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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2007-11-28, Page 12Page 12 The Huron Expositor • November 28, 2007 > ams: - r+niii Aaron Jacklin photos The Seaforth Storm petite ringette team won 6-2 against Forest at the Seaforth arena Sunday. Left, Seaforth player Jesse Hennessy barely keeps the ring from Forest player Madison Rombouts. Above, Kate Flanagan makes a break away. Seaforth hockey player competes in world juniors After getting a taste of ifltematlonal competition, Mike McLaughlin wants more Susan Hundertmark After tying for the lead scorer on the Canada East team and winning a silver medal during a recent World Junior A Challenge against teams around the world in Nelson, B.C., Seaforth's Mike McLaughlin is hoping he has another opportunity to play in an international tournament. "It was unbelievable - a chance of a lifetime - playing all those other guys, especially from Russia," he said in a phone interview from Toronto last week. "It was really good to .play at that calibre against other nations," he said. "We ate and slept hock- ey - I didn't want to leave." McLaughlin, who's currently playing for the Aurora Junior A Seaforth Community Hospital Foundation Fundraising Campaign PACS Carnpaigr Tigers, is enter - Northeastern University in Boston to play for the school's hockey team, the Huskies in the fall of 2008. Even after injuring his col - Mike McLaughlin larbone at a daylong train- ing camp for Team Canada in the summer, McLaughlin was invited to join the national junior A team for Canada East in the fall. There are 90 teams in Canada East from which the players were chosen. "They also watched us at the start of the season. They told me I'm a good all-round player on both ends of the ice," said McLaughlin, adding that he was one of five born in .1988 allowed on the 22- member teath. McLaughlin earned seven points during the international tourna- ment, scoring two goals - once to tie the game against Germany and one against Belarus - and five assists. "It was a confidence boost for sure," he said of the goals. "It's the best hockey he's played so far," added his dad Gerry. McLaughlin said the highlight was playing Russia because of the rivalry that continues between the two countries. "You could feel it on the ice. Everyone was all pumped up to play them," he said. McLaughlin was impressed by the cal- ibre of hockey played by the Russian team, which Canada East beat twice in close games. "The speed and skill they have is unbelievable - the way they could move the puck. If you took one shift off, they'd walk all over you," he said. Mike McLaughlin He's too old to play Canada East lost two games out of seven, losing the gold medal game against Canada West 4-1. "We were a little tired emotion- ally and physically because we played Russia the night before so we didn't play our best game," he said. "All of the teams were good. We didn't have one easy game," he said of the whole tournament. Since 14 of the Canadian players who played at the World Junior A Challenge ended up being draft- ed by the NHL, McLaughlin said it was a great tourna- ment. "There were more scouts there than fans," he said. 'The speed and skill they have is unbelievable - the way they could move the puck. If you took one shift off, they'd walk all over you,' -- Playing at an inter- . } in the Junior A national , level, Challenge again. McLaughlin said _he now realizes "But, I hope to play in an inter - the big step he's taking in the fall. national tournament again some "It made me see what it's going day," he said. to take to play at the next level," he said.