6 Raiders, IceHawks get back to basics

By EAMONN MAHER Georgetown led 2-0 heading three-point difference sepa- Ben Blacker, an Oakville resi- Staff Writer into game three Wednesday rating the teams. Milton won dent. at the Alcott Arena, would be the season series 3-1. The series also offers a Not since 2005 have the compelling enough to get lo- “We dominated them in sneak peak at a potential fu- and Mil- cal residents out to one of the the last two (regular season) ture star in 15-year-old for- ton IceHawks met in the play- contests. games, scored two goals and ward Adam Mascherin (see offs and a rekindling of the The Raiders have won both lost both because their goalie story on page 2), a call-up North Halton rivalry couldn’t games by a in a tightly was spectacular. We’re evenly by the Raiders after his mi- have come at a better time for contested matchup that has matched teams with two out- nor midget AAA team, the both Jr. A clubs. been an interesting and en- standing 16-year-olds in net Vaughan Kings, were elimi- Once one of the better-sup- tertaining on many fronts, and it’s going to be a battle for nated from their league play- ported teams in the even though the gates weren’t sure. We think we’re a better offs. Junior Hockey League, the

RAIDER PLAYOFF PREVIEW • MARCH 6, 2014 6, 2014 • MARCH PREVIEW PLAYOFF RAIDER much larger than during the team when we’re rolling lines As for Walters and Cur- Raiders have dropped to 16th regular season in either rink. and everyone’s going. Every- rie, who played pro hockey out of the 22 teams in atten- Georgetown entered the one knows our defensive sys- together in the International dance with an average of just playoffs as one of the hottest tem and we’re not going to get Hockey League with the Chi- 143 spectators per game, ac- teams in the league with 11 carried away with line match- cago Wolves in 1995-96, there cording to the loop’s statistics wins in its last 14 starts, in- ups. We’ve been disciplined are apparently no side wagers website poinstreak.com, by cluding victories over heavy- and that’s going to be huge between them on the outcome far the lowest total since those weights Kingston, in this series. We’ve kept our of the series. numbers were first compiled Lakeshore and Cobourg. emotions in check and they’ve “Dan’s a very good friend of in 2005-06. At that time, the The IceHawks, meanwhile, GREG WALTERS got an elite power play unit, myself and (Raiders’ assistant Milton franchise boasted the have undergone a resurgence so we’ll have to stay out of the coach) Terry (Richardson) highest attendance figures under head coach Dan Cur- Gottzmann and Elliot Kane, box.” and we’ll put that aside for in the league at 931, which rie, who was an assistant to while Raiders’ captain Steve In past years, the Raiders the next week or so,” chuckled is now one-quarter of that Raiders’ bench boss & GM Hladin was second among all have acquired 20-year-olds to 43-year-old Walters. amount. Greg Walters until the former OJHL scorers with 38 goals tend goal but they’ve found a “May the best team win, So both teams are hope- left to take the job in Milton. and 45 assists in 53 games. homegrown gem in Michael right? There are no bets. We ful that their first-roundThe IceHawks possess one “It was so close between McNiven, who’ll stare across haven’t talked to him and we’ll post-season clash between of the top lines in the league three and six (in the confer- the ice at another 16-year-old keep it that way. Everybody’s the third-place Raiders and in Shane Bennett, Jeremy ence),” said Walters of the standout in the Milton net in focused on their own game.” sixth-seeded IceHawks, which

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