JANUARY 2003

THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO ASSISTED THE WAXERS SUPPORT A GREAT CAUSE THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

..FROM THE DESK OF MIKE HAYAKAWA.. TOY AND TOONIE NIGHT Just how much community support do the Markham Waxers receive? According to general manager Larry Herrington, plenty. This was evident when the Provincial Junior A Hockey League club conducted its first-ever charity Teddy Bear toss in last Friday¹ s contest against the Ajax Axemen at Centennial Arena. [article] 4FOR DETAILS CLICK HERE

WAXERS' MEMORABLE AND CLASSY GRAD NIGHT MARRED ONLY BY DISAPPOINTING OUTCOME TO PESKY RANGER SQUAD
The long-awaited celebration evening of 2003 where graduating Markham players are honoured for their service and commitment was an outstanding success. Several key dignitaries took the time to join in person and the Waxers were proud hosts and thank them for taking part. The hockey game was predictably almost an afterthought to many. The Waxers, perhaps riding an adrenaline rush from the festivities just concluded saw two of the honoured Tony Rossi and Mark Menonte, score 21 seconds apart to put Markham ahead 2-0 before the contest was 90-seconds old. That may have been the worst thing to happen as the Rangers recovered and took advantage of some lethargic Waxer play at both ends of the rink and felled the mighty blue and white by a 4-3 count. Two games left, road contests at St. Mike's on Sunday and in Shelburne on Monday night (v. Thornhill). [recap]

..FROM THE DESK OF MIKE HAYAKAWA..
JANUARY 31, 2003
With one player eligibility card left open and a manpower shortage on their blueline, the Markham Waxers signed Mike Standon to their Provincial Junior A Hockey League roster on Wednesday. The 6-foot-2, 190-pound 19-year-old Mississauga resident began the season with the Oakville Blades and was involved in a trade with the Georgetown Raiders. The deal, however, fell through and Standon elected to leave the team to concentrate on his studies at McMaster University in Hamilton. [article]

WAXERS FINALIZE ROSTER WITH ADDITION OF VETERAN DEFENCEMAN
The Markham Waxers have now finalized their 2002-2003 roster with the addition of defenceman Mike Standon.  The 6'2", 200 lbs right shot Standon, born in 1983, played last season with the Burlington Cougars and Vaughan Vipers and started this year with the Oakville Blades.  Standon will make his Waxer debut on Graduate Night this Friday.

WAXERS CONTRIBUTE IN FUTURE STARS WIN
In the second of three Future Stars games, the team featuring the Waxers were victorious 2-1.  Anthony Guadagnolo had a perfect outing during the first half of the game stopping all the shots he faced.  The line of Nathaniel Brooks, Ryan Olidis and Daniel Torres were responsible for the first goal of the game and created numerous chances throughout the evening.  Jeff Weiss and David Lyall played solid, physical games finishing all their checks while Rainor Guminny missed the game due to injury.

..FROM THE DESK OF MIKE HAYAKAWA..
JANUARY 29, 2003
When the Markham Waxers began their current Provincial Junior A Hockey League campaign, their goal was to finish atop the standings in the south conference. While two victories in their last three games of the season this weekend would enable the Waxers to fulfill their agenda, it could create a major inconvenience. [article]

..FROM THE DESK OF MIKE HAYAKAWA..
JANUARY 27, 2003
It's been a year of firsts for Markham Waxers' head coach Russ Herrington. Last week, the Waxers' bench boss coached in his first Provincial Junior A Hockey League all-star game. [article]

SEVEN WAXERS TO PLAY IN FUTURE STARS GAME
This Wednesday, January 29, 2003, seven Markham Waxers will participate in the OPJAHL Future Stars Game at 6:30 pm in Bramalea.  All of our 1986 born players have been selected and will suit up on the same team: Ryan Olidis, Rainor Guminny, Nathaniel Brooks, Jeff Weiss, Daniel Torres, David Lyall and Anthony Guadagnolo. The seven Waxers represent a League high from one team. 

WAXERS HIT 30 WINS IN AJAX ON SUPER SUNDAY
For the first time in well over a decade, the Markham Waxers have won 30 games in a season after a 5-3 victory Sunday afternoon in Ajax.  We three games left to play, the Waxers continue to hold on to first place in the South Division. [recap]

ROSSI'S HAT TRICK LEADS WAXERS PAST THORNHILL
The Waxers trailing 1-0 after one period came back with four goals in the second, the first a pair by Tony Rossi en route to a 7-3 decision over the visiting Rattlers. Next up the Waxers face Ajax on Sunday afternoon. [recap]

 2003 OPJAHL ALL-STAR GAME
SOUTH-EAST WINS THIRD STRAIGHT
The South-East  team was victorious for the third straight year after scoring a late goal to win 5-4 Wednesday night in Georgetown. [recap] 

..FROM THE DESK OF MIKE HAYAKAWA..
JANUARY 20, 2003
Albert Ferrante acknowledges he doesn't play the game of hockey in the offensive end with a lot of flair. To prove his point, the fourth-year Markham Waxers' veteran defenceman doesn't score a lot of goals or accumulate a lot of assists. But the 19-year-old rearguard does places a high priority in preventing the opposition from scoring. While Ferrante's on-ice exploits might not be eye-catching to those watching the game from the stands, rival Provincial Junior A Hockey League clubs have paid homage to what he's done this season by selecting him to take part in tomorrow's annual all-star game in Georgetown. [article]

