NEWS ITEM

Tuesday, October 26th, 2010

 

Navy Vets find the win column in Paris

 

The Woodstock Navy Vets are finally in the win column. All it took was a good luck charm.

Hours after signing autographs Saturday for the Woodstock minor atoms, who were competing in the Silver Stick qualifier at Southwood Arena, the Navy Vets went to Paris and defeated the Mounties 7-5.

"They were our good luck tool," Navy Vets head coach and general manager Jeff Morrison said.

Tyler Vandenbussche scored twice in the win, which improved Woodstock to 1-8-1. Travis Horvath, Dylan Lazarus, Chase Thornton, Kyle Morris and Derek Cowing, with his sixth goal in the last five games, also scored for the Navy Vets.

"We've been playing well offensively the last four or five games," Morrison said. "We stuck to the game plan. Biggest thing was we didn't panic when Paris scored less than four minutes into third period (to make it 6-5). At the end of each period we said the score is nothing-nothing and we have to go out and win the next period."

Neil Pittock made 42 saves as each team fired 47 shots. Woodstock was shorthanded on the blue-line, with injuries and suspensions reducing the team to three regulars. Brynn Shultz did an admirable job filling in on the back end.

"Guys are really starting to step up and doing whatever is asked of them," Morrison said. "Through the first eight games nobody was getting upset about ice time. There's no (me-first players) in the room. Everybody stayed positive through eight games."

Woodstock led 4-2 after the first period and 5-4 heading into the third.

"I think there was some relief, but at the same time the guys knew it was going to come," Morrison said of the first win. "Other than the Simcoe game (a 14-6 loss) we've played really well of late. Sixteen rookies, they're coming along and starting to understand the importance of playing defensive hockey. We improve each game out and that's the goal."

Woodstock will try to make it two straight wins tonight in Dundas. Morrison wants his players to tighten up defensively like they did in the third period against Paris.

"That's what we need to do every night for 60 minutes," he said. "If we can play like that every night we'll see a lot more positives down the road."

 

(Sentinel-Review)