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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1985-04-03, Page 21as SIGNAL -STAR RECREA 137 YEAR ---14 4.1 Gi GODERICH, ONTARIO, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3,1985 50 CENTS PER COPY Sunset players Brian Rumig (left) and Phil Arthur congratulate goaltender Dennis Kerr after winning the final game of the Goderich Recreational Hockey League finals. Sunset took the best -of -three series two games to one, winning the final game 3-1. (photo by Patrick Raftis) Sunset goaltender Dennis Kerr dives after a loose puck near his net as a Bedford Flyers player races into the crease area. Sunset's Leroy Meriam (left) appearsto be impeding the Bedford skater's progress with a hook from behind, during Recreational League Hockey final series play, here Thursday evening. The Sunset squad won the best -of -three series two games to one to claim the league championship title, after finishing in first place during the regular season.),(photo by Patrick Raftis ) Sunset rises to victory over Bedford Flyers in Rec League After burning up the Goderich Recrea- tional Hockey League, to finish on top with a regular season record of 21 wins, five losses and two ties, Sunset Golf prevailed in the playoffs, -beating the Bedford Flyers two games to one in the final series. The Flyers, who made the finals on grit and hard work after finishing the season in fourth place, with a 12-12-4 record, made Sunset sweat, by taking the best -of three series to the limit. Sunset won the first game 7-2, but came to the second game with celebration plans already made and dropped an 8-1 decision to the revitalized Bedford crew. The third game was a 3-1 cliff-hanger, with the out- come in doubt until Sunset's Phil Arthur scored the insurance goal into an empty net, with less than a minute left to play. In the'series opener, Sunset ran up a 5-0 lead by the tune two minutes had elapsed in the second period. Bedford came back with two goals, one at 10:49 of the second frame and another just 51 seconds into the third. However, two late third period goals by Sunset sealed the victory for the golf club. Phil Arthur and Kevin Meriam did the scoring for Sunset in the opener, with Meriam scoring four times and assisting on a goal, while Arthur netted a hat trick and added o assists. Jerry Rozendal and Ron Corriveau replied for Bedford. Corriveau fired four goals for Bedford in game two, with singles scored by John Lehay, Willy Denomme, Phil'Paquette and Brian Moody. Jim Farrish netted the lone tally for Sunset. In the final game, Sunset took the lead in the second period, after a scoreless first frame and managed to stay in front the whole game, despite a third -period "Bed- ford marker by Jerry Rozendal. Phil Arthur scored twice for the winners, while Dale Duncan scored the other Sunset goal. Sunset centre. Dale Duncan isn't giving Bedford Flyers' Tim Doherty any room to breathe in front of the Sunset goal, during the second game of the Recreational League championship series. Sunset won the series two games to one. (photo by Patrick Raftis) Sunset centre Dale Duncan plants himself in front of Bedford Flyers' goaltender Derek Divok, during final series action between the two Goderich Recreational League teams. `Flyers defender Barry Bloch keeps Duncan in check. Sunset won the series two games to one to take the league championship. 1 photo by Patrick Raftis ) Ni htmare time. for young hockey stars Top-ranked Junior and university . hockey players currently in theirdraft ye seasons (18 -ars -o up in a cold sweat these days. The tension is natural for someone facing such an impor- tant step in his career, one over which he has no control. But this year, it must be just a little worse. •. Normally, being selected first overall in the draft, the NHL's method of indenturing young hockey players, is considered an honor. First overall picks can look forward to instant celebrity status and a contract insuring a bank account bigger than Brian Mulroney's. But this year, there's a catch! The ill- fated skater who is chosen first next spring will have the misfortune of becoming the Toronto Maple Leafs' next savior. .The Leafs,,you see, are doomed to finish last, in a 21 -team league that includes such poor excuses for hockey teams as the New Jersey Devilsiand the Vancouver Canucks. As such, they have earned the right to choose the most promising young hockey player available, and promptly ruin turn. Whoever the unfortunate one is, he roust banish all hope of ever sipping champagne from the Stanley Cup, until he is fortunate enough to fall into the disfavor of the Leafs' management. If he is lucky, he will then be traded to some team with less disastrous fortunes. The Chosen One can at least take some solace in the company of the lengthy list of renoWned who have been