MEPCO shoots for the upset

By Matthew Yates, matthew@cfp.ky

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Local hockey continues to roll along as the sixth week of games is set to begin tonight.

The WestTel Arena at Kings Sports Centre sees two matches from 8pm.

First up the MEPCO High Rollers hope to climb the ranks by pulling off an epic win over the undefeated Budget Beavers.

Thereafter the Elite Barracudas aim to get in striking position of the top teams with a win over the Cayman Destination Management Services team.

MEPCO come into tonight’s game firmly in second place in the division. With the season nearing the stretch run now is the time for the defensive–minded side to stand up and snag wins.

Steadying the team has been scoring sensation Dan Etherington who has been the lightning rod of the offense.

Thanks to his efforts Ryan MacMillian has stepped up to lead the team in goals while Wolfgang Brocklebank paces the team in assists.

All three have to be on point tonight if they hope to keep up with the robust offense of the Beavers.

Budget are well out in front of the league in goals scored, already eclipsing the 50 goal mark.

Creating headaches and match–up problems galore has been the three–headed enigma of Tim MacDonald, Mark Missal and Chris Moser.

MacDonald is quickly putting up numbers that could fit in easily with the NHL as he has an amazing 22 goals.

Missal is a wizard with the puck as he leads the team in assists with 13. Moser is the scrappy, hustling spark plug of the offense who is in the right place at the right time.

The scary part about Budget is their onslaught of attacking players as guys like Rob Leadbetter (three goals) and Jamie Lyon (nine assists) have quietly been good.

This game has all the makings of a blow–out with no shortage of goals.

Meanwhile the second game sees a Barracudas team armed with their own Big Three in Fareed Hosein, Mark Thompson and Brad Galbraith.

The trio are fourth, fifth and sixth in points in the league overall with Hosein’s 10 assists and Thompson’s nine goals highlighting the group.

Puck control is a big part of the Barracudas’ success and forcing the action on offense is where they are most successful.

Their opponents meanwhile don’t have a set style of play making them both dangerous and reckless.

CDMS, at its core, is an opportunistic side that wants clubs to attack them and then capitalize on mistakes for goals of their own.

With names in the sport world like Brendon Malice, Patrick Bourque and Dave Champoux there is certainly enough athleticism to make that plan work.

Their biggest contributors however have been Rob Brooks (who is the leading scorer with five goals) and Jean–Louis Beaudet (who paces the side in assists with five).

Tonight’s game is all about determination and centres on which team wants the win more.

Games in the WestTel league take place every Tuesday from 8pm.

The league continues to play the rest of the month with the final regular season game in two weeks on November 24.

Play matches are set to begin December 1 with a league champion crowned by mid–December.