The Roster Shake Up Continues
(Bradford, ON, November 19, 2011)
By: Sean Werth
The Bradford Rattlers will be entering the 3rd Annual College Showcase Classic on a winning streak, following victories over Toronto and Deseronto this weekend. On Saturday, the Rattlers travelled down to Thornhill, winning their game over the Toronto Canada Moose by a score of 8-4. The following night, Bradford was back at home to defeat the Deseronto Storm, final score 7-3.
Bradford had no problem with scoring against the Moose this past Saturday, on route to an 8-4 victory. The Rattler’s top line of Nikonov, Smith, and Haga were firing on all cylinders, combining for 12 points and capturing all three stars of the game. Even the defense was scoring, with 6’5” Swiss defenseman Nicolas Thommen notching 2 goals. After a close first period, which only saw the Rattlers take a 1-0 lead, Bradford broke the game wide open. Following the second, Bradford was winning 6-2 and never looked back. Goal scorers for Bradford included: Nikonov (2), Thommen (2), Smith, Haga, Nilsson, and Philley.
On Sunday, Bradford was back at the Bob Fallis Sports Centre to take on the Deseronto Storm. Bradford received balance scoring all lines on their way to a 7-3 win. Nikonov once again was named 1st star of the game with a 2 goal and 2 assist performance. Forwards Kyle Blohm and Conor Smith also had goals in the game, with Alexander Bangert notching a single. Deseronto’s John Sweet had 2 goals and a assist for the losing club.
Bradford hopes to keep their hot hands going into the 3rd Annual College Showcase Classic this Tuesday. Currently there are 3 NCAA schools, 1 ACHA school, 2 Major Jr ‘A’ teams, CIS Universities and an NAHL team committed to be in attendance. There are also many hockey programs that will be participating through FastHockey.com and still more awaiting confirmation of staff availability. Last year we saw over 17 players receive offers from Colleges and Universities.
Bradford kicks off their games with a rematch against the Deseronto Storm on Tuesday.
Bradford Rattler’s Showcase Schedule:
Tue, Nov. 22 (3:00pm) Bradford Rattlers vs. Deseronto Storm
(7:30pm) Bradford Rattlers vs. Elliot Lake Bobcats
Wed, Nov. 23 (1:30pm) Bradford Rattlers vs. Vaughan Stars
