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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1992-04-22, Page 15Times -Advocate, April 22, 1992 Page 15 Mohawks capture provincial Senior 'A' championship, sweep SteepleJacks in four games straight By Prod Groves EXETER - 'It was a night when the winning goal was hooted into the empty net. It was a night when a broom was thrown onto the ice. Alit was a night the Exeter Mohawks will never forgot. Tuesday night in front of a near capacity crowd, the Mohawks won the Ontario Hockey Association Senior 'A' championship, sweeping the Pt. Edward Steeple - Jacks in four games. A year ago, Pi Edward eliminated Exeter in the semi-finals in four straight Although the Mohawks swept the series, all the games were close:Tuesday's contest ended at 4=3, just like Games One and Two and the third game was a 6- 5 win. The difference between Exeter and Pt Edward was not hard to spot It was depth that made the Mohawks number one. 'They -ER -Edward] could have won lour in a row. AVe<had=fttene=depth. Tire- tough -part -was guys sitting out," said veteran defenceman Barry Baynham. It was his fourth senior championship in three dec- ades. Three years ago, the Mohawks won the OHA Senior 'B' crown. Baynham said this year's battle to the top was a lot tougher. "The finals that year were nothing. This year...I wasn't even sure of winning tonight." Greg Payne, Andre Prevost, Wayne Urbshott, Dale Timmermans, Mark Soehner, Richard Hawkins, Paul Woolford and Dave Wilson all watched from the stands Tuesday night Exeter coach Dave Revington said a coach has to coach with his head and not his heart if he wants to win. He said it was weighing heavy on his mind having guys like Dave Randerson and Paul Barton in the line- up who saw very little duty during the rest of the year. "Of course it does, but that's my job. My mandate when I started here was to win the Ontario champion- ship," said Revington. At the beginning of the season, he was confident his club could reach the finals. "You have to approach the season that way, if not, you haven't done your recruiting." The Mohawks did a good job of seeking new players. for the 1991-92 season as they had rookies Scott Pfaff and Craig Oster up front as well as Wilson on the blueline. Jeff Hill was a capable backup behind goalie Rick Pikul. But recruiting also meant coaxing Soehner back from retirement and getting Kevin McArter, Tim Fritz, Randerson and Barton .to rejoin the team. More intense: 'Even 'some of -the veterans. realized they had to work extra hard in the playoffs just to make the lineup. Jeff Shipley, who scored ooe goal and eel up anothci was worried he might not 'be playing in Tuesday's game. "It was the first time I didn't knew if Pd be in the lineup or not." said Shipley. "I wasniplaying up to my .potential and 1 had to prove a point." He added he was on a Junior 'D' champlanship team in Lucan when Revington coached and felt he owed the coach something. Shipley stole the puck deep in the SteepleJacks zone and fed Iinemate Dale Gibbon who snapped it past Jeff Simpson giving the Mohawks a 1-0 Iead in the firstpe- riod. In the second frame, Pt. Edward's Mike Dark blasted one from the point which caught Pikul off guard. With just 2:42 left in the middle period, Shipley rushed down the right side and poked it in. In the third, Joe Scherer, Oster and Grey Snyder all had chances but Simpson came up with big saves. But Tim Shields flit the crossbar and Barton put tome the rcbound-tomake -it 3-1.. , • Not out of it at this point, Tim Allen pulled the visi- tors to within one but Oster scored into an empty net with 18 seconds left. That proved to be the winning goal as SteepleJacks' Jamie Dabonovich `scored with two ticks on the clock. Top performance: Many will agree Pikul was the star of the playoffs. He started 16 straight post -season games for the Mohawks and was a big reason they knocked off Elora Rocks four straight in the semi- finals. After the game Pikul looked tired and said it was doubtful he would be retuming next year after seven outstanding seasons. He wasn't surprised the Mohawks beat Elora and Pt. Edward both in four games straight. "I think after -the Dunnville series we got on a roll. It was a character builder." Exeter and the Mudcats battled to a seventh and final game for the Southern Counties League title. Pikul was a member of the team that won the B' title three years ago. "This .doesn't compare, we had to get through a lot more this year." And what about next season? Pikul has announced he is retiring and there have been rumours others may call it quits as well. "A lot of guys on this team, coaches, players and ex- ecutive may think they may not be back next year," said Revington. Mohawks' moments:—Tickets for the Awards and Appreciation Night which will be held May 2 in Hen - salt can be purchased from any executive or Booster Club member...Former Mohawks' defenceman Les Arts who.played.professional hockey in Holland this *nter, was at Tuesday's game... Barry Ba celebrates his, fotolt senior hockey championship in three decades :;{with a drink from EXETER MOHAWKS PLAYOFF STATISTICS FORWARDS G A Joe Scherer 20 16 Greg Snyder 8 14 Kevin McArter 11 10 Craig Oster 5 14 Tian Shields 5 _.17 Gord Brooks 7 4 36 4 Jeff Shipley 5 Tim. Fritz 1 69 Greg Payne 5 21 21 'gym Prevost 3 3319 Dale Gibbon 6 22 12 Richard Hawkins . 2 11 2 Sett Pfaff 3 Dave Randerson 2 Bill Glover 2 Paul Barton 1 Wayne Urbshott 0 Eimer Mohawks Gord Brooks, left; Barry Ba ed the championship trophy by convener Bob ham, Joe Scherer and Jeff Shipley are present- abkirk. 6 11 68 10 11 8 5 10 2 4 7 10 4 10 16 2 4 41 6 9 6 3 5 0 2 4 4 2 3 0 1 1 2 DEFENCE G A P PIM Chet Couture 1 10 11 16 Kris Bedard 3 11 14 18 Ron Elliott 2 7 9 14 Mark Soehner 1 5 6 60 Barry Baynham 1 2 3 37 Jeff Warren 2 4 6 8 Jeff McLenaghan 2 3 5 0 Dale Timmerman 0 0 0 25 Dave Wilson 0 1 1 2 GOALTENDING MPGA AVG. 1.080 58 3.86 60 5 5.00 Rick Pikul Jeff Hill Ther wore lots of smiles and pats on the hacks as the Exeter Mohawks gather around goalie Rick Pikul to celebrate. Getting a beer shampoo was trainer Mike Sold tn.