MARKHAM GETS BACK ON TRACK BY GUTTING OUT WIN IN NORTH YORK
The home-and-home weekend series between North York and Markham ended the way it began....with the visiting team wearing home colours and getting the two points.  Sporting their third jersey on the road for the first time, the Waxers scored a late power play goal to take the game 5-4 and guarantee that the three point lead on second place Wexford will stay at least in tact for another day. [recap]

WAXERS STRETCH RUN STARTS WITH LESS THAN A ROSY PERFORMANCE
The Waxers played the first of seven remaining regular season contests in a desperate battle for top spot in the South Division and perhaps lack of focus combined with mistakes that young clubs will make ended up in a disastrous performance in front of the home town crowd at Markham Centennial as the visiting Rangers took the first of three remaining head-to-head matches handily by a 6-3 count. [recap]

..FROM THE DESK OF MIKE HAYAKAWA..
JANUARY 13, 2003
Ryan Olidis was glad to relieve himself of a nemesis that had been badgering him through most of the Provincial Junior A Hockey League season. Eluding the dreaded plague, known as the injury bug, the 16-year-old Markham Waxers' rookie forward has been regaining the form that made him a valued commodity when the club was officially rewarded his playing rights in a ruling from the Ontario Hockey Association last summer. [article]

ROSSI NAMED PLAYER-OF-THE-MONTH
Veteran winger and first year Waxer Tony Rossi has been named the South Division Player-of-the-Month for December 2002.  Acquired this past summer from Division rival Wexford, Rossi has brought a winning attitude to Markham and has consistently shown himself to be a big game player. [details]

PROMISING START TURNS TO MISERY IN AURORA
The much ballyhooed first place showdown in Aurora Sunday turned from a close game to a blow-out for the home team as the the Tigers defeated the Waxers 6-1. Mark Menonte scored the only goal for the Waxers who lead 1-0 after the first. [recap]

OLIDIS LEADS WAXER ATTACK OVER PANTHERS
Ryan Olidis led the Waxer attack with his first Junior hat-trick to help Markham past the visiting Pickering Panthers 5-3 at Markham Centennial. Anthony Guadagnolo was outstanding in net for the blue and white, forced to make too many big saves against the Panthers who took advantage of some very non-typical Waxer play throughout the night. Eight more games to go until the real season, next the Waxers travel to Aurora. [recap]

 2003 OPJAHL ALL-STAR GAME
FERRANTE, PORRETTA AND LAMONT SELECTED TO ALL-STAR GAME
The Waxers are excited to announce that joining Head Coach Russ Herrington at the 2003 All-Star Game will be defenseman Albert Ferrante, winger Pat Porretta and therapist Phil Lamont. [details]

..FROM THE DESK OF MIKE HAYAKAWA..
JANUARY 7, 2003
Two down and one to go. According to Markham Waxers general manager Larry Herrington, that's the situation on the trading front as he attempts to fine tune his club's Provincial Junior A Hockey League roster prior to this Friday's trade deadline. [article]

 .ALUMNI UPDATE..
CHRISTMAS CAUSES MANY MOVES
There has been a lot of Alumni movement over the Christmas break in the various leagues.  First, Mike Barrett has joined the ranks of the Alumni as he has left the Waxers and enrolled at University of Prince Edward Island and will play for the Panthers Varsity team in the CIS.  Then, former Waxers Jimmy Ball and Jesse Boucher both left their respective NCAA schools to join the OHL.  Ball left St Lawrence University and joined the London Knights and Boucher left Miami University (Ohio) to join the Kitchener Rangers.  (current alumni stats)

WAXERS GO TO ST MIKE'S AND COME HOME WITH TWO POINTS
Pat Porretta scored twice and Scott Gray made 38 saves as the Waxers rolled to a 5-2 victory over the host Buzzers Sunday night. Although out shot, the Waxers dictated the pace of  play and badly out chanced the Buzzers in their first meeting of the year at St Michael's College. [recap] .

A LITTLE RUSTY BUT WAXERS GET DESIRED RESULT
After a two week layoff, the Waxers hosted the Vaughan Vipers in their first game of 2003 Friday night.  Powered by a Pat Porretta hat trick, the Waxers were victorious 6-5 in overtime as Scott Gray picked up his first win for Markham. [recap] .

WAXERS ADD GRITTY FORWARD
Markham has acquired second year forward Andrew Dias from the Mississauga Chargers.  A 1984 born right winger, Dias is known for his pesky style of play and the Waxers look forward to his added energy in the lineup.

SCOTT GRAY BECOMES NEWEST WAXER
Markham is excited to announce the acquisition of goaltender Scott Gray from the Pickering Panthers.  Gray, a two year veteran of the South Division, is a 1983 born standout goaltender who has the flair for making the big save when called upon.  Among the top goalies in the Division, Gray single handedly led Pickering in to the 7th and decided game of the second round playoffs against Wexford last season before having his season ended - all while playing with an injured shoulder!  The move reunites Gray with Waxers Assistant Matt Gibson who held a similar role with the Panthers last season .

MARKHAM STAFF EARNS ALL-STAR NOD
The Waxers are proud to announce that this years coaching staff has been rewarded for their first place standing by being selected to represent the South Division at the upcoming OPJAHL All-Star Game, January 22, 2003 in Georgetown.  This will mark the first time in well over a decade that a Waxers coaching staff has received this honour.

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