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i Efje Canabtan Statesman Clarington's Award-Winning Newspaper Since 1854 April 2,2003 PLAYOFFS Round 2 Oshawa vs Ottawa TICKETS ON SALE NOW! Friday, April 4th - 7:35pm Wednesday, April 9th - 7:35pm Tickets by phone 1-416-872-5000 or at www.ticketmaster.ca Box Office Info Only: 728-5163 infodurhamiogion.com Clarington Girls' Hockey Association expecting to register more than 400 players for 2003/2004 season BY BRAD KELLY Staff Writer CLARINGTON - Dave McKee and Christine Marchment don't profess profess to be in the psychic business, but both are making a prediction with confidence. The number of players registering for the Clarington Girls' Hockey Association Association April 16 will lop the figure from the previous year, they say. While that prediction isn't a bold one, there is enough evidence from previous years to suggest it will be accurate. "Our registration numbers go up 30 to 40 every year," says McKee, who serves as vice-president of the house league. This past season, the combination of house league and rep teams had close to 340 players registered, with that number expected to top 400 for the 2003-2004 season. In fact, girls' hockey has become so popular in Clarington, the local association was forced to turn some players away this season because there just wasn't enough ice time to accommodate everyone, says McKee. With the opening of the new twin pad arena in Courtice expected in the fall, McKee doesn't foresee that same scenario unfolding this time around, hoping for "more ice and better times." ... , . Marchment, vice-president of the rep program, says "the growth in numbers increases drastically each year," pointing to the gold medal win at the 2002 Olympics by the Canadian Canadian women's team as being a contributing contributing factor. "There is a lot more exposure because because of the Team Canada women's , team, and it makes the girls realize that there are other options to playing playing boys' hockey." Hockey and the Marchment name are synonymous. Her three daughters, daughters, Melissa, Carly and Kennedy all JASON LIEBREGTS/ Statesman photo Each season, the number of players in the Clarington Girls' Hockey Association increases, and that trend is expected to continue next season. The house league and rep programs arc expecting to have more than 400 girls registered for next season. From left, Brittany Badour, Kaitlin Rae, Meredeth Wight and Jaimee Montpetit take a little rest on the bench during a house league game. play, her husband Wayne coaches junior junior with the Oshawa Legionaires and her brother-in-law Bryan plays for the Colorado Avalanche. Joining the executive was a case of "putting my money where my mouth is" she says, adding, "instead of complaining, I thought I would help out." Once she was on the executive side, she soon realized as the registration registration numbers increase, so too does the need for more people to help out in volunteer positions. Unfortunately, Unfortunately, the two numbers aren't rising at equal levels, with more players than helpers. "It's unbelievable how little help there is out there. People just aren't willing to put the time in, and I can understand that because it can be very time consuming." Even a couple of hours can make a huge difference, she says. Like Marchment, this season was the first one as an executive member ' for McKee, who says everything has gone smoothly. He followed his daughter, Christina, Christina, into hockey, serving as an assistant assistant coach with her novice team. The improvement in the calibre of the hockey has been most impressive, he says. "The skills from the beginning to the end of the season, you can see a huge difference. Some of the girls aren't sure what to do at first, and then they play their positions like they have been doing it all year. "The girls have a ball. The young ones sing on the bench, it's great." One of the highlights of the season season was a tournament that attracted 31 teams from across the province, with local businesses donating 350 prizes, making the success of the event a community effort, he notes. Registration for next season in the Clarington Girls' Hockey Association Association is Wednesday, April 16 from 5 p.m.