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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1994-02-09, Page 7Moving in The Wiarton Midget goalie gets ready to defend the net as the Blyth Midgets move in. The game in Blyth on Friday night, which the home team coasted through to an 8-1 victory, was the second in the series which Blyth eventually swept for the WOAA C championship. Blyth Midgets blast Wiarton THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 9,1994. PAGE 7. Crusaders take series lead By Rusty Blades The Blyth Midgets hauled out the brooms last weekend as they claimed the WOAA 'C' Champion­ ship by completing a playoff sweep of Wiarton. Wiarton Willie's prediction of six more weeks of winter was welcome news to the Midgets as it is hoped this also means at least six more weeks of playoff hockey. What most people don't realize is that the albino groundhog actually made two predictions on Groundhog Day. According to the signs at the Blyth Arena on Friday night, "Blyth In Three" was also served up as a sign of things to come and the Blyth Midgets held up their end of the bargain. Blyth hosted game two on Feb. 4, in front of an appreciative home crowd. They didn't disappoint their supporters as Blyth was all over Wiarton like a bad rash and they hammered Willie's boys 8-1. Blyth took the lead one and a half minutes into he game and they never looked back, building 3-0 and 5-0 period leads before coasting through the third for the lopsided win. Danny Gibbings played a spirited game as he dented the twine twice and added an assist. The line of Ryan Chamney, Casey Boven and Jason Heipel came through with a big time effort as Heipel scored once and added three helpers. Boven added a well deserved assist while Chamney lit up the red light twice and go with his single assist. The line of Brian McNichol, Tim Lyons and Mike Heffron matched this trio stride for stride as McNichol and Heffron each collected one goal and one assist with Lyons making a valuable contribution with a pair of assists. Henry Bos scored the other home team tally off a blueline drive, which caught nothing but twine. The Blyth defence of Bos, Peter Craig, Wilfred Datema and Jonathan Collins, which has been dubbed the “Towers of Power", used their size to their advantage throughout. With an average height of 6'1" and an average weight of 180 lbs. they never let Wiarton mount any kind of an offensive assault. They kept the opposition scoring chances to a minimum and Chris Lee, with some opportunistic saves, did the job when called upon between the pipes. This 8-1 shellacking increased Blyth's confidence level as they travelled to Wiarton on Feb. 6 hoping for a sweep of this WOAA 'C' final series. Unfortunately their confidence was a little too high and they had trouble fitting everyone’s heads on the players bench. Seven minutes into the game Blyth was down by three and looking rather ugly to say the least. A couple of whacks on the side of the head helped deflate any excess air and Blyth eventually clawed their way back into the game and claimed the WOAA Championship with a 9-5 hair puller. Peter Craig played a major part in the comeback as he assisted on Blyth's first three goals to tie the match 3-3 one minute into the second period. Heipel, Chamney and Lyons were the triggermen with Datema, Gibbings and McNichol pitching in with extra assists to pull Blyth even. Wiarton took a 4-3 lead shortly thereafter but Blyth scored two quick goals late in the period to take their first lead of the contest. Heffron, from McNichol and Collins, tied the game before Heipel, with help from Chamney and Boven, put Blyth in front. A between periods pep talk ironed out a few of the Midgets' problems but Wiarton was bound that they were going to make a game of this and knotted the game 5-5 six minutes into the third. Two and a half minutes later Chamney and Craig teamed up on the power play to set up Heipel's hat trick goal which proved to be the winner. Some sloppy goaltending in the