17 | T RAIDERS PLAYOFF PREVIEW Hills Halton - IFP he | Georgetown’s terrific net tandem ready for extended run 2018 1, March Thursday,

share the net with him.” the Oakville duo has combined for By Eamonn Maher During his eight years in charge 111 points in their rookie Jr. A cam- [email protected] of the Raiders, Walters has often paign. Twenty-year-old forward brought in affiliate players during Cameron Searles led the team Depending on how you look at the playoffs to replace underper- with 67 points. it, the Georgetown Raiders either forming regulars and hasn’t hesi- Meanwhile, the 36-12-3-3 Raid- have a wealth of talent between tated to switch netminders mid- ers scored 58 fewer goals than last the pipes heading into the series with the intent on swinging year’s powerhouse squad — which Junior Hockey League’s post-sea- momentum. sent star forwards Jack Jacome, son, or not enough playing time to “It helps a lot having Troy there,” and local native Josh Dickinson to keep two No. 1-calibre said Torchia, a fourth-round pick star for the NCAA’s top-10-ranked happy. of the OHL’s in team at Clarkson University — but Winning, of course, fixes most 2016. allowed just seven more this sea- problems, and Raiders’ head “It’s great to have someone to son thanks in part to an experi- coach and general manager Greg look up to and see the work he enced defence corps. Walters proved last year that alter- puts in and carries himself. That’s Another OHL castoff, 20-year- nating the net duties between vets been huge for me. (Since-traded old centre Jason Smith, tied for the Josh Astorino and Nick Latinovich Mario) Cavaliere was amazing too. team lead in scoring with fifth-year could be successful as the club When you see how they prepare Raider Andrew Court and Walters captured its first-ever Buckland before games, that’s what you want will be leaning on 1998-born for- Cup league title. to strive for.” wards Brendan D’Agostino, Jordan As the OJHL playoffs get under- Torchia also has some goalten- Crocker and Jonathan Hampton way in Georgetown Thursday night ding pedigree through father Mike, for some clutch goals. at the Alcott Arena, the West Divi- who spent four years with the sion-champion Raiders appear to and six games OJHL South/West Conference again have netminding exhibits with the Dallas Stars before em- Best-of-7 quarterfinal series 1 and 1A against the South/West barking on a lengthy minor-league Game 1 Thursday March 1 Conference’s seventh-seeded St. career. St. Michael’s at Georgetown, 7:30 p.m. Michael’s Buzzers in the best-of-7 Georgetown Raider goalies Troy Timpano (35) and Nathan Torchia (1) discuss “Making (Oshawa) next year is Game 2 series, with accomplished veteran Saturday March 3 strategy prior to the overtime period in a recent game against the South/West the goal,” he said. “I tried this year Troy Timpano and rising star Na- and just gotta keep working at it so St. Michael’s at Georgetown, 7:30 p.m. Conference-champion at the Alcott Arena. The Raiders begin Game 3 than Torchia in the fold. I make the team next year.” their first-round best-of-7 playoff series against St. Michael’s Thursday night Sunday, March 4 Pickering native Timpano, 20, Last time the Raiders faced St. Georgetown at St. Michael’s 2 p.m. was merely the starting keeper in on home ice. Ryan McCullough/ OJHL Images photo Mike’s in the playoffs, a peewee- Game 4 last spring’s Memorial Cup final sized 15-year-old named Mitch Tuesday, March 6 for the Erie Otters in a 4-3 loss to Marner debuted in a stacked Buzz- Georgetown at St. Michael’s 7:30 p.m. rebuilding Otters in early January, onship tournament, to be held in x-Game 5 the host , while while Torchia was picked up from Chilliwack, B.C. in mid-May. ers’ lineup that went on to capture Wednesday March 7 17-year-old Waterloo resident Tor- struggling Stouffville on Dec. 1 — “Whoever has the hot hand the 2012-13 OJHL Buckland Cup St. Michael’s at Georgetown, 7:30 p.m chia earned the OJHL - but both say they’re on board with should be in there. It’s all about title, knocking Georgetown out in x-Game 6 of-the-Month award for January the platoon system. winning at the end of the day, so the second round in five games. Friday, March 9 with a 7-0-0 record. Georgetown at St. Michael’s 7:30 p.m. “The Memorial Cup was fun. whatever it takes. (Nathan) brings This time around, the 24-25-3-2 x-Game 7 Each has taken different tra- The RBC (Royal Bank Cup) is next,” it every game and for me being an Buzzers have 16-year-old identi- Saturday, March 10 jectories to arrive in Georgetown remarked Timpano about the long older guy, to see that you owe the cal twins Dylan and Ty Jackson St. Michael’s at Georgetown, 7:30 p.m. — with Timpano released by the road to the national Jr. A champi- kid a lot of respect. 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