This one was all Vees who concentrated, pretty much, on shutting it down in the 3rd period.
A couple of veterans sat out tonight as healthy scratches. #44 defenceman Jacob Chiblow and #72 forward Steve Evans.
A couple of pretty good '93 - born youngsters #6 forward Billy Ulrick and #4 Chris Grant inserted into the lineup.
Grant continues to show he can play at this pace with his work on the blue line.
Ulrick was his rambunctious self running into people. so much so that a collision with a Bramalea player got him some serious hurt. I could not tell if it was a knee he hurt or s9imply his bell rung. But it was nothing intentional as I saw it.
Ulrick needs to cut into the net instead on going out wide and taking a shot. He has good speed and if he hasn't anybody to pass too, he can mix his game up a little more to help him be even more effective.
I see the coaching staff is still dabbling with the 2nd set of penalty-killing forwards behind Burton and Levac.
Several pairings tonight;
Weedmark and Agostini
Higgs and Laliberte
Panagiotou and Agostini
I liked the pairing of Laliberte and Higgs who were dangerous offensively as well as good defensively.
Vees' best defensive defenceman #11 Corbin Crawford got mixed up in off-setting minor penalties a couple of times tonight. It was clear the Blues' Anthony Ranieri was targeting him for a little extra rough stuff knowing he is important as a Vees blue line player. This is one thing the Vees as a whole, have to resist.
They are the champions and teams are going to try and get key guys to take penalties. It is the test of any champion to deal with it and not buy into it.
Vees' #9 Brett Agnew had a terrific game tonight using his speed and size cutting in off the wing and some aggressive play.
And the veteran defenceman #2 Anthony Geldart was really good tonight both offensively and defensively.
Vees got multiple point nights from Geldart (2) , Higgs (2), Levac (2), Melancon (3) and Burton (3) .
Was it just me or did there seem to be a lot of short-side goals tonight? The goaltender pulling away from the post and getting beaten short-side. Vees' Vienneau was beaten for one and I think Blues' GianLuca Palmieri was beaten for a couple.
Vees travel to Huntsville tonight for an engagement with the Otters in a repeat of last year's conference playoff final.
I think I will rumble up the highway to Trenton to watch another of the OJ's big dogs, Oakville and the surging Golden Hawks.
The Hawks have shown they can play with the Vees, Georgetown and Aurora and the litmus testing will continue tonight to see if they are up to the Blades.
Stay tuned.
Wayjoy
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