..FROM THE DESK OF MIKE HAYAKAWA..
OCTOBER 2, 2001
There are times when Markham Waxers head coach Russ Herrington cannot get a
pulse on his Provincial Junior A Hockey League clubs.
Last weekend was one of those which had Herrington scratching his head.
On Friday, the Waxers played host to the Thornhill Rattlers and skated off
with a 5-2 win.
But less than 24 hours later, the Waxers returned to Centennial Arena to
host the South Conference-leading St. Michaelıs Buzzers and displayed one of
their worst efforts of the young season as they were drubbed 9-1.
"We played absolutely horrific," Herrington conceded of Saturday's effort.
Trailing 1-0 after one period, the Waxers kept the score close for the
following 19 minutes in the second period when they were down 2-1. But the
Buzzers capitalized on a couple of defensive miscues by the Waxers and
deposited two goals before the period concluded to pad their advantage to
4-1. That seemed to take the wind out of the Waxers' sails as the Buzzers
collected another five unanswered markers to round out the scoring and
remain undefeated with seven wins in as many outings.
"If we could have kept it close it might have been different," Herrington
speculated. "But we really didnıt play well from the start. I don't think
St. Michael's played that well either for the first two periods. But when
they got that 4-1 lead it sparked them. They smelled blood and we packed it
in in the third period."
"It was really the first time this season that Iıve seen the buys look
sluggish. I donıt know what they did after Fridayıs game. But they werenıt
up for the challenge."
Albert Ferrante scored the lone Waxers' goal.
In Friday's outing, the Waxers trailed 1-0 after one peirod but rallied with
a shorthanded goal by Ben Cottreau and an even-strength marker by Jesse
Boucher before the Rattlers replied with a goal to even the count at 2-2
through 40 minutes.
But in the third period, unanswered goals by Mark Menonte, Boucher, with his
second, and an empty net goal by Pat Porretta sealed the win.
"I thought we played decent on Friday," said Herrington of their win over
the Rattlers.
Overall though, he was not pleased with what transpired on the weekend.
The split placed the Waxers' record to 4-3-0-1 and enabled them to remain in
a tie for second place in the South Conference with the Wexford Raiders. The
Raiders though, have a game in hand.
After yesterdayıs home game with the Aurora Tigers, the Waxers will play
back-to-back crossover games against the Newmarket Hurricanes starting
Thursday in Newmarket and returning to Centennial Arena on Friday at 8 p.m.
The Waxers will be without the services of Mark Mitchell starting yesterday
as he will serve a four-game suspension after incurring a match penalty on
Saturday. Replacing Mitchell in the roster will be Mark Skeels.

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