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..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.
On Friday, Olidis potted his first junior A hat trick in helping the
Waxers turn back the Pickering Panthers 5-3 at Centennial Arena.
"It feels amazing to get the first (hat trick) under my belt," said an
elated Olidis, who was the third-round pick of the Barrie Colts in last
year's Ontario Hockey League draft and a member of the Markham Waxers AAA
minor bantams last year. "I told my linemates that one of us was going to
get a hat trick and it turned out it was me." Overcoming a separated ankle
bone to start the season followed by a separated shoulder, Olidis was just
getting acclimatized to his new teammates when he incurred a facial injury
in early November when he got into an altercation and his front sinus
cavity caved in.
Making a full recovery from that setback, Olidis has managed to record
almost a point a game.
In explaining his recent success in which he now has 12 goals, Olidis
credits his linemates in veterans
Tony Rossi and
Mark Menonte in making
his transition easier.
"I'm working with two veterans and they know what to do and I just follow
them."
Most important though, Olidis is glad to be back at full strength.
"Things are working good right now. I'm now getting points and it feels
like I'm playing bantam hockey again. I'm feeling a lot more relaxed,"
said Olidis, who hopes to finish the regular season segment with at least
40 points.
Waxers' head coach Russ Herrington knew all along that a healthy Olidis
would make an impact with his club.
"We knew that when he was healthy he showed what he could do and make an
impact. He's a complete player that we have on our team at both ends of
the rink. For a 16-year-old he has unbelievable strength and balance." A
power-play goal by Pat
Porretta, and Rossi's marker midway through the third period
rounded out the scoring for the Waxers in Friday's win.
On Sunday, the Waxers travelled to Aurora and took a 1-0 first-period lead
on a shorthanded goal from Menonte before falling 6-1 to the Tigers, who
are in first place in the league's north division.
Despite that loss, the Waxers remain atop the south division standings
with a 27-9-5-1 mark and are five points ahead of the second-place Wexford
Raiders.
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| This article was
written by Mike Hayakawa and published in the
Markham Economist and Sun. Minor edits may have been performed to
the original article.
This has been reproduced with permission. |
The Waxers will host the North York Rangers this Friday
at 8 p.m. and return to North York on Sunday at 2:30 p.m.
Slapshots: The Waxers failed to land a defenceman during the league's Jan.
10 trade deadline. However, Herrington notes the club still has one blank
card to use before the Feb. 10 deadline. "We're looking to add a
defenceman, someone with experience," he revealed.
"Our inexperience definitely showed on Sunday (a 6-1 loss to Aurora)."...Porretta
and Albert Ferrante
will be the two Waxers' players selected to play in the league's annual
all-star game in Georgetown on Jan. 22. The format will see the east and
south divisions face the north and west divisions. In occupying first
place during the Dec. 15 all-star deadline, the Waxers' coaching staff
will also be behind the bench for the east-south squad.
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