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..FROM
THE DESK OF MIKE HAYAKAWA..
In the coach's estimation, his charges played what he felt was its best period of hockey in the opening stanza as they skated out to an early 2-0 lead. But after that, the Waxers were transformed into a different team. And it was one that Herrington did not enjoy watching for the final 40 minutes as the Axemen took a 4-3 lead through 40 minutes and held on at the end. "It was easily our most disappointing loss this year," acknowledged Herrington as his club fell to 16-8-0 on the season, but remain in first place in the southern division. "I thought we played the best first period that I've seen in coaching a junior A team. We were just unbelievable." "But after the first period, it was as if everybody left the arena. The second period was the worst period played by a junior team that I've coached."
"Maybe with the rest of the weekend off, the guys had made some plans for Saturday and Sunday. I was really disappointed. We completely collapsed. The guys lost their focus and intensity. We gave them the game." Bobby Fitkin, on a power-play effort, Mark Menonte, Jason Duffy and Brent Pollock each scored once for the Waxers. While Herrington was upset with his club's lacklustre performance, he gave full marks to the Axemen for remaining focused throughout the contest. That he felt, was the difference in the game. "They continued to work and didn't change anything. I thought that their level of playing stayed the same throughout." "It (the loss) was purely mental. That's the disappointing thing to us. We worked hard all year to get where we are in first and then to have this (loss) happen is disappointing." What made the loss even more painful for the Waxers was a chance to add some cushion between them and their nearest rivals. With the second-place Wexford Raiders winning a pair of games on the weekend, the Waxers' lead atop the southern division standings is just one point. The Raiders have three games in hand. "We had a big chance to go up seven points on the next team. Now we're up by just one. It's our own fault. I think the guys got what they deserved." Not playing its next game until this Friday when they host the St. Michael's Buzzers at 8 p.m., the Waxers will go to the drawing board with two practices this week. "We'll work them hard and analyze the video tonight (Monday) and talk to the guys about the mental side of things," said Herrington. On the injury front, the Waxers hope to have veteran defenceman Jimmy Ball back in the lineup this Friday. Duffy incurred a fractured collarbone Friday and his return is not known.
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