-9 p.m. at the Garnet B. Rickard Recreation Complex in Bow- manville. Newcastle novices blanked in deciding game of finals BY BRAD KELLY Staff Writer COLDWATER - Scanning back over the past season, Newcastle novice coach Paul Choiniere can't remember remember his team getting held off the scoresheet by an opponent. Unfortunately, the one and only time of the season Newcastle was shut out came in what turned out to be the final game. Playing in the fifth and deciding game of the Ontario Minor Hockey Association D final Saturday in Coldwater, the home side blanked Newcastle 2-0 to win the championship. championship. "it was a heck of a game. The kids played their hearts out," said Choiniere of the effort put out by his players. It was the fifth time in the series that the home team won on its own ice. Coldwater posted 4-3 (overtime) and 4-1 wins in games two and three, while Newcastle held serve 4-3 (overtime) and 5-4 in games one and four. Saturday's deciding game went into the third period scoreless before Coldwater pumped a pair of goals past Newcastle goaltender Michael McClelland, who was superb throughout the game, noted Choiniere. "The kids were a little nervous, but not as much as the parents and the coaching staff," said Choiniere, with a laugh, of the mood before the game. "The players didn't give up and they played through to the last second. second. "The two teams definitely deserved deserved to be there," he added. Despite the loss, it was an incredible incredible season for Newcastle, which posted a 19-3-1 record in Durham- Victoria league play, and then marched to the OMHA finals after eliminating Bobcaygeon, Orono and Tamworth in previous series. Nathan Ilovton: Fires series- winning goal in overtime as the Oshawa Generals heat the Peterborough Peterborough Petes 4-3 Tuesday night. National Post-secondary tournament in May will combine best in university and college Canadian golf history will he made al Whistle Bear Golf Club in Cambridge Cambridge in late May. That's when a field of 156 golfers will compete in the inaugural Canadian Canadian University/Collcge Golf Championship, Championship, sanctioned by the Royal Canadian Canadian Golf Association, It marks the culmination of an ongoing ongoing process by coaches ami officials at ( 'anailian universities and colleges Seventh heaven for Generals Oshawa eliminates Peterborough with overtime win BY BRIAN McNAIR Staff Writer PETERBOROUGH - Eric Staal had the big numbers, but Nathan Horton produced the big play. Horton scored at 4:09 of overtime to lift the Oshawa Generals to an improbable improbable 4-3 win over the Peterborough Petes in the seventh and deciding game of their Ontario Hockey League Eastern Conference quarterfinal series Tuesday night before a crowd of 3,922 at the Peterborough Peterborough Memorial Centre. "It was bouncing a little bit," said Horton of the winning goal. "And right at the last second it went fiat. It was a nice pass from Benny (Eager). It's pretty pretty special, I couldn't breathe when everybody jumped on me, but it was a lot of fun." Staal and Horton are two of the top- ranked prospects for this summer's OHL Eastern Conference Semifinal Ottawa vs. Oshawa Game 1 - Friday, April 4, Ottawa at Oshawa, Civic Auditorium, 7:35 p.m. Game 2 - Sunday, April 6, Oshawa at Ottawa, Ottawa Civic Centre, 6:30 p.m. Game 3 - Mondzy, April 7, Oshawa at Ottawa, Ottawa Civic Centre, 7 p.m. Game 4 - Wednesday, April 9, Ottawa at Oshawa, Civic Auditorium, 7:35 p.m. x-Game 5 - Friday, April 11, Oshawa at Ottawa, Ottawa Civic Centre, 7:30 p.m. x-Game 6 - Sunday, April 13, Ottawa at Oshawa, Civic Auditorium, 6:35 p.m. x-Game 7 - Monday, April 14, Oshawa at Ottawa, Ottawa Civic Centre, 7 p.m. x- if necessary (All games on AM-1350) NHL draft and both centres were impressive impressive in the series. Staal led all shooters shooters with nine goals and five assists, while I-Iorton finished with four goals and three assisls. Horton's marker capped a stunning comeback for the Generals, who knotted the game with just 2.9 seconds remaining remaining in the third period when Brandon Nolan's desperation shot from the sideboards sideboards