Sports
November 13, 2008 09:59 PM
Mike Hayakawa
LAST WEEK: Friday - lost 5-1 vs. Markham Waxers; Monday - lost 5-2 vs. Cobourg Cougars. One win, two shootout wins, two shootout losses, 18 losses for eight points. Last place in Central Division.
COMING UP: Tonight vs. Toronto Junior Canadiens at Stouffville Arena, 7:30 p.m.; Sunday at Toronto Junior Canadiens, 7:30 p.m.; Monday at Hamilton Red Wings, 7:30 p.m.
GAME NOTES: Spirit general manager and head coach Mark Joslin acknowledged he has a few more grey hairs of late. One possible explanation has been the play of his Ontario Junior Hockey League club as they lost their eighth straight contest Monday against the host Cobourg Cougars 5-2. The Spirit got off to a good start in the game when Matt McCann scored to give them a 1-0 lead that held up through 20 minutes. After the Cougars took advantage of a power-play opportunity to tie the game, the Spirit capitalized on an extra-man advantage to regain the lead on a goal by Craig McDowell. Unfortunately, that would be their last hurrah as the Cougars scored two unanswered goals before the period concluded to take a 3-2 advantage. The Cougars added two more goals in the final stanza to round out the scoring. The Cougars outshot the Spirit 39-35. The loss by the Spirit came on the heels of a 5-1 drubbing they absorbed last Friday at the hands of the host Markham Waxers. McCann scored the lone goal for the Spirit, who battled the Waxers to a 0-0 tie through 20 minutes before trailing 2-0 after 40. The Waxers outshot the Spirit 58-31.
NOTEBOOK: After Monday’s contest, the Spirit dealt first-year defenceman Ian Chapman to the Brockville Braves of the Central Junior Hockey League for cash.
The Spirit played Monday’s game without the services of forward Jason Heydon and defenceman Jarred Seymour, who were both injured. Joslin hopes both will be back in the lineup for tonight’s home game against the Toronto Junior Canadiens.
The OJHL has announced its all-star games will be held Jan. 21 at the Canlan Ice Sports Arena at York University, hosted by the Villanova Knights.
GENERALLY SPEAKING: “We played an incredible first period. Any time you play on the road and can take a lead and shut the home team down...but just the fact that we’re struggling. Every mistake we made was magnified. We only made four or five mistakes in the entire game, but Cobourg capitalized on them,” Joslin said.
With the slump, Joslin conceded he’s feeling a bit of pressure to try and right the ship.
“There’s always pressure. It’s a part of the business and I’ve felt it from above and on myself. But we’re not about to panic,” he said.
INSIDER: For live scoring and updates, go to
pointstreak.comFor more on the Spirit, go to:
stouffvillespirit.com