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THE DESK OF MIKE HAYAKAWA.. Residing in first place in the Provincial Junior A Hockey League's south division, the Waxers exhibited some of those traits in a gruelling weekend which saw them play three games in as many nights. The Waxers began its weekend on a positive note Friday by skating off with a crucial 5-2 win over the Thornhill Rattlers, occupants of second place in the south division, at Centennial Arena.
The next day, the Waxers visited Pickering and came away with a 4-2 victory over the Panthers. Travelling to Aurora to face the Tigers on Sunday, a fatigued Waxers team gave a good effort, but came out on the short end of a 6-5 decision. "I thought we gave a first-place club effort," said Herrington in reflecting on the weekend. "First-place clubs have guys that step up when needed and they have guys who have career years. Both of these things are happening with us." "We're getting on a good rhythm now. The guys understand the roles they're playing and the leadership guys have to deserve credit. What I liked best about the weekend was our emotion, intensity and focus on and off the ice." With as many as six of its key players out with injuries for part of or the entire weekend including defencemen Jimmy Ball and Alex Stoyan and forwards Mark Menonte, Mike Harding, Jason Young, Albert Ferrante and Jason Fraccaro, the Waxers received big efforts from some of its lesser lights. Among those was 18-year-old forward Kevin Cribari. A member of the Brother Andre Catholic High School Cardinals provincial high school gold-medal winning hockey team last season, Cribari registered four goals in the three weekend outings. "He got an opportunity this weekend with Menonte being out and grabbed the bull by the horns," noted Herrington of the rookie forward. "He's a guy who was told going in that he would be the 13th or 14th forward. But he told us that he wouldn't settle for that. He said he would work himself in the lineup and he's done that." In its win over the Rattlers in a high-tempo and intense contest, the Waxers broke open a scoreless first period with unanswered goals from Cribari, Jesse Boucher and Fraccaro to take a 3-0 lead after 40 minutes. Bobby Fitkin scored twice in the final period, including one on a power play, to round out the scoring.
Against the Panthers, the Waxers overcame a 1-0 first-period deficit with two goals from Cribari to take a 2-1 lead. Fitkin and James Regan added singles in the final period. In Sunday's loss, the Waxers overcame a 3-0 deficit early in the second period with goals from Boucher, Mark Mitchell, with his first of the season, Cribari and Boucher to take a 4-3 lead. But the Tigers responded to tie the score after two periods and added two more early in the third to take a 6-4 lead before Paul Robinson got one back for the Waxers with just under four minutes remaining before time expired. Despite losing to the Tigers, Herrington was pleased with the club's weekend performance and credited his club's depth with enabling them to maintain their first-place standing with a 15-7-0 mark. "This team has continued to show great resilience," said Herrington. "It's a terrific presence of character to have. We've battled back and they've done a good job." The Waxers will play in Ajax tonight against the Axemen and return to Centennial Arena Friday for a rematch with the Axemen at 8 p.m.
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