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Series Clincher Eludes Waxers Again
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Waxers goalie
Matthew Spezza does the splits but can't stop
Buzzers'
Mike Forgione from completing a hat trick in the third
period. |
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photo by Mike Tillaart
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(Mar.02.07) The Markham Waxers
failed again on Friday night to get that elusive fourth win in
their second round playoff series against St. Mikes, falling to
the Buzzers 5-1 at St. Michael’s Arena. The good news is that
they still lead the series 3-2.
“We knew this was going to be a long series,” Coach
Rick Cornacchia said after the game. “If anyone had told us
before the series began that we would be up 3-2, with game six
in our building, we would have been very happy to hear it.”
And that is where this second round match up stands.
The two teams exchanged goals in the first period, both
of the somewhat flukey variety. St. Mikes Fred Cassiani scored
on the power play at 7:21 from Louie Caporusso and Brendan
Smith. The shot deflected high into the air off Waxer goalie
Matt Hansell’s stick and sailed over him into the net.
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At 11:41, however, the Waxers got it
back on a man advantage of their own. A St. Mike’s defenseman
who was well positioned to clear the puck from the corner of his
zone seemed to go down after catching his skate in a rut. The
puck went right to Daniel Torres who skated in alone and put the
puck through the pads of Buzzers goalie Mike Binnington.
St. Mike’s broke the game open in the second period
with three unanswered goals. Mike Forgione got consecutive power
play goals, scoring the first at 5:36 of the period, from Louie
Caporusso and Brendan Smith, when he buried a wrist shot from
close in. At 10:05, he deflected a slap shot from the point by
Brendan Smith, Louie Caporusso drawing an assist also. At 13:03,
Brian Potacco got in behind the Waxers defence in the neutral
zone, went in alone on Hansell and beat him with a great deek.
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Daniel Torres |
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At this point, coach Cornacchia decided
to shake things up and sent in the night’s backup goalie,
Matthew Spezza.
In the third period, Forgione completed his hat trick,
with another power play goal, assisted by Louie Caporusso and
Fred Cassiani.
St. Mike’s aggressive play combined with some
frustration on the Waxers’ part combined to create several
roughing penalties in the third period.
After the game, coach Cornacchia did not feel that the
score reflected the play.
“They capitalized on their power play opportunities and
we didn’t.”
Although his players were disappointed with the
outcome, they are “very resilient”.
Game 6 will be played at Markham Centennial Arena on
Saturday, March 3, at 7:30 p.m.
The Waxers are undefeated at home in this series and
will be looking to make home sweet home again, with a series win
in front of their fans tomorrow night. |
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Grant Weaver
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