The rival Thornhill Rattlers visited Markham for the second times this season and once again fell to the Waxer attack in a 9-2 Waxer win, however, if you would have watched only the first period you'd not be blamed for not believing the final score.

The first period saw the Waxers literally seem asleep at times, making numerous turnovers, missing passes at a distressing rate and most of all not using the body and as a result the period was very similar to a pickup or house league contest for long stretches. The Rattlers cashed in once to get the opening salvo taking advantage of one of many turnovers and the score was 1-0 for the wrong side after one complete.

There was just nothing good to say about that opening 20 minutes, sloppy all over the ice and when offensive chances came the Waxers appeared to try and force pretty plays despite the fact that passes were off mark more often than not. The odd time when they had a chance to direct a shot towards the Rattler cage the attempts were turned away and two big stops in particular kept the Waxers off the board.

Still this was a game for the taking and one got the sense that if someone from the home side would step up their game and ignite the club and in doing so sound the alarm that there are two points at stake in an extremely tight and exciting race for South Division supremacy.

The middle period provided an answer shortly, Ben Cottreau scored back-to-back goals, first equalizing the score and then putting the Waxers into a lead they'd not relinquish the rest of the night. The first goal was a pretty breakaway goal at the two minute mark with assist to Jeff Weiss and Tony Rossi. Exactly four minutes later Weiss' hard work and puck control enabled Rossi to eventually setup Cottreau to make it 2-1. Midway through the contest Rossi would score what turned out to be the game winner when he converted a partial breakaway with assists to Aaron Buckstein and tender Anthony Guadagnolo.

Later in the period the Waxers made a key kill of a full two-minute 3-on-5 disadvantage, denying the Rattlers of any dangerous chances. However, a few minutes later the Rattlers would get back to within one when a one-timer went past Guadagnolo who had no chance on the play. Less than two minutes later the Waxers struck twice within a span of just over a minute to extend the lead to 5-2 before the period closed. Kevin Cribari scored his 10th of the year when he made no mistake on a great feed from Pat Porretta, Joe Rothwell with the secon helper. With the period in it's final minute Liam Bowen fed a pretty pass from the right wing to Ryan Steane who drilled it home for the 5-2 lead, Mark Menonte with the second assist on the play.

The final period saw the Waxers continue to add to the lead as they continued to dominate the play for the rest of the contest. Menonte converted a great solo rush from the red line when he smartly went inside the defender and right up the gut and then completed his deke with a tuck into the cage to make it 6-2, Michael Diamond and Bowen earned the assists. Late in the period a troika of powerplay goals after the Rattlers were down for a five minutes after a charging major that led to an exchange of addresses or favourite recipes completed the scoring. Cottreau led the parade converting a great pass into the slot from Porretta to make it 7-2, Rossi picked up the other helper. Porretta whacked home a loose puck in the crease area after a scramble from Cottreau and Rossi for the eighth goal. Fittingly Cottreau capped the scoring for the night with his fourth of the night, making good on a Porretta delivery to one-time the puck home, Diamond picked up his second assist of the night on the final goal.

Guadagnolo turned aside 23 of 25 Rattler shots, most of his good stops in the first period although he made a huge stop earlier in the second period turning away a breakaway with the contest still close at the time to preserve the lead 3-1 at the time.

The Waxers travel to Pickering Sunday night to face the rejuvenant Panther squad who've started to turn things around after struggling to put things together in the early going, game time is 7:30pm.

G A M E   S T A T I S T I C S

No.

 G

A

PTS

PIM

PPG

SHG

GWG

TOTALS