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Tigers vault up CJHL rankings with hot start

October 3, 2018   ·   0 Comments

By Jake Courtepatte

One month into the Ontario Junior Hockey League season, the roar of the Aurora Tigers is loud and clear.
Jumping out to a start of 7-1-1 has given the Tigers the twelfth spot in the October Canadian junior rankings, released on Monday, vaulting up six positions from the original list.
“It’s something to be proud of,” said Tigers head scout Jason Maslakow. “But this is only the beginning.”
Riding their hottest start in over five years, Aurora made short work of a struggling Stouffville squad on Saturday, besting the Spirit 8 – 0 on their own ice.
Newly-minted Tiger Kyle Bollers proved his worth on the Tigers’ top line in producing a natural hat trick to open the scoring, capping off a pair of powerplay goals with the game’s third less than a minute into the second period.
Jacob Ball found the back of the net twice in his first multi-goal effort in the Aurora black and gold, while Jack Varga, Evan Pringle, and Tyler Davis added singles.
Joseph Mizzi’s five assists made certain he kept pace as the overall league scoring leader.
It was the veteran Mizzi who played the overtime hero, for the second time already in this short season, in Sunday’s 5 – 4 double overtime win over the Markham Royals.
With first place in the North division on the line, both sides came out the gate with guns blazing in a 3 – 3 first period shootout.
Aurora goaltender Jack Irvine, who has emerged as the team’s starting netminder through the first month, settled in after the intermission in riding to a shutout second period.
Mizzi and Markham’s Christos Rodis exchanged late goals to send the game to overtime, before Mizzi earned the Tigers the extra point with a blast in the first minute of the second overtime.
With nine games behind them, the Tigers now enjoy a comfortable four-point cushion over the Royals, while remaining one point back of the Oakville Blades for first place in the NorthWest Conference.
Thanksgiving weekend will see the Tigers hit the ice for three sessions, beginning with a trip to Burlington on Friday to visit the Cougars.
Saturday’s home game will see the Tigers host the rival Wellington Dukes at the Aurora Community Centre, with action starting at 7:30 p.m.
They wrap up the weekend Monday with an afternoon matinee against the Spirit.
For stats, schedules, and more information, visit www.auroratigers.pointstreaksites.com.

         

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