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1 www.durhamregion.com THE CANADIAN STATESMAN, JANUARY 1, 2003 PAGE 7 Efje Canabtan Statesman CIVIC AUDITORIUM 99 Thornton Rd. S. Info.: 905-728-5163 Wed., Jan. 1, 2:05 p.m. vs. Peterborough Sun., Jan. 5,6:35 p.m. vs. Belleville Eagles lose Caruana, Miller to major junior ranks JASON LIEBREGTS/ Statesman photo OSHAWA - Ben Eager (25) of the Oshawa Generals is foiled by Barrie goalie Paulo Colaiacovo during Sunday's Ontario Hockey League game at the Civic Auditorium. 'Selfish, undisciplined' Generals lose Oshawa hosts Petes in New Year's Day matinee at Civic BY BRIAN McNAIR Staff Writer OSHAWA - If the stretch ran of the hockey season has begun, .the Oshawa Generals better shift gears soon. Apparently stuck in neutral; if,not reverse, reverse, the Generals emerged from the Christmas break with two losses on the weekend and have now dropped three in a row this Ontario Hockey League season. season. It's not as though they were playing shabby opponents, losing 5-2 Friday in Ottawa to the 67's, the best team in the country, and falling 6-4 to the Central Division-leading Colts Sunday at the Civic, but these are the teams the Generals Generals are going to have to beat if they fancy themselves contenders. The manner in which the Generals fell Sunday was disturbing, blowing a 3- 1 second period lead through a combination combination of poor discipline and porous de- fcncc. "In the last two games, we're starling to take selfish, undisciplined penalties and obviously we're not going anywhere we think we're capable of going with those types of decisions," said coach/GM George Burnett. "We didn't have any attention attention to work in our half of the rink. 1 thought we cheated most of the night." Barrie defenceman Jan Platil made the difference in Sunday's game, and not just by scoring once and setting up four others. A 6-foot-2, 195-pounder from the Czeclt Republic, Platil was under the skin of the Generals all game long, taking taking four minor penalties himself, but also drawing a number of Oshawa players into the box. "We spent the whole night worrying about one player on the other team and he ended up being the best player on the ice for them," Burnett said in reference to Platil. "He'll chiip and talk a little bit, and then he'll whack you with the stick, but you know the gloves aren't coming off," added Burnett, clearly among the frustrated. frustrated. "If he you're going to play him physically and he knows he's not going to get time and space and guys are going to hit him with a good shoulder, then he's not going to be as effective. But clearly when lie draws you into some of the decisions decisions we made and is just willing to battle, battle, battle like he did to get their sixth goal, then lie's going to come out on top." Indeed, on the sixth goal, Platil emerged from among four Generals to get the puck to Eric Himelfarb, who put the game on ice witli a short-handed goal into an empty net with 1:34 remaining. Himelfarb and former General Nick Lees had two goals and an assist each for the Colts, who improved to 18-11 -4-3 for the season. Ben Eager (12th), Evan Kotsopoulos (10th), Chris Hulit (6th) and Brandon Nolan (21st) replied for the Generals; who fell to 19-14-1-1. ;' u ; The good news for the Generals is they now face a Peterborough Petes team that lias struggled far worse since Christmas, Christmas, losing 10-1 to Ottawa Saturday and 9-1 to Brampton Sunday. But the Petes bring a 3-1 head-to- head record into the New Year's Day game at the Civic (2:05 p.m.). "I'm not concerned with how they've played in their last couple," said Burnett. "They'll always bring their best effort here against us." GENERALLY SPEAKING: Evan Kotsopoulos and Jantic Johnson (12th) scored for the Generals Friday in Ottawa. Carter Trevisani, Matt Foy, Mark Mancari, Jeremy Akcson and Corey Locke scored for the 67's... Chris Beck- ford-Tseu got both starts in goal for Oshawa, Oshawa, facing a 29-24 shot disadvantage against Ottawa and a 45-35 advantage against Barrie. Caruana joins Cape Breton of Quebec league, Miller off to Sudbury of OHL BY BRIAN McNAIR Staff Writer BOWMANVILLE - It's a double- edged sword that sometimes draws blood. And that might well be the case for the Bowmanville Eagles, who will head into the Provincial Junior A Hockey League playoffs in February without two of their most important players, but satisfied with a job well done in the development