final minutes put the game out of reach as Blyth scored three goals in less than 90 seconds. Lyons, with assists to Heffron and McNichol, started the assault with two and a half minutes left in the game. Chamney put Blyth up 8-5, 14 seconds later as he sifted one from outside the blueline that went over the goalie's head and dropped into the net behind him. Seventy-three seconds later Cowan and Gibbings jumped on an errant Wiarton clearing attempt and fed Hakkers in the slot who easily scored into an empty goal. Some Wiarton goonery ended the game prematurely in the dying seconds and Blyth completed the sweep with this 9-5 comeback win and claimed the WOAA Midget 'C Championship trophy. The Wiarton Midgets didn't think much of Wiarton Willie's earlier predictions and they were last seen chasing the rodent out of town with the brooms left behind by Blyth after their clean sweep. Blyth now enters their OMHA playdowns with Tavistock waiting for a shinny showdown which should start this weekend. Dates aren't quite finalized but a strong home crowd could play a part in the team's success as they take a run at an Ontario Championship. values In Bfect From Monday, Feb. 7,1994 to Saturday, Feb. 12, 1994 Savings Are Based On Regular Retails We Reserve The Right To Limit Quantities To Normal Family Reauiremeni Scrimgeour's Food Market The Brussels Crusaders took a 1-0 lead in their best of seven quarter-final series with an 8-6 win over Drayton Sunday afternoon in Brussels. Game two is Wednesday in Drayton at 8:30, Game three Friday at 9 in Brussels and Game four Sunday, Feb. 13 in Drayton at 2 p.m. Steve Fritz set up Ron Strome for the winner with two minutes remaining on the clock, then assisted on Brian Campbell's insurance goal with 54 seconds left in the game. Tin Fritz, Corey McKee, Brad Carter, Jeff McKee, Dave McKee and Dean Wheeler scored for Brussels, which held period leads of 4-2 and 6-5. This series features two clubs whose success depends on offense, including the WOAA, leading scorer Darryl Jack of Drayton who scored three goals Sunday. Last Tuesday the Crusaders scored four unanswered third period goals for a 7-4 win in Arthur. The win gave Brussels a 13-5-2 record for a third place finish, three points behind Tavistock and Durham. Tim Fritz with three, Ron Strome, JC Hewitt, Steve Fritz and Brian Campbell, scored for Brussels who held a 3-0 first period lead but gave up four goals in five minutes early in the second. In off-ice happenings the Elora Rocks were found guilty of using illegal players and any points Product of U.SA. FRESH TASTY BROCCOLI EACH .79 Cut From Canada "A" Grades Beef Chuck SHORT RIB OR BLADE • ROAST 4.17 kg 1.89 b ADMIRAL SOCKEYE SALMON 213 g 1.69 HABITANT SOUP Assorted Varieties 28 oz .99 KNECHTEL SLICED SIDE BACON Regular or 33% Salt Reduced 500 g 1.99 Chef-Boy-Ar-Dee PASTA Assorted Varieties 425 g Tin .89 ■^.COMrilMENTS'^ SPARKLING WATER Assorted Varieties 1 Litre .79 BEATRICE CHOCOLATE MILK or Buttermilk 1 Utre Carton .99 MAJESTA BATHROOM TISSUE 2 Ply 16 Roll Pkg. 3.99 With This Coupon SAVE .75 Oft TtePurchnt of 2 - Anorttd VwMm 390 g Boi Quaker Ready-To-Serve INSTANT OATMEAL ^/•| OQxr Coupon Expire* Ssurdty, F*t 12,19M | 1 Coupon Valid Only Al KnechW Amoc. Store* 1 gained by Elora in games in which these players participated were awarded to the non-®ffending clubs. In total, seven Elora wins were reversed and the Rocks went from fourth place to a ninth place finish. The Crusaders record was not affected by the Elora situation. The remaining series match-ups include Tavistock/Palmerston, Durham/Arthur and Wiarton/ Lakeshore. Bantams begin playoff series against Zurich The Bantams opened their best two out of three playoff series against Zurich with an impressive 7 -1 victory. Trent Richmond led the goal scoring attack with three goals, while singles went to Brad Anderson, Brian Marks, Jason Rutledge and Mike Salverda. The winner of this series will play Huron Park. Yju can lose a lot more than your licence drinking and driving.