Griffins stumble in third period By Andrew McCredie Sports Editor andrew@nsnews.com THROUGH 40 min- utes the North Shore Griffins kept pace with the strong forechecking Seattle North-West Americans, The final 29 minutes, however, was the Junior B H t hockey team’s undoing, as the visiting §=Americans scored four unanswered goals for the 8-5 win. Both teams are at the ‘bottom of the Pacific International Junior Hockey League standings, and the Griffins were hoping to gain some ground on a team they will most likeiy be fighting later in the year for a playoff berth. » Griffin netminder Tomo Uchida, looking for his first victory ‘of the season, got behind in the count early i in the game as Seattle jumped to a 3-] lead. But in the waning min- utes of the first period, Clayton Whitman and Morgan Jones scored for North Shore to knot the game at three apiece. The Griffins scored uwice in the second — Whitman and Albert Huopalainen — and took a 5-4 fead into the third. That’s when things began to unravel. Just 23 seconds into the inal period, Seartle’s Utta _ Visvader beat Ochida, and a minute later the Americans tock a 6-5 lead on a Zac Fleming, goal. Griffin head coach Norm McNamara had © seen enough and pulled Ochida for number one goalie Jordan Sigalet. But the Griffins couldn't muster any offensive threats in the remaining time, as Seartle scored twice mare to seal the victory. Sunday ake Arena, night ac the owed the kind of determination needed to steal a win as they came back from a 3-1 deficit to edge che Grandview Steelers 5- 4. North Shore assistant cap- tain Jon Vanzella had the game winnes. With the back-to-back split, the Griffins are now 4- 19-1, The next game for North Shore is Friday pight against third place Abbotsford Piicts in Abbotsford. The Griffins next home game is) Monday night against Port Coquitlam Buckeroos. Game time is 7:45 p.m. The Griffins’ hockey club is looking for volunteers to help out with their Monday night home games. For more information call Keith at 734-6910. north shore news @SPORT S ” Wednesday, December 3,1 997 — North Shore News — 49 Three-sport sudo gets his Kicks MOVE over Bo and Deion. Dennis Sudo’s got One up on you both. Bo jackson and Deion Sanders may have played pro- ssi seball and football at the same time in their careers, but North Van’s Sudo knows hockey, footbail and golf. On Saturday evening at BC Place, othe = North Vancouver teenager kicked four field goals and the game- winning convert to pace the Windsor Dukes to the B.C. double-A football champi- onships. (The Dukes edged West Vancouver’s Sentinel Spartans 28-27. See story page 48). On Monday night Sudo hit the ice at West Van Arena as a member of the North Shore Griffins Junior B hock- ey wam. The Grade 1}. stu- dent is one of the top for- wards on the Griffins. And he’s also an excellent golter, spending many a round at Seymour Golf & Country Club with his father cheap seats during hockey’s off-season. Prior to Monday’s 8-5 loss to the Seattle North-West Americans, Sudc was still ona high from kicking the winning convert: for the Dukes. He says it is the highlight of his young sporting life. So far. “Just coming back from a deficit of 20- nothing in the first half, and winning,” he said. “It’s rcaby helped my confidence.” Confidence, and concen- tration, are, according to Dukes football coach Jay Prepchuk, Sudo’s grearest strengths as an athlete. “Denn. concentration is at the master level,” said Prepchuk, who also coaches Windsor’s golf team. “He and T hase a bit of deal going thar he cones out to foorball prac- tice a couple of times a week, does his job working with the special reams and goes home.” “He came out, did his work a couple of times a week and never let us down.” “He (Prepchuk! really understands that I’m compet- ing ata high level in hockey, so he understands if 1 miss a game or a practice,” Sudo said of his deal with Prepehuk. Sudo did miss a couple of DENNIS SUDO ... kicks game-winner for Dukes. “00 Minutes 095 Duke gimes due to hockey commitments, but no Duke players ever felt Sudo was get- ting special treatment. Probably because they know Sudo is a real team player. On Monday morning, Prepehuk ran into Sudo at school and the kicker made a point of mentioning Duke long snapper Nicholas Milton and holder Stewart McCrowne: “He said he just had so much confidence in Nick — and Stewart,” the coach said. “They had a good practice session and a good warmup.” “The speed of Nick’s snaps are really fast, and Stewey just gets it down so fast, places it tight where T wane it,” Sudo said of his teammates. Monday night's Griffins’ game was Sudo’s first in two weeks as he recovered from 3 deep bruise in his back. On one of his first. shifts, he came flying down the wing and threw himself into a Seattle player. His father, watching the action unfeld behind the glass, winced ang, shook his head. Just a few minutes earlier, Mr. Sudo was ing that he was glad his son ided to just be a kicker in football and nor a full-time player. “Too many injuries,” Papa Sudo was saying. Safe to say he’s most com- fortable when he’s watching Dennis line up a purt. Complete Mechanical NO contract No long-term commitment JOO First incoming minutes free 2. on phone extra phone included oe 100 incoming Evenings & weekends To find out more, and ask us about our Wireless Weekend Specials, visit us this Saturday at the Cantel® AT&T™ Mali Store in Capilano Mall, North Vancouver. Ph: 938-9744 minutes free 9: a phone included OUR PRICE GUARANTEE We promise no price increases and the flexibility to change plans if you need to. CANTEL Long distance, roaming charges and applicable taxes are extra. Thrce year term applies to $29.95 plan. Offer available to existing customers who have bes? customers tor a minimun of 18 months. _See store tor details. Nokia® i isa registered trademark of Nokia az Finland, msi Cartel lac. 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