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Blades' Guzzo thrilled to be back By Jon Kuiperij BEAVER SPORTS EDITOR 25 · OAKVILLE BEAVER Wednesday, September 30, 2009 For a third-year player, Steven Guzzo was pretty excited when he scored his first goal of the Ontario Junior A Hockey League season last week in Mississauga. Then again, Guzzo is hardly your typical third-year player. The 19-year-old is just happy to be back playing for the Oakville Blades after missing almost all of last year because of a concussion. "It's a relief, "It's a relief, knowing knowing I'm I'm finally healthy and back finally healthy doing what I love," said Guzzo. "It took so long for and back doing me to heal. You eventually what I love." start thinking `will I ever get better?' And then, when Blades forward you do, it's a relief." Steven Guzzo Guzzo played only seven games last season, his year ending when he was elbowed in the back of the head while he was down on the ice. The local resident was initially instructed to wait a week and see how he felt. One week quickly became several, and Guzzo eventually made the difficult decision to take the safe route and miss the entire season. "I just figured I was going to be out for a while," Guzzo said. "It was better to play it safe than go back early and miss the next year too." That decision appears to have paid off. Guzzo said he feels 100 per cent again, a diagnosis that was confirmed during the preseason. "I got hit real hard, right to the head. The guy got a two-game suspension," Guzzo said. "When I first got hit, I got my stick up in the air. Then I calmed down and realized I was fine, that I wasn't injured." Now that he's back healthy, the forward is off to a hot start this season. Guzzo scored his first goal of the year last Wednesday in an 8-4 victory over the Mississauga Chargers, also adding two assists. He then collected four points in the Blades' two wins over the Milton IceHawks last weekend, including a two-goal effort Sunday. "I was pretty happy. It had been almost a year since I scored last," said Guzzo, who ranks second in Blades scoring so far with three goals and five helpers in five games. "I knew I could get the points. I was just not sure if I'd get as many because I hadn't played for so long." Blades pound Milton twice Guzzo had plenty of help last weekend as the Blades rolled to a pair of routs of the IceHawks. Thomas Evans, Dustin Alcock, Mike Ingoldsby, Mark McGowan, Kyle Lysaght, Josh Ranalli and Kyle Badham each scored in a 7-0 victory Friday at Joshua's Creek Arenas. Daniel Savelli only needed to make 12 saves to record the shutout. Sunday in Milton, Oakville completed the homeand-home sweep with a 9-1 win. Ranalli one-upped Guzzo's three-point output by scoring twice and adding two assists, while Kyle Badham moved into the team scoring lead with five helpers. Tyler Karius, Mark Bennett, McGowan, Alcock and Lysaght added markers in support of Savelli, who stopped 20 of 21 shots. The Blades will make their first lengthy trip of the season Friday, visiting the Couchiching Terriers in Orillia. Oakville will then return home Saturday to host the Trenton Golden Hawks, a 7:30 p.m. start at Joshua's Creek Arenas. GRAHAM PAINE / OAKVILLE BEAVER RETURNING TO ACTION: Oakville Blades forward Steven Guzzo (right) is back playing with the team after missing nearly all of last season with a concussion. Rower Aziz to Pull For A Cure Local rower Dan Aziz and his Brown University crewmates are attempting to raise $10,000 for breast cancer research and treatment. Aziz persuaded his teammates to use their entry in next month's Head of the Charles regatta to help others and created Pull For A Cure in an effort to raise money for breast cancer research and awareness. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Aziz, 20, was a promising young hockey player when he broke his neck in a wakeboard accident eight years ago. He began rowing four years ago and most recently helped the Ontario fours crew win gold at this year's Canada Summer Games. Aziz was featured in a recent Oakville Beaver article (http://www.oakvillebeaver.com/ news/article/278668). Any donations to Pull For A Cure would be greatly appreciated and would go directly to much-needed research and treatment. Donations will be recognized by Revenue Canada as a taxdeductable charitable donation. For more information on the American Cancer Society, visit http://main.acsevents.org/site/Pa geServer WINTER NON-CONTACT KINGS OF KAWARTHA: The Oakville novice AAA Rangers won the Kawartha Challenge Tournament recently. Novice AAA Rangers win first tournament The Oakville novice AAA Rangers have already accomplished something they didn't do last season: win a tournament. The team of seven- and eightyear-olds opened the hockey season recently by capturing gold at the Kawartha Challenge Tournament. Oakville posted an overall record of 5-1 in the tournament, shutting out its opponents three times. The Rangers clinched the gold with a 3-2 overtime victory over the Port Credit Storm in the final, with Mathew Hill providing the winner. Other members of the team are Lucas Lorimer, Grant Munden, Alton McDermott, Tanner Elson, Kyle Kachan, Matthew Franzoi, Jack Tos, Ty Jackson, Dylan Jackson, Bradley Somers, Michael Jackman, Duncan Penman, Michael Vukojevic, Aliesha Song, Ryan O`Hara and Will Thomas. Bryan McDermott is the team's head coach, assisted by Paul Jackson and Damon Kachan. H · Non-contact · Balanced teams · Prime time games! · No late night games · Sweaters/socks provided ADULT OCKE LEAGUE Y HALTON MEN'S HOCKEY LEAGUE · 53rd season of operation · Excellent officiating · Individual entries · Trophies · 30 Years+, 40+, 47+ Divisions INFORMATION AND/OR REGISTRATION BY PHONE (905)849-9712 or www.hmhl.bizland.com