beat Peterborough nctminder David Currie to make it 3-3. "We caught a. big break at the end of the game," said Oshawa coach George Burnett of Nolan's game-tying marker. "1 thought we deserved to be in tire game. We played a real strong game." The teams were tied 2-2 after the first period. Jordan Beirnes scored at 8:29 to give Oshawa a 1-0 lead, but the Petes rallied, with Jamie- Tardif scoring a power-play marker at 12:19 and Mark Flood giving Peterborough a 2-1 advantage advantage at 18:01. But Nolan scored at 19:50 to even the score again. After a scoreless second period, Oshawa Oshawa nctminder Chris Beckford-Tseu kept the game tied with a huge glove save on Greg Chambers with less than 11 minutes remaining. Beckford-Tseu finished with IS saves, while Currie made 32 stops. At 10:40 of the third, Staal gave Pe- ; tcrhorougli a 3-2 lead, using his long reach to beat Bcckford-Tseu. It ap- I peared Staal's goal would be the decisive decisive marker until Nolan's heroics forced , overtime. The Generals will now face the Ottawa Ottawa 67s in the Eastern Conference : semifinals. Ottawa took out Mississauga ! 4-1 in their quarterfinal matchup. Al- 1 though Ottawa lias home ice advantage, the series will actually begin Friday in Oshawa at 7:35 p.m. due to ice availability availability problems in Ottawa. "They've got a great lineup up front in (Matt) Foy, (Covey) Locke and (Scott) Sheppard," said Beckford-Tseu in assessing assessing Ottawa. "We've got to do our best to shut them down and hopefully get some bounces." GENERALLY SPEAKING: The Generals forced the seventh game with a 3-1 win over the Petes in Game 6 before 3,875 at tlie Civic Auditorium Monday. Ahrcn Nittel, Horton and Nolan, with an empty-nelter, scored for Oshawa. golf championship a stroke of genius Brian Legree Spoils Editor vcitulnrlmnv^ioiuvm aimed at producing a truly national championship for golfers enrolled at post-secondary institutions, "It's a good tiling and it's nice lo see tlml the RCGA is taking on active role in it," says Durham College golf coneh Mike Duggan, who was one of the people lobbying for a naliuiml championship involving both university university mid college players. The event will include both male and female competitors and will also serve as the Canadian team qualifier for the World. University Championship. Championship. The RCGA believes the event can lie the equivalent of the NCAA championships championships in the United Stales. Given that the NCAA's first golf championship championship was held in 1897, it's more than high lime we followed suit. "We are delighted lo introduce the imiversity/uollege championship to our annual slate of national touriin- moiils," says Rick Desrochers, RCGA Managing Director of Championships, Championships, in a statement. "The RCGA inundate is to grow the game of golf in Canada at all lev els and tire introduction of this new tournament helps to fulfil that mandate mandate by providing a platform for the best players to showcase their talents and earn the opportunity to compete internationally." T'lie tourney will take place May 26-30, but will not necessarily mean the end of the Canadian Colleges Athletic Athletic Association championships, which have been held fur the past three years, the last two hosted by Durham College al I.akeridge I .inks G.C. in north Whitby. Duggan says it appears Georgian College is prepared to host the CCA A championships this fall. "I really want our (college) national championship to continue," says Duggan. OTHER STUFF: After starting the season with a pair of tournaments in Texas, the Canadian Tour is currently currently in a spring hiatus. The next event is the Michelin Guadalaraja Classic in Mexico May 8-11.Through the first two stops, Brooklin's Jon Mills leads a four-player Durham contingent contingent in earnings. Mills sits I4lli on the money list with $4,686. Oshawa's Derek Gillespie is 27th with $2,872, Osliawa's Kevin Jones is 44th at $1,725 and Whitby's Eddie Maunder sits 82nd with $472. Following its two-week slay in Mexico, the Canadian Canadian lour once again lakes a break until its only slop in Ontario, June 23-29, in Saull Ste. Marie for the Northern Ontario Ontario Open,