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Junior Excels set for action
Friday May 9 2008
By Robin Inscoe
 
The Brampton Junior A Excelsiors aren’t looking past this season— at least coach Brian Beisel isn’t.
The Excelsiors will host the Minto Cup national championship tournament in August 2009 but Beisel wants his team to get a taste of national championship action this year- and he thinks he’s got a team that’s capable.
And why not?
The Excelsiors finished an impressive 13-5 last season, good for third in league standings, and with much of its roster back, Beisel hopes to expand on its semifinal exit of one year ago. They fell in five games to Orangeville after nipping St. Catharines in seven games in round one.
The Brampton bench boss noted that he’ll need to find some added offense this season with the loss of players like Jamie Pillon, Brendan Thenhaus and John McClure.
“We need to find some offense through trade or guys stepping up,” added Beisel. “And I think we’ve got guys who can do it right here.”
Just in case that’s not the case, the Excelsiors did add veteran Matt Carter to the roster last week. Carter, who played in Mississauga two seasons ago, just returned from a stint with Phoenix of the East Coast Hockey League after leading the Owen Sound Attack of the Ontario Hockey League in scoring this past hockey season.
Carter, a Mississauga native, was dealt for prospect Reid Board, who played last season with the Halton Hills Junior B Bulldogs.
Beisel expects Carter to help carry the offensive load, along with returnees Dylan Evans and Ryan McClelland.
Joining Carter as newcomers to the Excelsiors will be Brendan Clarke, J.J. Laforet, Adam McGourdy, Pat Lloyd and Kyle Alfred, whom the Excels picked up in the Junior A dispersal draft from Ottawa.
In goal, the Excelsiors will have an experience tandem of Tylers, Carlson and Belanger, back while Beisel expects a strong performance from his defensive players.
“I really believe if we progress through the season, we’ll be right there at the end,” said Beisel in assessing his team’s chances. “We’re going to have to execute a little better and that should lead to more wins.”
While the coach wouldn’t predict a win total, he’s hading into the season with optimism.
“Our goal is to work hard and compete every game,” noted Beisel. “If we do that we’ll win most of our games.”
Beisel feels that teams like Orangeville, Six Nations, Peterborough and St. Catharines will provide the stiffest competition this season.
“I refuse to look to next year,” said Beisel when asked about the 2009 season. “I’ll leave that to management. I don’t look past the next practice.”
And that’s this weekend.
The majority of the squad will take part in two-a-day weekend workouts at Memorial Arena, although five players— Cameron Flint, Garrett Ince, Ben McCullough and Kyle Rubisch—are still away at school.
Most of those players are expected back prior to the Junior Excelsiors’ season opener in Orillia next Friday, May 16. They meet the Burlington Chiefs in their home opener on Wednesday, May 21 at Memorial Arena and thentangle with the defending Canadian champion Six Nation Arrows at home on Friday, May 23. Both contests are 8 p.m. starts.