..FROM THE DESK OF MIKE HAYAKAWA..
DECEMBER 29, 2001
Perhaps the only good thing that took place for the Markham Waxers last
Friday was that they played their final Provincial Junior A Hockey
League contest of the 2001 calendar year.
It was also a game which they want to erase from their memories.
For the third consecutive outing and second straight time in front of
the hometown Centennial Arena audience, the Waxers were humiliated as
they absorbed an 11-5 drubbing at the hands of the St. Michael's Buzzers.
Jesse Boucher scored twice for the Waxers, who trailed 3-2 after one
period and 8-3 through two. Travis O'Rourke, Michael Fish and Pat
Porretta, on a power play, rounded out the scoring for the Waxers, who
saw their third-place south conference record fall to 19-16-4-1.
Making the situation even more embarassing to the Waxers was the fact
that the Buzzers were playing their second game of the day as they
taking part at the Newmarket Junior A Showcase Tournament where they
dropped a 2-1 decision to Georgetown.
With their win over the Waxers, the Buzzers moved into a first-place tie
with the Wexford Raiders in the south conference standings and improved
their record to 27-7-2-1.
While Waxers' head coach Russ Herrington was visibly upset and at a loss
for words upon conclusion of the game, club general manager Larry
Herrington didn't mince any words.
He acknowledged something is amiss and vowed to rectify it before their
next league outing on Friday when they host the Vaughan Vipers at 8 p.m.
"When we get embarassed two weeks in a row there's problems with the
club. Our pride has to make us play better than that.
"I can't wait to see next year (2002 calendar year). I'm not sure how
many of these guys will be wearing the sweater (Waxers' uniform). If the
players think the general manager will stand pat at watching that (bad
performance) two games in a row on home ice they're wrong. Getting
embarassed the way we did was bad and losing twice the way we did at
home and for the last three games is disgraceful.
"There could be some changes, additions or deletions. I'll be working
the phones and internet and see what's available," he hinted.
Entering Friday's debacle, Herrington didn't detect any ominous signs of
a collapse.
But as the game wore on, he felt the goaltending tandem of starter Kevin
Sit, who was relieved early in the second period by Chris Lawrence, did
not give one of their better performances.
"Our goalies didn't get the job done. We went from bad to worse."
Although goaltending was just one glaring weakness in the game,
Herrington said collectively, the team looked lethargic.
"We didn't take the bull by the horns. It was a collective effort."
.

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