department. department. Leading scorer Matt Caruana will join the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League this week and goalie Rick Miller has earned a full-time job with the Sudbury Wolves, the Eagles' Ontario Hockey League affiliate who had summoned him in November. That's great news for both players; but 'difficult for the remaining Eagles to swallow: swallow: ^ "It makès ouf job tough'from a coaching coaching standpoint to keep the rest of the guys rallied," says head coach Curtis Hodgins. "We're not a better hockey club as of today." Perhaps not. But the organization has surely become more attractive to future players hoping to advance their careers. "Obviously their development with the Eagles has helped them get to the next level," says general manager Perry Bowles. "We're extremely pleased for both players." Caruana, a 17-year-old from Orono who was named the team's rookie of the year last season and leads the team with 26-27-53 numbers in 38 games this season, season, leaves today for Cape Breton and is expected to make his debut with the Screaming Eagles Friday at home against Moncton. The speedy 5-foot-11, 160-pound Matt Caruana: Bowmanville's . leading scorer signs with Cape Breton of Quebec Maj'or Junior Hockey League. centre was not drafted into the OHL, but. did get a look from the Ottawa 67's in September and has been wooed by the " Screaming Eagles for the past few , months. . . .. ' "It' (tHe'QMJHL) is a little more of a finesse league, I think it's my game more f than' the OHL," says Caruana, who had ( been considering scholarship offers as well. "I'm really excited and nervous. I'm ' not expecting to do a whole lot this year, just get my feet wet." The departure of Miller, a 17-year-old rookie from Fort Erie, will leave veteran Daryl Bouchard as the Eagles' undisputed undisputed No. 1 netminder. It appeared Miller would have had an inside track on that job for the playoffs, sporting a 3.08 goals , against average compared to Bouchard's r 3.66. The Eagles (16-16-5-1) couldn't have picked a worse time to experience life without their young star's, as they ' head to Wellington Friday to face the 33- 1-1-0 Dukes. They also play in Peterborough Peterborough against the Bees (12-22-0-2) Saturday Saturday and host the Lindsay Muskies (17- 14-3-3) Sunday at 6:35 p.m. at the Garnet B. Rickard Recreation Complex. Clarington Goodyear Toros claim Cobourg championship COBOURG - The Clarington Goodyear Toros won live straight games to win the Cobourg Bantam Tournament title. Bantams beat Peterborough 2-1 in final COBOURG - The Clarington Goodyear Toros strung together five wins in a row to win the Bantam A tournament in Cobourg. In the championship game, Clarington scored a narrow 2-1 victory over the Peterborough Peterborough Nationals. Leading up lo the championship game, the Toros posted wins over Port Hope 3-2, Grimsby 3-1, Belleville 3-2 and Cobourg 5-3. Collecting goals and assists in the tournament tournament were Chris Marchant (4-3), Kyle Holdbrook (2-1), Ryan Cross (2-1), Brandon Brandon Mitchell (1-2), Corey Prince (1-1), Ryan Znvitz (two goals), Andrew Fothergill (one goal), Steven Thomas (three assists), Matt Meraw (two goals), Lucas Beech (one assist), Jeff Ward (one assist), Brian Allore (one assist) and Jason Cadwcll (one assist). Brad Putnam and Mike Riddell were stellar in goal, Jovian Capital continue to improve: improve: Winners of live of their past six games, the .Clarington Jovian Capital Toros posted recent victories over Quinte mul Whillty in Eastern AAA peewee play. In a 7-4 win over Quinte, Matt Mae- Farlane and Greg Nemisz had two goals each, with one apiece to Dana Law, Andrew Andrew Bohns and Nick Diachenko, Assists were provided by Law, Andrew Moore, Justin Devouge, James I loffman, Maul Nil- lane mul Erik Devera. Zacli Higgins was in goal for the win, Ryan Duffy was oulslmuling in not as the Toros blanked the Whitby Wildcats fill. fill. Diachenko scored twice with singles to Hoffman, Brett Beckett, Jeff Feldcamp and Nemisz. John Bull, Bobas, Law, Mac- Farlane mul Nemisz lmd assists, Pi.ay It Again nitons a vaiu: The Clarington Play It Again Sports Toms dropped a pair of Lnkcshore League minor atom A games before heading into the Christmas break. At home to Peterborough, a late goal by the visitors resulted in a 4-3 loss. Scoring Scoring for the Toros were Colin Topping, Spencer Moore and Zacli Young. Andrew McCann chipped in a pair of assists