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Sports Oakville Beaver www.aplushomes.ca from 2 .4% ·Full MLS ·Full Service Call ADAM CAMPBELL Broker 905-844-4444 SPORTS EDITOR: JON KUIPERIJ Phone 905-845-3824 (ext. 255) Fax 905-337-5567 email sports@oakvillebeaver.com · WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2006 31 Blades struggling early with OHA crackdown Oakville yields four powerplay goals in loss By Herb Garbutt OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF LIESA KORTMANN / OAKVILLE BEAVER HOLD ON: Oakville Blades defenceman Cody Goloubef (19) clutches onto Hamilton Red Wings forward Corey Stringer during Monday's Provincial Junior A Hockey League game in Hamilton. The Blades were whistled for 70 minutes in penalties and allowed four powerplay goals in their 5-2 loss. It's unlikely that any of the Oakville Blades' players can remember hockey when they couldn't tug on a player with their stick as they followed him up the ice. But they're going to have to learn to play that way....and fast. The Blades opened the Provincial Junior A Hockey League season by taking just one point from the Hamilton Red Wings in a home-and-home series. And Monday's 5-2 loss was an indication that the Blades are having trouble adjusting to the Ontario Hockey Association's tighter enforcement of the rules. The Blades gave Hamilton 23 powerplay opportunities and the Wings capitalized on four of them. "Everybody is having a tough time adjusting to the new rules," Oakville coach and general manager Don Edwards said. "It took the NHL a little while to adjust and that's what we have to do. We have to play a little smarter." Although Oakville was better in the home opener -- giving the Wings 11 power plays -- it capitalized on only two of its 20 chances. Oakville fired 57 shots at Hamilton's Cameron Talbot but still needed goals from Chris Corbeil and Brandon DeFazio to overcome a 2-0 deficit. "I really thought we played well. We outplayed them and we played with a lot of energy," said Edwards. "We didn't get the result but we certainly got the effort." Edwards thought the Blades outplayed Hamilton in five-on-five situations Monday. The problem was, not much of the game was played with 10 skaters -- barely more than 19 minutes. Eventually Edwards sees the rules helping the Blades. "We're a quicker team," he said. "It's a new game, a speed game, and we're activating the `D' into a lot of our rushes." What will take time is building some chemistry with the forward lines. Edwards said last year was no different as the team had to find the right players to play together. The Blades have plenty of opportunity to experiment this weekend with three games in three days. Oakville hosts Brampton Friday at 7:30 at Dominion Twin Rinks, plays in Mississauga Saturday (8 p.m.) and, in a rematch of last year's league semifinal, plays Stouffville Sunday in Bowmanville (4:30 p.m.) as part of the Governor's Showcase. -- Herb Garbutt can be reached at sports@oakvillebeaver.com. INDOOR DEVELOPMENTAL & TECHNICAL ADVANCEMENT PROGRAMS U8/U9 & U10 Participants for these programs will be chosen September 23 & 24 Players are to attend both days of tryouts. CHECK OUR WEBSITE FOR COMPLETE DETAILS CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE TEAMS THAT PARTICIPATED IN THE LEAGUE CUP CHAMPIONSHIPS AND A SPECIAL NOD FOR THOSE THAT WERE CROWNED 2006 LEAGUE CUP CHAMPIONS! INDOOR SOCCER SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE CONTACT JOY at jneefs@oakville-soccer.on.ca 504 Iroquois Shore Rd., Unit #11, Oakville, ON L6H 3K4 Tel: 905-849-4436 Fax: 905-849-3677 Thanks to our Key Sponsors The Oakville Beaver A Proud Sponsor of Oakville Soccer Club