THE NUMBERS DON'T LIE, AT LEAST NOT THIS TIME
The Markham Waxers are off to a decent start in their first year of competition in the integrated Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League (Prior to this season Markham competed in the Metro Junior A Hockey League). A quick look at some numbers show that the old saying "numbers don't mean a thing" isn't always true.

• Some of the interesting things that a quick review illustrate are:

• Waxers are 7-0 when they score the first goal of the game;

• When the Waxers have the lead after one period they are a perfect 5-0;

• Even more impressively, when the Waxers lead after two periods, their record is an even better, still perfect, 8-0.

Below is a table of team-related numbers that are interesting, and while numbers can't tell the complete story of course, they also can't be ignored:

The month of October is not quite finished yet, Markham still hits the road on Thursday night to take on the Stouffville Spirit before concluding the month at North York Centennial against the Rangers.

However, their record to date for this month is impressive, 7-2 (with one overtime loss, earning a point under the new OPJHL point system), in fact earning 15 points out of a possible 18 to this point.

Sure everyone knows that it is a team game, but still somebody's got to put the puck into the net. Five Waxers are carrying decent point scoring streaks into the Stouffville match.

While Mike Clarke may not have been noticed for his ability to quarterback the puck out of the defensive zone, he's always had good passing ability and displayed the ability to "read the ice". Lately, Clarke has gone to another level, he's been getting tons of ice time and rightfully so. Being in the right place at the right time often results in scoring points, by earning his ice time, Clarke has seen his numbers rocket upwards. It would be unreasonable to expect Mike to continue putting up numbers like he has the past three games, but his all-round play at both ends of the ice of late will make put pressure on the young man to keep focused and to "keep his head in the game", achieving consistency is what's it all about.

Up front, what can be said about Ian Malcolm that hasn't already been said. After suffering through a horrendous goal-scoring drought that saw him miss out on finishing breakaways that are too numerous to count he has turned it around, big time. The undisputed scoring machine gets hacked at or chopped at in every game as opponents try to use whatever means legal, illegal and others to stop the "Malc". Lately with very few exceptions he's been unstoppable, a ferocious defender who creates offensive chances by forcing turnovers with tenacious forechecking, Ian deserves an extra piece of pizza (or two) on the next bus ride.

Below are listed five Waxers who carry impressive numbers of late and carry point-scoring streaks into Stouffville on Thursday.

So while it is true that sometimes one can say that statistics don't mean a thing, it is pretty tough to dispute that to date some statistics portray the Waxer season to date, and perhaps quite accurately.

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