dubbed the salvationpredecessors f the franchise in the past. SP,D$TS VIEW BY PATRICK RAFTIS Darryl Sittler, Ian Turnbull and Lanny MacDonald have all borne the dubious label at one time, and all of them came via the draft route. Current Leaf Captain Rick Vaive is one notable exception, having been traded into the Leafs Hockey Hall of Horrors. Vaive, as you've probably noticed is presently in the organization's dog house, as evidenced by his recent benching, which followed his public expression of distaste for Leaf head=coach Dan Maloney. Vaive, I expect, is on his way out. The Leaf's will have only one first-round choice this year, having turned down at least one extra first-round pick, offered by the Edmonton Oilers in exchange fir defensive stalwart Borje Salming. It's pro - to pick p the extra draft, as past aswell ex- periments p periments with multiple first for rthend da picks haven't exactly panned m. Several years ago the Leafs had no less than three first-round choices, none of whom are still with the team. That season, Lanny MacDonald, Ian Turnbull and Bob, Neeley were all added to the roster. MacDonald and Turnbull, were both talented-pTayers and a o wittr-Satrrung:'. Darryl Sittler Tiger Williams and now exiled goaltender Mike Palmateer, formed the nucleus of the closest thing the Leafs have had to a respectable team in recent memory. Neeley was a goon, and not a very good one, he's history now. Of the above players, the Leafs retained only Sa)ming, while MacDonald at least continues to statavith the Calgary Flames. !, This year the Leafs tried a new ap- proach, ' in installing two youthful goaltenders as the team's 1984-85 saviors. Both Alan Bester arid Ken Wregget were fine .goaltenders before their exposure to! life behind the porous Maple Leaf defence corps. Now shell-shocked, Bester; languishes in St. Catharines, while Wreg- get sees spot duty with the big team, usual- ly getting blown out of the water, as he did against Detroit on the weekend. Since Tirn Bernhardt got his chance and proved to .be a dependable puckstopper, I predict one of the youngsters, probably Bester, will be put on the trading blocks in an attempt to pick up a goal -scorer before nex4season. Regardless of the change made before next season, one thing is certain, a lot of pressure will fall on the young man who loses the lottery this spring. As a first choice, he will be expected to become a superstar within a few years. As a Leaf, his chances of doing that are slim. Leroy Meriam (left), of the Sunset Golf team and Bedford Flyers' Paul Corriveau crash to the ice after colliding during the final game of the Goderich Recreational Hockey League playoffs. Sunset won the series two games to one to take the league title. (photo by Patrick Raftis) France will continue Mustangs consiae� rop to Jr. D league CLINTON - The Mustang hockey fran- chise will continue in Clinton, and if everything goes as planned, they will be playing at the Junior D level instead of Junior C. The fate of the franchise was in jeopardy after a meeting on March 14 failed to draw five volunteers to sit on the executive. Twenty-two people were present for the meeting with 17 motioning that they would like to see the franchise remain in Clinton. However, prior committrnents prevented those .present from taking on -the respon- sibilities of an executive member. A second meeting on March 26 produced better results. Bryan Marriage was elected president and will be work with first vice- president- Jack Hart, second vice-president Butch Elliott, secretary Cleo Colquhoun and treasurer Debbie Bailey. Although it was decided to apply for the Junior D league status after approximately Ib years of Junior C action, Mr. Marriage said that the, club is "keeping both sides of the fence open." The Clinton Mustangs are a member of the Junior C league, and will remain so until they have been accepted into Junior D. If they are not accepted, the club will still be eligible for Junior C. The decision to go. Junior D was made for several reasons. According to Mr. Mar- riage, more local boys will have the oppor- tunity to play, travelling and mileage ex- penses will be cut and it is hoped that better crowds will attend games and support the team. Specific plans for fund raising have not been made at this point, but Mr. Marriage believes that two or three events will be held over the summer to help the club reduce its deficit. The Mustangs' net operating list from June 1, 1984 to February 28, 1985 was 6;.3,452.30, plus an additional $2,389.59 in outstanding bills. These' financial reasons - were a major influence on the franchise's decision to take the Junior D route. If the Mustangs are accepted into Junior D, they will be facing teams from Seaforth, E eter,o Mitchell, Lucan, Tavistock,, Bel- mont, Mount Bridges, Thamesford, Thed- ford and Bothwell.