Redmen pummeled by Brampton

July 17, 2008 - 03:16

By Shawn Cayley

WHITBY -- Simply put, the Brooklin Redmen were smacked around by a far superior team on Wednesday.

That's generally what happens when a team goes up against the first-place Brampton Excelsiors, who showed just how deep and talented they are in handing the Redmen a 13-6 defeat in the final regular season home game at Iroquois Park.

"The effort was OK and mistakes kill us but we have to remember right now that team is better than we are," said Redmen coach Peter Vipond. "There is no use in saying they aren't because they are. They are by far the best team in the league."

And they proved that to the Redmen even without the likes of Colin Doyle, Blaine Manning and Brodie Merrill, who were all out of the lineup Wednesday.

Despite the lopsided defeat, Vipond did pull some positives out the game that can be of use for the Redmen heading into Sunday's season finale in Peterborough against the second-place Lakers.

"At times we checked extremely well and shut them down. They have a very, very experienced and veteran offence," he said. "Offensively every once and a while we showed great signs with lots of movement. Our problem is though we become too stationary on around the outside. We want to work everything from the outside instead of getting into the middle."

Those who did manage to score Wednesday included Derek Hopcroft with two, Bobby McBride, Kyle O'Brien, Colin Baker and Steve Hutchins. Shawn Williams, who led the league in scoring heading into the game with 79 points, was limited to one assist.

Vipond figures that bad habit has a lot to do with the youngsters reverting back to comfort zones and elements that may have led to success in junior.

"I guess it's the way they've always played. It's more the way they played junior and they were able to get away with it," said Vipond attempting to explain his club's reluctance to attack the middle of the floor. "Here the goaltenders are better, the checkers are bigger and stronger and you're going to have to cut through the middle. I just think it's probably something they've never really done."

And with a playoff spot all wrapped up, it's something the coach hopes his team will work on Sunday against the Lakers.

Meanwhile Vipond hasn't determined who will start in goal after Mike Miron did Wednesday only to be replaced by Kurtis Wagar. He wants to get Miron some time in net to prepare him for possible playoff duty, however, he is leaning towards Wagar based on his recent play.

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