Whitchurch-Stouffville
October 09, 2008 08:58 PM
Mike Hayakawa
LAST WEEK: Friday - lost 5-4 in shootout against St. Michael’s Buzzers; Monday - lost 6-3 against Hamilton Red Wings. One shootout win, two shootout losses, nine losses. Last place in Central Division.
COMING UP: Tonight vs. Toronto Jr. Canadiens at Stouffville Arena, 7:30 p.m.; Sunday at Newmarket Hurricanes, 3:30 p.m.
GAME NOTES: Stouffville Spirit general manager and associate coach Mark Joslin took a seat in the stands rather than stand behind the bench during his team’s games last week. He didn’t like what he saw, especially with the Ontario Junior Hockey League club on a nine-game losing streak. The latest of those setbacks took place on the road, Friday against the St. Michael’s Buzzers 5-4 in Toronto and Monday against the Hamilton Red Wings 6-3.
In an effort to shake up the Spirit, Joslin wielded the axe after Tuesday’s practice. The Spirit put Michigan goalie Joe Moore on the trade wire and acquired netminder Kori Coelho, 19, from the Vaughan Vipers for cash. The Spirit also dealt forward Chad Beal to the North Bay Skyhawks of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League for cash. Other moves may follow, Joslin said.
In Monday’s loss in Hamilton, the Spirit trailed 2-0 after the first 20 minutes. But they exhibited signs of life in the second period as unanswered goals by Matt McCann on a power play and Matthew Neal helped the Spirit to tie the game. That would be short-lived as the Red Wings took advantage of two Spirit infractions and scored on each to take a 4-2 lead entering the final frame. After the Red Wings scored to open the third period, the Spirit countered with a goal by Massimo Lamacchia to cut their deficit to 5-3. That, however, would be as close as the Spirit would get as the Red Wings added an empty-net goal. The Red Wings outshot the Spirit 36-22.
Against St. Mike’s, the Spirit was six seconds away from snapping what was then a seven-game losing streak. Then, with an assist from a penalty call, the funk had new life as the Spirit fell 5-4 in a shootout to the Buzzers. The Spirit led 4-3 until the Buzzers tied the score with six seconds on the clock at historic St. Mike’s, where the Buzzers are money most nights. A boarding penalty to the Spirit’s Donald Maloney, son of Phoenix Coyotes general manager Don Maloney, with 29 seconds to go gave the Buzzers the power play opportunity. McCann scored three goals for the Spirit, including two on the power play and one shorthanded, Craig McDowell added the other marker during regulation time. In the shootout, Patrick McEachen scored the Spirit’s lone marker before Tyler Allen, the Buzzers’ fourth shooter, won the game with a goal.
INSIDER: Spirit goaltending legend Dan McWhinney has signed with the Dayton Bombers of the East Coast Hockey League. The native of Sault Ste. Marie played in the Central Hockey League with the Amarillo Gorillas last year and in Fort Wayne in old United League the year before. In his second season in Stouffville, McWhinney was named the 2005-06 Provincial Jr. A Hockey League’s North Conference MVP after a 20-9-8 season. He then backstopped the Spirit to the 2006 league finals with 18 wins and a 2.60 goals-against average in post-season play ... Former Spirit forward Cory Trivino scored in first game with Boston University in a 4-1 win over visiting University of New Brunswick last weekend.
GENERALLY SPEAKING: “We have tons of work that needs to be done. We’ve got to get better defensively. This needs to be addressed,” Joslin said. “We’re scoring enough goals and we’re getting our chances.”
Joslin is banking that Coelho, who has played with the Vipers and Couchiching Terriers, is part of the answer.
“We’ve got to try to boost our goaltending issues,” Joslin said. “Kori brings some experience, he was with Team Canada East last year in the World Junior A Challenge.
“As for Joe (Moore), we will try to find him a home in the Central Division so he can continue to develop.”
Moore was also purchased from Vaughan during the off-season.
Joslin attributed the defensive woes to a combination of his young forwards not paying enough attention to matters at the other end of the ice along with his veteran blueliners trying to compensate for them.
“We’re just not winning the third periods. Every team in our division can be beaten. We’re just not paying attention to detail and not playing a full 60 minutes,” he said. “When things go bad, they go bad. Sometimes when you’re struggling you find ways to lose.”
INSIDER: For live scoring and updates, go to pointstreak.com Most Spirit games are broadcast at whistleradio.com
For more information on the Spirit, go to:
stouffvillespirit.com