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Sports Oakville Beaver By Jon Kuiperij BEAVER SPORTS EDITOR SPORTS EDITOR: JON KUIPERIJ Phone 905-845-3824 (ext. 255) Fax 905-337-5567 email sports@oakvillebeaver.com · FRIDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2006 43 English hockey squad aims to prove itself Minor bantams in Richard Bell tournament season. "Hopefully we'll surprise a few people. We don't mind doing it. "I think we can put up a good Walking through airports or into showing against most teams," he arenas with English flag-adorned continued. "Last year's team finished hockey bags slung over their shoul- third out of six teams in a tournaders, Jacob Care and his teammates ment in Windsor, and this team receive their share of quizzical looks. played in a tournament in Prague "When I got here (to and lost in the semifiCanada), people were saynals in a shootout, so ing `you play hockey in we're up there. There England? Hope we don't just isn't enough rinks whip you too much'," the in Great Britain. Until captain of England's there's more money to national minor bantam build more rinks, our hockey team said with a progress is not going smile Wednesday afterto be very quick." noon at Glen Abbey Peacock estimated Recreation Centre. "We feel we can there are only 40 hockey arenas in show them wrong. We're not as bad the entire United Kingdom, includas you think we are." ing a couple of twin-pad facilities. The English squad demonstrated "Our players until about 16 can that in Wednesday's exhibition game skate with the best in the world, but against the Bay County (Michigan) after that they need better coaching Blizzard, a warm-up contest for the and more ice time," he said. "That's Richard Bell Memorial International where they get lost." Minor Hockey Tournament that conAllowing that European hockey tinues today and tomorrow at rinks players are known more for their throughout the town. puckhandling skills After playing on their "We've got a while North American heels much of the open- few good players players are typically griting period and allowing on the team who ty and physical, Peacock the first goal, the English said the English game is have good responded with two quick a nice mixture of both. markers and went on to hands, but I like England didn't shy away just thumping down the Blizzard 3-1. from much of the body England coach Tim people." contact during its exhiPeacock, a Toronto native bition game against Bay who played tier two jun- England captain County. ior hockey before moving Jacob Care "Back home, it's overseas in 1979, says his quite physical. We've clubs always feel they have some- got a few good players on the team thing to prove. who have good hands, but I like just "When we (signed up) for this thumping people," Care added. tournament, they kind of laughed at "Teams pass a lot faster here, not us and didn't believe we played hock- as much time as we have back home. ey over there," said the 48-year-old, You have to think faster and react whose son Craig is leading the faster." Greater Metro Jr. A Hockey League's -- Jon Kuiperij can be reached at Richmond Hill Rams in scoring this sports@oakvillebeaver.com. LIESA KORTMANN / OAKVILLE BEAVER BRITISH BANTAMS: England's James Griffin (in white) and Bay County Blizzard player Jaycob McCombs (left) follow the puck during Wednesday's exhibition game at Glen Abbey Recreation Centre. Local squads start tournament strong As of yesterday afternoon, 10 of 12 local teams participating in the Richard Bell Memorial International Minor Hockey Tournament had yet to taste defeat. Leading the way were the minor atom A and minor peewee AA Rangers (both 3-0), while the minor peewee A and minor peewee AE Rangers were 2-0. Among the early tournament highlights were the minor atom A Rangers' 9-0 win over Brampton (Drew Doherty had a hat trick while Michael MacDonald and Ryan Tomka each scored twice), the minor peewee AA Rangers' 7-1 rout of Richmond Hill (Dan Chun hat trick), the minor peewee A Rangers' 5-1 victories over Hamilton and Brampton (Nicholas Labrosse and Justin Bowie each with hat tricks), the minor peewee AE Rangers' 5-1 win over TNT (Rhys Maguire hat trick) and the minor midget AA Rangers' 6-0 blanking of Finland (Alex Germano hat trick). Tournament finals will be contested today and tomorrow. Metroland Request your copy of... Canada's FILL OUT THIS BALLOT FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN! or you can enter online at contests.metroland.com MAIL ENTRIES TO: SEARS TRISHA ROMANCE CONTEST, Metroland Corporate Sales, 10 Tempo Ave., Willowdale, Ontario M2H 2N8 Live It! 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