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The Citizen, 1988-09-21, Page 26PAGE 26. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 1988. Bulls tune up against Junior 'C'teams Brussels Bulls [In white] and a Hanover stick-handler struggle for control of the puck behind the Brussels net at the Wlngham Arena on Sunday, in one of the season's first exhibition games. Bulls coaches Steve Coulter and Hugh Nichol have already signed 11 players for the 1988-89 season. The Brussels Bulls opened their exhibition schedule Saturday los­ ing a hard fought contest to the Hanover Jr. C. Barons. End to end rushes, hard hitting, and the presence of a lingering fog over the ice surface was the story of the day. Hanover opened the scoring midway through the first period and controlled play until with just under two minutes remaining, the Bull’s Sean Kieffer from Paul Coultes and Ken Jacklin tied the score. In the second period, costly penalties, including a match to the Bulls Mike Vincent allowed the Sports Hanover powerplay to score three consecutive goals. A Ron Strome tally from Brian Campbell was matched by a late Barons goal and Hanover lead 5-2 after 40 minutes of play. A determined Bulls squad took full advantage of a Hanover goaltending change in the third. Dwaine Nicholls from Bob McMil­ lan and Steve Wheeler followed 12 seconds later by an unassisted effort by Nicholls, followed two minutes later by a Brian Campbell socre from Ron Buchanan quickly tied the game. Unfortunately Hanover regrouped for two more goals of their own. Campbell scored his second of the night to bring Brussels to within one, but the Hanover team added one more to clinch an 8-6 victory. The Bulls Greg McClement enjoyed an excellent 30 minutes of play until being replaced by Murray Townsend who also gave a solid performance. Sunday afternoon saw the Jun­ iors travel to Port Elgin to play the Jr. C. Bears. However, unlike Saturday’s outing, this game was never in doubt. The larger, more experienced Port Elgin club com­ pletely dominated the first period outscoring the Bulls 4-0. Sean Kieffer from Kevin Talsma and Peter Bosch, followed by a Bill Kinahan goal from Ron Strome gave the Bulls life in the second period, but the Bears added four more goals for a commanding 8-2 lead after 40 minutes. In the third, Bob MacMillan scored a powerplay marker assist­ ed by Talsma and Dean Smith to end the Bulls scoring while Port Elgin added three more goals for a convincing 11-3 victory. The Bulls were at a definite handicap in this match as four players, including their number one forward unit were elected during the second period of play. A point of interest is while Brussels has had perhaps 35 players to choose from at try-outs the Hanover Club had a training camp of 75 hopefuls, while Port Elgin have looked at over 100 skaters in their camp. Mocfccy BLYTH INDUSTRIAL HOCKEY LEAGUE REGISTRATION BEFORE0CT0BER7 Call Kevin Coultes 523-4927 or Jim Dickson, 523-9706 Fee: $100 BRUSSELS FIGURE SKATING CLUB is having SKATING REGISTRATION SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24th 10A.M. TO 12 NOON at upstairsB.M.&G. Community Centre Please register that day so that ice time can be arranged. Skating is to start October 20 thru to March. Information available at the Brussels Fair or from Pres. Debbie Seili 887-6289 anytime or Treas. Judy Hahn 887-6959. Sofelsw.27 -Oa.l 20%^ /moifa. ‘BnaueU %$7-9731 Menzies, Wheeler to skate in US, Russian competitions The Brussels area’s world-class skater Kevin Wheeler and his Senior Pairs partner, Michelle Menzies of Preston, have been chosen to represent Canada at the prestigious Skate America compe­ tition in Portland, Maine, early next month, and then to go on to Skate Russia in Leningrad early in November. International competition is no stranger to the talented duo, who last summer captured the gold medals at two European interna­ tional meets during their first year skating as Seniors; and who in 1986 won the silver medal at an inter national eve nt in England, skating as Seniors although they were still technically Juniors at the time. They also just missed being named to Canada’s Olympic Team in Calgary last February, placing fifth overall in the National Cham­ pionships in Victoria, which deter­ mined which skaters made the Olympic team. Only the top three athletes in each senior discipline go on to compete at the Olympics. Skate America and Skate Russia are part of a series of international competitions hosted each year by several nations around the world, with the Canadian Figure Skating Association (CFSA) selecting two members of its National Team in one or more disciplines to repre­ sent Canada, partially subsidizing their expeuses. To qualify as members of the National Team, competitors must have placed in the top five in international competition, and in the top four in Canada; in February, 1987, Mr. Wheeler and Miss Menzies placed first to take the gold medal at the Canadian National Figure Skating Championships in Ottawa. However, before they head off to the international competitions, the pair is taking part in an unusual and exciting event called Champions on Ice, a seven-week tour in which for the first time in Canadian skating history, professional and amateur champions (in a 50-50 ratio) will blend their talents, not only as entertainers, but to raise much-needed funds for the local clubs which host them from Ontario to the Maritimes. Because of their demanding schedule in preparing for interna­ tional competition in October, Mr. Wheeler and Miss Menzies chose to participate in the Champions on Ice tour for only one week: on September 26, they skate in Sault Ste. Marie; on the-27th, in Sudbury; on the 28th, in North Bay; on the 29th, in Oshawa; and on the 30th, in Peterborough; before returning to their base, Kerry Leitch’s National Pairs Centre in Cambridge, for some final coach­ ing before leaving for Maine. Champions on Ice is an all-Can- adian star-studded gala headlined by such legendary skaters as Brian Orser and pairs Tracy Wilson/Rob McCall and Barbara Underhill/ Paul Martini. It is an idea born early this past summer by the non-profit CFSA, whose organi­ zers saw the potential for channell­ ing public Olympic excitement (especially afterthe victories of Mr. Orser and Elizabeth Manley in Calgary; into the development of future international stars. Organi­ zers estimate that each local skating club participating in the tour could earn between $3,000 and $6,000 for its own coffers, depending upon the size of its arena. Tickets to each event cost $14. At each show location, the two-hour program will feature its professional stars, headed by Mr. Orser, and augmented during the tour by a rotating schedule of current Canadian National team members suchas Mr. Wheeler and Miss Menzies. In addition, each program will be rounded out during its opening and closing sections by host club skaters of all ages, giving everyone a chance to skate with the champions. The tour got underway last Sunday afternoon with a show at the Kitchener Memorial Auditori­ um, hosted by the K-W Skating Club, and one in the evening at the Guelph Memorial Gardens, hosted by the Guelph Figure Skating Club. The Brussels-Blyth area’s other champions, Ice Dancing stars Peter MacDonald and Kerrie Shepherd, took part in one of the group numbers in both shows. - MANNING'S K BOMBSHELL “ CLEAROUT PORTING GOODS,. EVENT . * \ \4 END OF SEASON CLEAROUT ON ALL BASEBALL EQUIPMENT GET GEARED UP FOR WINTER OUR HOCKEY STOCK HAS ARRIVED COME IN TODA Y & SEE THE BARGAINS MANNING’S BUILDING SUPPLIES LIMITED BLYTH 523-9305