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(The (Canadian Statesman WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1997 SECTION TWO Eagles Even Playoff Series with Newmarket by Chris Rourke Staff Writer game up for Newmarket late in the second. Seth Gray put the Eagles up 3-2 The Bowmanville Eagles played their best game of the year and it ear ty * n the third, but Scott Stephens produced an upset on Sunday night. The Eagles beat the OHA Jr. A defending league champion Newmarket 87's, 6-5, to even their Eastern Conference best-of-seven quarter-final playoff series at one scored for the 87's to tie it once again. Bowmanville then scored three in a row to go up 6-3. Maynard, with his second, on the power play, Mike Davies, and Matt Armstrong into an open net gave the Eagles a three- game apiece. The game, wasn't as close as the 8 oa l * ea d- final score indicated. The Eagles Newmarket made it interesting were up 6-3 when by scoring twice in the final minute Newmarket scored t0 P u ^ within 6-5. twice in the minute of the game to make it close ' "It was my fault (they scored two late goals). I ; wanted to get (Steve) Blais, (Jay) Cannings, and (Niall) Maynard off the ice," Eagles head coach Guy Jacob said following the game. "I didn't want them to get hurt in the last minute. We got a scare, but you only have to win by one." Sunday's playoff game was the Eagles' most complete team effort of the season. After a scoreless first period, Andrew Hamilton batted a rebound out of the air to give the visitors a 1- 0 lead 48 seconds into the second. Niàll Maynard snapped a shot off the post and in on the power play over a minute later to tie the game. Jay Cannings picked up his first of three assists on the game. Blais scored on the power play . Eagles will, allow kids 13 and under six minutes later to give the home > t0 g ame two on Friday night for a side a 2-1 lead. Joel Tarvuud tied the twoonie. Faceoff is 7:30 p.m. Bob Whiting and Blair Sherrit scored the goals. The Eagles had to survive without the services of leading scorer Adam Armstrong after he was given a game misconduct for hitting from behind early in the game. Maynard, with two goals and two assists, Blais, with one goal and two assists, and Cannings, with his three assists, picked up the slack left by Armstrong's absence. THE SCOOP -- The Eagles lost game one of the series in Newmarket, 7-1, after leading 1-0 . after the first, period...Goalie Jonathon Forest played another : strong game on Sunday to follow up his strong performance last Thursday...Ryan Latimer was the most dominant player on the ice for the Eagles on Sunday night...The Recreation Complex, handing the Newmarket 87's a 6-5 loss in game two of their best-of-seven quarter final playoff series. The win by Bowmanville squares the series at one game apiece. Niall Maynard, Steve Blais, and Jay Cannings led the Eagles offense. The trio combined for 10 points. -Photo by Chris Rourke LUCKY - Christopher Boyce is able to tie his skates after a fall to the ice caused momentary paralysis. by Jennifer Herr Staff Writer Toro Player's U S. Medical Bill Hit $79,000 Last week, Christopher Boyce did something his mother Sheila feared he would never do again. He skated with his hockey team. The nine-year-old was a member of the Major Novice Toro Square Boy Pizza team that went to the Silver Stick hockey tournament just outside of Detroit, Michigan, last month. But, instead of a weekend in a hotel and arenas with his team, Christopher spent 18 very frightening and expensive hours in the hospital. Christopher's mother, Sheila Boyce, the team's manager, says her son took an innocent check at centre ice, landing chin and chest first. When he didn't get up, Sheila, from the stands, thought he was just "taking a break." "Our boys don't usually usually lay on the ice," says Sheila, who thought perhaps the foggy air in the arena had triggered an asthmatic reaction. The team's trainer waved her down from the stands, and met her halfway to Christopher. "He said, 'Christopher cannot feel his arms and legs,"' she recalls. "I can't even remember taking a breath after that." Christopher lay on the ice for about 45 minutes minutes until he was able to be put into an ambulance. ambulance. His mother remembers arguing that she "didn't want the closest hospital. I wanted the best." The hospital he was taken to was equipped with a pediatric emergency ward. "Every single person asked, 'Christopher, how are you?' then, 'Mom, do you have insurance?"' insurance?"' says Sheila. Had Coverage Fortunately, because of Christopher's asthma, the family never travels without extensive hospital hospital coverage. Because the team had captured the game on Video tape, Sheila was able to show doctors exactly how the accident had happened. Doctors said Christopher landed in exactly the same way as actor Christopher Reeves, who has been confined confined to a wheelchair since a horseback riding accident. They were able to ascertain exactly what type of testing was necessary! After a battery of tests, including electroencephalograms, electroencephalograms, x-rays,, internal testings, and Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Sheila says doctors doctors were "less than optimistic" Christopher would regain feeling from the neck down. But he did. After about 18 hours, Christopher started to have some tingling sensation. Soon, he was fully recovered. Christopher says he never had any pain, even after the feeling came back. There's only one bad part he can think of. It was when doctors said he couldn't go back to playing hockey just yet. "That would mean I wouldn't be able to play hockey any more that season," says the clearly active grade 4 student. He was back at practice last week, but won't be back into game action until next fall. "I could allow him to play hockey, but as a mother, I just can't," says Sheila, whose husband is wavering a little on that idea. Christopher's teammates, in the next game of the tournament, ran his jersey through hockey sticks and skated around the ice with it hoisted. "Those boys are all very tight," says Christopher's mother. "That's their whole circle of friends." Lesson to be Learned Sheila says if there is a lesson to be learned from all of this, it's that people should always carry insurance when travelling. Christopher's hospital bills topped $79,000 Uf.S. by the time all was said and done. "Converted to Canadian, they would have owned my house, says the Bowmanville woman., She will be going to local hockey associations to discuss better insurance as a result of her experience. experience. Christopher's recovery is complete, and he's very glad of that. After all, lacrosse season starts next month.