with Jeff Smith and Matt Carson adding one each. Peter Rotheram had the only goal on an assist from Topping in a lopsided 7-1 loss to Belleville the following day. Clarington 'Gymnastics men's team on tov: Athletes with the during- ton Gymnastics men's competitive team fared well at the first provincial qualifier in Woodstock, Here are results: Level 2, 13 years and over division. Nick Fiorcntino, 12, of Bowmanville, placed first on rings and parallel bars, second second on floor and vault, third on pommel horse, fourth on high bar anil finished first overall in his category. Spensor Savoie, 12, of Oshawa, placed first on vault and high bar, fourth on floor and rings, fifth on pommel horse and parallel parallel bars and finished filth overall in his division, Brcnnen Alley, II, of Peterborough, showed a solid performance placing him first on floor, second on high bar, third on rings and vault, fourth on pommel horse and parallel bars and third all around in his division. Level 2, 10-12 year division Chris Franklin, 12, of Oshawa, placed first on floor, third on high bar, fourth on vault, sixth on rings, eighth on pommel horse and parallel bars anil sixth overall in the Metro Hast division. .lake Mutuszewski, II, of Enniskillen, placed fourth on high bar, fifth on rings, sixth on pommel horse, vault and parallel bars, 10th on floor and fifth overall in his division. Dominik Matuszewski, 10, of Enniskillen, Enniskillen, did an outstanding job by placing placing first on vault and highbar, third on floor and rings, Fourth on pommel horse and parallel bars and second overall in the Metro East division. Corey Vaillancourt, 9, of Clarington, placed fifth on high bar, sixth on floor, seventh on pommel horse and parallel bars, eighth on rings and seventh overall in his division. Level 1, 10-12 year division Mark Campbell, 9, of Manilla placed fifth on high bar, seventh on pommel horse and vault, eighth on floor, rings and parallel bars and eighth overall in his division. division. The men's team has two remaining competitions to qualify for the Provincial Championships in April 2003. Rotary Ci.uii pkkwkks finish on iiitiii note: The Clarington Rotary Club peewees finished the year with a 6-2 win over Akom Steel in Clarington Recreation Hockey League. Kyle Devries scored twice and added two assists, Jesse Berat'd had a pair of goals and an assist while Jesse Bowers scored once and added an assist. R.J, Murray Murray scored once, with Kyle Dillon, Kyle Corcoran, Keith Kling anil David Jan- veatix adding one assist each. Matt Dale played outstanding in net, supported by stellar defence from Brail Bunuel and John Alkema. In a previous game, Rotary was blanked 2-0 by Sand & Gravel and lost 5- I to Newcastle. Devries scored the lone goal on assists from Berat'd and Corcoran, Newcastle: novices iii.ank Boiicay- geon: The Newcastle OKI Stars trav elled to Bobcaygeon and posted a 4-0 shutout over the Cougars to improve their record to 15-3-1 in Victoria-Durham novice league play. Jake Choiniere's strong play led the offence offence with a hat trick and one assist. Brock Ackerman followed with a goal and two assists. Mackenzie Matthews had two assists. Dacoda Dcschamps had a strong defensive game and contributed an assist, while Patrick McLean was also strong defensively. defensively. DUCA WINS two in a row: After losing losing to Cimco in the Clarington Recreation Hockey League atom division, DUCA Lightning followed with a pair of wins. The shutout goaltending of Joseph Longo and defence of Adam '. Kolodzicjzak, Matthew Clcland, Jarod Witvoct and Corey Van Gog led the way to a 4-0 win over Hutton Transport. Scoring Scoring for DUCA were Scan Coombes with a pair, Ryan Dus with a goal and assist, and Liam Fanning with one goal. Assists went to Quinn Smith, Nathan Laishranv Daniel Obviera, Matthew Stirling and Tyler Stirling. Hals were Hying for Laishram who scored three times in a 5-3 win over Williams Audio Video. Fanning anil Dus scored the other goals. Assists went to Obviera, Coombes, Smith and Wilvoet, The wins improved DUCA to 4-2-2 on the season. Skylight Donuts ice easy win: : Strong teamwork by Skylight Donuts paved the way to a 6-1 win over Fifth Wheel Truck Stop in Clarington Récréation Récréation Hockey League minor tyke play. Zachary Whyte anil Michael Hibbard had two goals apiece, with Zachary Taylor anil Nathan McGillis milling one each, ' Assists went to Ben Peels anil Christopher Christopher Clemits.