Blast Open Season on Winning note;
Brantford Shuts Down Tillsonburg
Vincent Ball, Brantford Expositor - Sat. Oct. 6th 2007
Stellar goaltending and effective penalty-killing helped the Brantford Blast start their season on a winning note with a 5-0 victory of the Tillsonburg Vipers on Friday.
Anthony Marshall was solid between the pipes for the Blast, keeping the Vipers off the scoreboard.
The Blast fought off some jitters in the opening minutes of the game.
"I thought we showed some offensive spark and I think our goaltending was solid," Blast coach Larry Trader said following the game. "Offensively I think we'll be all right."
But defensively, the team needs to make harder passes in both and neutral zones, Trader said.
The team also has to do a better job of staying out of the penalty box, he said.
Marshall and the Blast's penalty-killers stymied the Vipers on three consecutive power plays to keep the scorer 0-0 over the first 10 minutes of the game.
Then, at 11:17, the Blast had the man advantage for the first time.
Just six seconds later, Chad Spurr scored the first goal of the blast season on a slap shot from just inside the blue line. Scott Sheppard and Wayne Muir received assists on the goal.
The first period ended with the Blast leading 1-0, even though the Vipers had outshot them 15-9 and had the majority of scoring opportunities.
EXCELLENT DEFENSIVE PLAY
Jeremy Bloomfield fired a wrist shot past Vipers goalie Brett Leggat at 15:11 of the second period following a turnover by the Vipers in the Blast end. the turnover was forced by some excellent defensive play by Bryan Hamm, who earned an assist on the goal.
Still, the Blast had trouble stayingout of the penalty box, with Dan Pitre heading off for tripping at 13:30 of the second.
Then, with the Blast on the power play, Blast forward Jason Simon was sent off for hooking. He received another penalty for hooking at 2:23 of the second period.
The Vipers were unable to convert with the man advantage largely because of the hard work by Blast penalty-killers, including David Russell. He forced several turnovers in the neutral zone to keep the Vipers at bay. And when the Vipers did break through for a scoring opportunity, Marshall and his defencemen were there to fend them off.
The Blast extended their lead to 3-0 midway through the final frame when playing coach Andrew Taylor scored on a terrific second effort while falling to the ice. Blast captain Tyler Pelton and Ryan Healy earned assists on the goal.
With just under three minutes remaining Spurr scored his second of the game on a nice pass from Sheppard, who had just missing scoring his first goal as a Blast player on a break away.
Will Wellman capped off the scoring with 1:55 left on a slap shot after getting a pass from Steve Hurst.
The Blast's next home game is Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. against the Petrolia Squires.
Blast embark on Allan Cup quest;
Defending MLH champions add 'firepower' to lineup
Vincent Ball, Brantford Expositor - Oct 4th, 2007
Hockey fans will see an experienced, battle-hardened team with added firepower when the Brantford Blast hit the ice for their season opener on Friday, says team president and general manager Peter Ham.
"What we have this year is a team that has a lot of experience," Ham said Wednesday.
"We have a lot of players back from last year's team and that was a team that beat the Windsor Saint Clair Saints to win the Major League Championship last year, and we beat the Petrolia Squires in double-overtime in the semis to get to the final.
"We have the nucleus of a team that can compete at a very high level."
The Blast have 16 players returning from last year's Major League Hockey championship team and have added a couple of new players, including Scott Sheppard, Paul MacDonald and Brad Jones.
Sheppard, 24, brings a scoring touch, as well as some American Hockey League experience, to the Blast as they embark on their quest to capture the Allan Cup.
"He has a terrific shot with a quick release and his experience in the American Hockey League will rub off on the other players," Ham said. "He adds some firepower."
Jones, 21, is a long and lanky Brantford boy who will help shore up the Blast defence, he added.
MacDonald, meanwhile, is a scrappy centre, who works hard in the corners and along the boards. He also excellent terrific puck sense, Ham said.
The Blast take on the Tillsonburg Vipers at the civic centre on Friday.
Game time is 7:30 p.m. and the doors open at 6:30 p.m.
The Blast lineup includes goaltenders Ryan Dickie and Anthony Marshall, as well as David Russell, Steve Hurst, Tyler Pelton, Jason Simon, Will Wellman, Jim Baxter, Bryan Hamm, Jeremy Bloomfield, Steven Rice, Dan Pitre, Andrew Taylor, Cory Matchim, Chad Spurr, Wayne Muir and Ryan Healy.
The players will have every opportunity to develop and contribute throughout the season, Ham said.
However, he noted that the goal is to win the Allan Cup and, to do that, the Blast need to beat the Whitby Dunlops, the team Ham considers to be the class of senior AAA hockey.
"They (Whitby) didn't win it last year because they ran into a hot goaltender," Ham said. "But they were the best team and they've set the standard that we have to meet."
To meet that standard, the Blast will look for ways to improve throughout the season and that could mean tinkering with the lineup, he said.
Last season, the Blast lost 4-0 in the best-of-seven playoff for the Ontario Hockey Association/Ontario Hockey Federation senior AAA championship.
This season is the beginning of a countdown to the 100th anniversary of the Allan Cup tournament, which will be played in Brantford during the week of April 15.
The tournament will be broadcast on TSN coast to coast and, as the host team, Brantford will be competing for the championship.
Meanwhile, Friday's game will feature the league's two top scorers from last year.
Tillsonburg forward Brad Wilkins had 12 goals and 56 assists in 29 games for 68 points last year.
He was followed by Blast captain Tyler Pelton, who had 28 goals and 34 assists in 30 games for a total of 62 points last year.
The Blast are coached by Larry Trader and Dan Caco, while the Vipers will feature former Blast coach Larry Van Herzele and former Brantford goaltender Brett Leggat.
Blast bits: Jessica Townson, 14, and Brantford's newest idol will sing the national anthem at Friday's game. She won the teen idol competition on Sunday ... Mixed martial arts fighter and Ultimate Fighting Championship competitor Jeff (The Inferno) Joslin, of Hamilton, will be the guest of honour. Fans will have an opportunity to meet Joslin and get autographs before the game and in between periods.