The Russelle
Chiropractic/Canadian Hockey Enterprises Novice AAA Petes are peaking at just
the right time. The Petes ran their winning streak to 4 games Sunday with a
thrilling 3-2 come from behind victory over the Ajax/Pickering Raiders, that
saw them score two goals only 8 seconds apart in the game’s final minute. With
three lines clicking, solid team defence and outstanding goaltending, the Petes
find themselves playing their best hockey of the season heading into the OMHA
playdowns.It’s been a tale of two halves this season for the young Petes. The team is comprised of players from Madoc to Ennismore and all points in between, most of whom had never played together before. This resulted in an up-and-down first half, and while the effort remained consistent, the losses outnumbered the wins. However as the season moved into the second half and the team began to gel, the improvement was undeniable. “Speed and good hands have improved a lot”, Team Captain Nathan Gerelus said. A strong performance in the Hamilton Reebok Classic mid December gave the boys a taste of success that has carried over into league play. Assistant Captain Cam Burke notes, “since just before Christmas, the team has learned about taking things from the whiteboard and work ethic, and when you put them together it gives us two points”.
The Petes are 10-7-2 since turning the corner mid-season and have beaten some of the best teams in the ETA, posting wins against the Barrie Colts and Clarington Toros. Assistant Captain Zach Russelle, however, sees the big hockey picture: “I think we have just got better with every practice and every game”.