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www.durhamregion.com THE CANADIAN STATESMAN, MARCH 19,2003 PAGE 13 Efje Cmiatumi Statesman ml a ; -j (,Vii: im -fbl .. Vi Wlr 1 : 'M tfi) ! 1 r . r . : , r.v v ~ ■ ,-ii I | . ; i .. »7| il' ill : 'ill ■ . r V-, ! 1 v-1 II r. : !r '■ j [V I;,. j f'^/r'T INSTALLATION INCLUDED R ^Dundas/ihickson 11 kruumia A Islili Behind Casey's " ^ 723-8507 WHITBY • OSHAWA Ends March 31/03 For Pete's sake! Old rivalry heats up again Oshawa Generals and Peterborough Petes meet in opening round of OHL playoffs BY BRIAN McNAIR Staff Writer OSHAWA - Don't expect the Oshawa Oshawa Generals' 7-5 season-ending victory victory over the Peterborough Petes to serve as much of a preview foftheir upcoming upcoming playoff series. The Petes, after all, entered Sunday's Sunday's game with the third seed in the DHL's Eastern Conference locked up and started backup goalie Jeff Mac- Dougald, who struggled badly. But, while goals should be at much more of a premium once the best-of- seven conference quarterfinal gets under way Thursday in Peterborough, some of the nastiness that existed in Sunday's finale will no doubt carry over when the longtime rivals hook up. "All of the games we've played up to this point have been hard-fought games and I don't think anything will change come playoff time," says Petes coach RickAllain, whose club won six of eight regular season encounters between between the two clubs. "Goaltending and special teams, you've heard it for a long time at this time of the year, they're important," adds Allain, assessing the series. "I don't think this year will be any different." different." If that is indeed the case, the Petes figure to have the upper hand. Overage goalie David Currie shone in the second second half of the season, as the Petes (32- 22-11-3) moved up from seventh to third place in the conference, and Peterborough Peterborough had superior numbers to Oshawa on both ends of special teams play. While clearly underdogs, the Generals Generals (34-30-2-2) are by no means overmatched overmatched against the Petes. If not for a Iate-season swoon that saw them drop nine straight games before Sunday's win, the Generals could have easily taken that third seed. And there's no telling how important important Sunday's win will be in creating a more positive outlook. "It was nice to get back on the winning winning track, that was the main thing," says captain Jamie Johnson, who picked up five points to finish the season season with 100. "We wanted to get that winning feeling back in the room, know what it's like and hopefully carry that into playoffs." If the Generals are to pull off the mild upset, they will need goalie Chris Beckford-Tseu to shake off an inconsistent inconsistent season and step up as he did against the Belleville Bulls in last- year's playoffs. "I think both teams have some excellent excellent skill and both teams have some great physical players," says George Burnett, coach and GM of the Generals. Generals. "David (Currie) is a little more proven in the nets than our guy, just because because he's two years older, but we're hoping we can give them a little more than we did throughout the season." This marks the 12th time the two teams have met in the playoffs. Oshawa Ben Eager slapped with suspension for 'bullying' OSHAWA - If the Oshawa Generals Generals are going to upset the Peterborough Peterborough Petes in the first round of OHL playoffs, they'll have to do so without power forward Ben Eager for most of the series. Eager, a first-round draft pick of the Phoenix Coyotes in his third season season with the Generals, has been slapped with a five-game suspension by the OHL stemming from an incident incident in Sunday's regular season finale against the Petes. Eager was assessed a minor, major, 10-minute misconduct and game misconduct misconduct penalties for a second-period attack on Patrick Kaleta, who was not penalized. "It wasn't a great choice on his part, however we have to push forward," forward," says Generals coach George Burnett. "It certainly leaves a big hole in one of our top lines." Eager has already missed eight games from two previous suspensions this season. "We are of the opinion that Eager's actions have no place in our game and we must all work to eliminate these type of bullying tactics," OHL commissioner commissioner David Branch said in a written release. COURTICE PARKS BASEBALL & SOFTBALL ASSC. 2003 SUMMER REGISTRATION THURSDAY MARCH 6 WEDNESDAY MARCH 19 FRIDAY MARCH 21 T-BALL - 4 PITCH - BASEBALL & GIRLS SOFTBALL COURTICE HIGH SCHOOL 6:30PM-8:00PM CHILDREN BORN FROM 1999-1985 Photocopy Of Birth Certificate & Health Card Umpiring Jobs Available 14+ Older More Info Call (9051436-1313 REGISTRATION: March 22 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Bowmanville Mall $85 per child 3rd child half price Ages 7 & up Any Questions Please Call ^ (905) 809-3725 or E-Mail: y claringtongirlsslopitch@msn.com ft. ANDREW IWAN0WSKI/ Statesman photo Oshawa captain Jamie Johnson, seen here moving in against Peterborough defenceman Lukas Krajicek Krajicek during Sunday's final game of the OHL regular season, will be a key factor in the first round of the playoffs when the Generals face the Petes. holds a 7-4 advantage. GENERALLY SPEAKING: Brandon Nolan also had five points, all assists, against the Petes Sunday, moving into the top 10 in the OHL scoring derby with 36-52-88 numbers. Johnson had a goal and four helpers, giving him 24-76-100 stats, the best season for a General since Kevin Colley's Colley's 101-point season in 1998-99. Michael Gough scored twice, giving him 14 for the season, while Fred Hatziioannou (7th), Ahren Nittel (20th), Paul Ranger (10th) and Nathan Horton (33rd) added singles... Josh Patterson and Jamie Tardif scored twice each, while Eric Staal had a goal and two assists for the Petes... Burnett says he expects forward Evan Kotsopoulos, who did not play Sunday, and .defenceman Ladislav Kolda, who left the game early, to be healed in time for Thursday's opener... Game 2 goes Friday in Oshawa (7:35 p.m.), Game 3 on Monday, March 24 in Peterborough (7 p.m.) and Game 4 on Tuesday, March 25 in Oshawa (7:35 p.m.)... The Mississauga IceDogs (23- 31-11-3) earned their first-ever playoff berth and will face the Ottawa 67's (44- 14-7-3) in-the first round. Other Eastern Conference series pit the Brampton Battalion (34-24-6-4) against the Barrie Colts (29-26-4-9) and the St. Mike's Majors (32-24-7-5) against the Belleville Bulls (33-27-6-2). Toron to EaSlEgllnton & Lain) (Southeast Cornet) 4W447-W72 MiShiSSiUlfJclDundas I Hwy. «403 (West ol Winston ChurthiH) SOMHffiS Mississauga MO Matheson Blvd, W (Heartland Town Centre) 90HeM044 NOi'lll YOllv23 Kodiak Crescent (Sheppard & Allen Road) 4W4K44C4 Mailihani Hwy. 17 i McCowan Rd, (Rqhl Behind McDonald's) WMO-tiM Hcllllll tOü 1441 Upper James (Next to the Btitk) 90S-MM679 Brampton 547 Steeles Ave E. (Orion Gate Mall) 90S4KHHOO Wllltb)/ Ihkkson Road Power Ctr. (401 K Thltkson Road) 90S-720-99C0 S Uiwilny |>fomotk>«i rtul/w wti-«ti%Miil*«x*ih cm tdlntuliikmlwiilit#, M«y miuiit IntUlLikxi hto<Htlm«iMH|it. 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