320 84 79 77 59 56 54 29 28 24 23 2.84 3.20 3.21 4.10 4.06 4.14 4.67 6.00 5.76 6.53 17.14 30.36 22.89 26.86 30.81 26.61 20.77 22.84 26.61 19.85 W E ST D IVISIO N AWARDS Most Valuable Player: JO SH SO A R E S H A M ILTO N Best Defenceman: DAN IL IA K A S G EO R G ET O W N Rookie o f the Year: JO SH DISHER B U R LIN G T O N Most Gentlemanly: B R A D EFT H IM IO U M ILTO N * Only positions left to be decided. Does not include Tuesday night s league finale: Oakville at Georgetown; Burlington at Streetsville. Top eight make playoffs and ninth (Bramalea) is a wildcard in another conference. FIRST ROUND PLAYOFF SCHEDULE Game 1 Fri. Feb. 7 at 7:30 p.m. in Burlington Game 2 Sat. Feb. 8 at 7:45 p.m. in Oakville Game 3 Tues. Feb. 1 1 at 7:30 p.m. in Burlington Game 4 Fri. Feb. 14 at 7:45 p.m. in Oakville Game 5 Sun. Feb. 16 at 7:30 p.m. in Burlington* Game 6 Tues. Feb. 18 at 7:45 p.m. in O akville* Game 7 Wed. Feb. 19 at 7:30 p.m. in Burlington* Most improved: ROB TARINTINO O A K V IL L E Coach o f the Year: W E S W IS E M A N . B U R LIN G T O N · Oakville residents boldfaced OA KV ILLE 6, BURLINGTON 3 (Oakville scoring summ ary ) First Goal: M arc Pinizzotto, assisted by Lane Moodie and M ike Ruberto Second Goal: Jason Dopaco, assisted by Matt Ruberto and Ryan Ellis Third Goal: Will Barlow, assisted by Matt Ruberto and Nick Dodge Fourth Goal: M arc Pinizzotto. assisted by Ryan Ellis and M ike Swinton Fifth Goal: Rob Tarantino, assisted by M ike Ruberto and Marc Pinizzotto Sixth Goal: Rob Tarantino, assisted by Matt Ruberto and Ryan Ellis. The Oakville Blades blasted in five power play goals en route to a 6-3 win over the Burlington Cougars in provin cial junior A hockey action on Friday night. "Power plays can come and go," remarked coach Frank Carnevale. "Right now it is going." The win sealed up fifth place for the Blades in the provincial junior A hock ey league western conference. It was also a preview -- and the Blades obviously hope an accurate one -- of their first round series, against the very same Cougars, who had already locked up fourth place. "W e match them (Burlington) with our speed, toughness, power play and penalty k ill," said all-star Blades defenceman Matt Ruberto who regis tered three assists on the evening. "W e've been starting slow lately, but we're working on playing three com plete periods, and we want to win it all." The Cougars will host the series opener Friday at Central Arena while the Oakville Blades w ill host game two on Saturday night. 7:45 p.m., back at Ice Sports Oakville. Complete series schedule is included. As well, all play off dates and times are available at www.ohaliockey.org/playoffs/2003/jaw .html First things first, though, the Blades helped put a close to the regular season schedule with their game in Georgetown last night (Tuesday). It went beyond our press deadlines. It was also meaningless, in terms of the stand ings. to both teams involved. The other game had Burlington at Streetsville and it was meaningful inso far as Streetsville. with a win. could overtake Buffalo for seventh place. Friday's win was the streaking Blades' eighth in nine games, since a coaching change at the beginning of the year brought in head coach Frank Carnevale and his brother. Lou. The Blades started out slow, but suc cessfully shrugged off deficits of 1-0 and 2-1. Even though it was a regular season game, it took on a playoff atmosphere. Neither team would give an inch as play got chippy with both teams dish ing out stiff body checks and playing what's termed old time hockey. "They were trying to send us a mes sage by playing rough and we respond ed," said coach Frank Carnevale. "Fifth (place) was important, and with our high scoring speedy players, we match up well against those guys." Burlington opened the scoring two minutes into the game. Marc Pinozzotto, with the first of two, scored the equalizer on the power play past the midway mark of the first period, executing a perfect tip off a Lane Moodie blast from the blueline. The Blades continued to get oppor tunities but couldn't take advantage as Ryan Ellis, who has been impressive with 16 points in eight games, missed on a partial breakaway. It was a case of Murphy's Law as Burlington scored in the last minute on a knuckleball shot from the blue line to take a 2-1 lead into the dressing room. But Oakville put their offence in overdrive and dominated by scoring four unanswered goals, including three on the power play. Starting the onslaught was Jason Dopaco who, with the man advantage, scored on a rebound off a Matt Ruberto slapshot to tie the game 2-2. Minutes later, Oakville grabbed the momentum and ran with it, as W ill Barlow showed his strength and deter mination in jamming the puck home at the side of the net for a second straight power play goal and a 3-2 Blades lead. The Blades kept on attacking, and were rewarded with an even strength goal from Marc Pinizzotto, who got his second of the night and Rob Tarantino who scored his first of two on the power play. 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