Acton/Georgetown, Friday, July 4, 2008 19 SPORTS & LEISURE Lewis new commish of Central League Local native in charge of 16-team minor pro loop EAMONN MAHER The Georgetown District High Staff Writer School grad suited for the local Jr. B Raiders for three seasons before Growing up in Halton Hills as the attending Laurentian University in son of a ref- Sudbury, where he played for the eree, it wasn’t a good idea for Duane Voyageurs’ varsity hockey team for Lewis to show outwardly his support four years. for any big-league team. Graduating with an honours At age 35, things haven’t really degree in economics and a minor in changed for the newly named com- sports administration, Lewis also missioner of the Central Hockey spent his summers on internships League, which is considered to be with the NHL’s Officiating, Central two rungs down from the NHL. Scouting and Public Relations, while Lewis actually has been perform- his dad Bryan served as the league’s ing the commissioner’s duties with Director of Officiating. the 16-team CHL for the past year, The 6-foot-3, 200-pound forward after his predecessor, Brad Treliving, then went on to play in the Western moved on to become assistant gener- Professional Hockey League for one al manager for the NHL’s Phoenix season with the New Mexico Coyotes. Scorpions and Amarillo Rattlers. In the spring of 1997, with his marriage to Kim imminent, he went looking for a front-office job with any team and fired off his resume´, only to Bulldog blitz at Day of Champs receive a call from the WPHL. Phillip White (top left, jersey) and teammate Jordan McCullough of the Royal Canadian “They had an opening for manag- Legion Bulldogs close down the running room for Mike Harwood of Milton Maximum Heating er of hockey operations and I didn’t during the peewee division bronze medal game at the recent Halton Hills Minor know if I was qualified enough for it, Association Day of Champs. Despite great chances to score at both ends of the floor, the and I’m grateful they took a chance Milton squad pulled off a 7-2 triumph. on me,” he said. “I was so excited I don’t think I even asked how much the pay was. But it’s turned out to be a pretty good opportunity for me.” ’Dogs grab 2-0 series lead Lewis was in the operations’ man- ager position for several years, dur- ing which time the WPHL merged DUANE LEWIS with the Central League, and he was with 6-5 win in Newmarket named senior vice president of oper- Nic Grasby scored four times and assisted ie Kody Lyons adding three assists. Michael And while Lewis said he wouldn’t ations in 2002. rule out making the same move to on another goal as the Cregan earned the win in goal for Halton Hills. He added that the majority of cur- held off the host Newmarket Saints 6-5 on Forward Brendan MacDonald missed the work for an NHL franchise one day, rent franchises are doing well and Wednesday evening at the Ray Twinney game due to illness while Mike Burke sat out he’s quite content to remain in his that the average league attendance is current role as a voice of objectivity. above 4,000 fans per game. The CHL Complex. the first of a two-game suspension for a butt- The CHL is out to prove that minor is actually a subsidiary of Global The Bulldogs now lead their best-of-5 ending incident in the series opener. Matt pro hockey can be a financially viable Entertainment Corporation, a sports Ontario Lacrosse Association East Conference Laidlaw has one more contest to sit in his entertainment option for residents of management company that also Jr. B quarterfinal playoff matchup with the seven-game suspension. nine southern U.S. states, where builds and manages arenas that are in Saints two games to none, with an If game four is required, it some NHL teams have struggled. the 5,000 to 7,000 seat range, mainly opportunity to close out the series would be played Sunday evening He noted that his favourite team is in mid-size markets on the outskirts Saturday night at the Alcott Arena in Newmarket at 7 p.m. “the officials.” of major cities such as Dallas. beginning at 7:30 p.m. The fourth-place Bulldogs fin- “I always have to look at it from a “New fans of the game tell us that The teams were tied at two ished just two points ahead of the league perspective and not show once they walk into an arena for the after the first period, with the vis- fifth-place Saints in the OLA regu- favouritism to any individual teams,” first time to see it live, they can’t iting ’Dogs pulling ahead for good lar season standings. said Lewis, who resides with wife believe how exciting it is and that by taking a 5-3 advantage into the In the other East Conference Kim and one-year-old daughter they can’t follow it on TV,” he said. Emerson near the CHL head office in second intermission. Grasby pot- first-round series, the seventh- “It’s our job to turn people on to ted his fourth goal of the game place Barrie Tornado shocked the Tempe, Arizona. hockey down here and basically “You have to be so unbiased and with 6:22 left in regulation and Green Gaels of Clarington 10-6 on we’re offering the entertainment Newmarket found the net with just seven sec- Monday night to tie that series at one game be able to put your head down on the experience of the lower bowl of an onds remaining. each. Sixth-seeded Mimico is up 2-0 on pillow at night knowing you’re doing NHL arena with club seats. And the what’s in the best interests of all 16 players love it because they get to Leading scorer Pat Saunders and Ryan Nepean, and conference champ Oakville also teams.” play golf 12 months of the year.” Haynes also tallied for the Bulldogs, with rook- took the first two games against Akwesasne. 2009 COROLLA CE LEASE FOR Total • AC • CD • POWER LOCKS • ABS $ Relief $16,425$16,425 229 + TAXES PER MONTH FOR 48 MONTHS WITH $2350 DOWN OR Event MSRP TRADE EQUIVALENT. FREIGHT AND P.D.E. INCLUDED. BU4ZEM-B *Lease payments are plus taxes. All leases are 24,000 km per year with an excess mileage charge of .07¢ per km. See dealer for full details. 15 MOUNTAINVIEW RD. N., GEORGETOWN 905-877-2296 GEORGETOWN TOYOTA SALES WEBSITE at www.georgetowntoyota.com