Craig Conn and Sean Greenhalgh are missing from the line-up. They're still away at school.
These are the first words you hear in every conversation regarding the Junior-A St. Catharines Athletics. Enough already! It's a non-issue. The A's are dynamite with or without them. Impervious defense, an extremely coherent offense, hustle, intensity, focus and - according to popular opinion - the top goaltender in junior lacrosse. What more could you ask for?
How about a 20 year old 6-foot-4 powerhouse who carries the title BCLA rookie-of-the-year? This is Jon Ianucci. A human rocket launcher. Throw in Mark Paniccia, Mike Longboat, Mike Hominuck and Kevin Dean and there's enough firepower to keep the A's engine humming indefinitely. Craig and Sean can take the long way home.
Goalkeeper Matt Vince did return home recently and made his first start tonight. He can be forgiven for a slow start. The first three shots he faced were all delivered by the Braves' Andrew Watt and he was beaten on all three. The first: a 35-foot buzzer-beater. The second derived from a mad scramble along the boards to Vinc's right. Watt came flying out of the scrum, loose straps flailing behind him, and buried the ball with authority. The third: A defensive miscue. Watt lingered joyfully alone by the net for the pass from youngster Ryan Benesch, then fooled Vinc with a subtle fake. While the A's defense was solid, the Braves were ruthlessly efficient, capitalizing on all their best chances.
After each Braves goal, the home side responded quickly. Tim Luey cruised down the middle unmolested to convert a Dan Bowman feed. Paniccia thrilled the audience with a crease-side quick-stick underhand via a low pass from Ianucci. And for anyone who missed it, they would repeat that little number later in the third period. On the man-advantage, Ianucci launched a two-step zinger from the top to knot the affair at three's.
The A's out-shot the visitors 15-9 in the first frame, out-loose balled them 31-18 and frankly out-played them in every conceivable manner, except goaltending, but Vinc would recover. He made his first save more than fourteen minutes into the game, then stopped 23 of the game's remaining 25 shots.
In the final three minutes new Brave Mike Szpiech, acquired through the Excelsiors in the midget draft, emerged from the low corner, muddling the A's defense for only the second occasion, faked Vinc and scored in the high far corner. This gave the Braves a most unlikely 4-3 lead at the first intermission.
And they enjoyed a strong start to the second frame. Benesch led the way on a great early penalty kill.
Then the A's dug in. Braves goaler Mike Ratcliffe was steady. He made seven good saves and watched an Ianucci peeler ding the post. Finally, Paniccia at the crease spot took a Hominuck pass, stepped out and delivered a lightning quick fake and the score. 4-4.
The A's finally took the lead on the power-play. Two swift relays across the top and Mike Longboat wailed a side-arm just inside the near post. Ianucci followed up less than half a minute later, barging across the face of the crease with a series of fakes before finding the top corner. With 29 minutes remaining in the game and a 6-4 lead, one had the feeling that this game was already over. And indeed, that goal would prove to be the winner.
The home boys added three more before the second break including a simple catch and dump from Kyle Neufeld that caught Ratcliffe flat-footed.
Paniccia scored another jaw-dropper beating a gaggle of defenders for a short-handed tally. Then, with about a second on the game clock, he thrilled the crowd again diving laterally between checkers and driving home a bowler as he fell.
Any vain thoughts of a comeback were dashed early in the third as Neufeld deftly corralled a rebound and dished to Greg Floris who instantly relayed across the crease to Ianucci. He dropped the ball at Ratcliffe's feet and it just managed to get under the netminder and cross the line.
The A's finished the game in cruise control. Longboat had two nifty breakaway goals disallowed to his obvious disapproval.
Player of the Game
Jon Ianucci was awarded player-of-the-game honors for his 3 goals and 4 assists. A superficial choice. This was my first look at Ianucci and, make no mistake, I was impressed. He's a talented lacrosse player, though with his size, I might have expected him to beat more opponents one-on-one, and to win some loose ball battles. He appears to approach goal scoring the way professional photographers approach their work. If you take enough shots, you're bound to come up with a keeper. Ianucci fired endless outside blasts in the net's general direction. A couple found their way in. A few hit the goalie. One hit the post and many more sailed well wide. As for the four helpers, when your mates pass you the ball on every play you're bound to gather a good share of assists. Likewise he tallied a good share of dropped balls.
Don't get me wrong. I'd sign this kid to any team of mine in a millisecond. But the real player of the game was 19 year old Mark Paniccia. This kid is for real. Besides scoring five goals, all show-stoppers, he was robbed twice on great plays. One, a point blank leaping snag-and-shoot that prompted a marvelous save by Ratcliffe.
Players of the game for K-W: Ratcliffe, Watt, Benesch and role player Stephen Cormack He was instrumental in the Braves' transition game - not an easy task considering the Athletics' tenacious press.
Early indications in this young season suggest that another championship is there for the A's to win or lose on their own terms, regardless of what Orangeville or Whitby - or Peterborough for that matter - has to say about it. But again, it's early.
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