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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, January 14, 2016 | 32 Kevin Nagel Sports Editor sports@oakvillebeaver.com Sports "Connected to your Community" Blades lead division by six points after beating Mississauga Ryan Garvey scored twice and Patrick Kudla had his second straight three-point game as the Oakville Blades topped the Mississauga Chargers 6-2 Saturday. Garvey scored midway through the second period to break a 1-1 tie and added another five minutes later. Jackson Bales extended the lead to 4-1 in the final minute of the period and the Blades went on to their second win in as many nights. Bryce Misley, Ryan Foss and Kudla also scored for the Blades, who outshot Mississauga 54-32. Kudla, Tyler Rollo, Oliver Benwell, Bales and Christian Rajic each had two assists while Brendan McGlynn made 30 saves for the win. With six points in his last two games, Kudla moved into fourth place in the Ontario Junior Hockey League scoring race. He is the only defenceman among the top 35 in the league and leads the OJHL in assists with 42. With North York tying, the Blades, 24-12-3, extended their lead atop the South Division to six points. Oakville plays back-to-back games at home this weekend. They have a rematch with Mississauga Friday and play the Milton IceHawks Saturday. Saturday's game will be the Blades' Pink in the Rink game. Last year's fundraiser for breast cancer raised more than $22,000. Both games are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at Sixteen Mile Sports Complex. Former champs reunite By Herb Garbutt Oakville Beaver staff Abbey Park took on Iroquois Ridge in Halton high school girls hockey action. Here, Abbey Park goalie Abiha Khan makes a save on Iroquois Ridge's Amanda Molyneaux. | Photo by Justin Greaves ­ Oakville Beaver Abbey Park girls' hockey team gets big boost from graduating seniors The Abbey Park Eagles had success in high school hockey before, but their Halton junior Tier 2 title came on grass. This year, they're determined to carry that field hockey success on to the ice. So as this year's hockey season approached, a group of graduating Eagles who hadn't played for the high school since Grade 9 decided to suit up for their school one last time. "It's our senior year so we just thought it would be a great experience to come back and play together again," said Eagles' captain Chloe Nicholls, who had a hat trick in Tuesday's 7-4 win over Iroquois Ridge. Nicholls, like many of her teammates, had stayed with rep hockey when Halton instituted a ban on rep players in girls' high school hockey two years ago. But remembering the enjoyment of winning a banner to hang in the school gym, they've returned to try to win another. Last year the Eagles had to find players just to put a team on the ice. They recruited figure skater Jacklyn Short and field hockey and soccer player Lauren Gallow, who both had limited hockey experience. "They've both improved so much, it's crazy," Nicholls said. This season, Abbey Park had a solid base with returning players in Maddie Osgarby, Rachel Vander doelen and Bridget Hooke, who helped the Eagles go 7-3-2 and make the Halton semifinals in 2015. Now, with the likes of Nicholls, who recorded her seventh multi-goal game of the season, Emma Schwichtenberg and Nicole Kirk returning from rep, the Eagles boast a deep lineup. Five different players scored against Iroquois Ridge. Kirk had a goal and two assists, Osgarby, Hooke and Ellie White also found the back of the net, Nisha McConnachie set up a pair of goals and netminder Abiha Khan allowed only one goal over the final 2 1/2 periods. Tuesday's win improved Abbey Park's record to 7-1-1, with its lone loss coming against the undefeated Georgetown Rebels. With so many of the girls having played together in rep or house league hockey or on school teams -- seven players were part of the championship field hockey team -- coach Paul Dick says it is a very close group. "I think the fact that the girls get along so well helps them on the ice," he said. "There are different skill levels and they're competitive but they're also very patient. They always seem to know where each other are going to be on the ice. They're just enjoying themselves." The Eagles admit Georgetown will be tough to beat, but as one of only three AA teams, Abbey Park could still qualify for a provincial high school championship tournament even if they don't win the Halton title. "Beating Georgetown would be a bonus," Dick said. "We're looking at Notre Dame and M.M. Robinson (the other AA teams). The girls really want to go to OFSAA." "It would mean a lot," Nicholls said. McDonnell CHA's goalie of the week Oakville's Sarah McDonnell surrendered just one goal in two games to earn College Hockey America goaltender-of-the-week honours. McDonnell made 14 saves in the Mercyhurst Lakers' 3-1 win over Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. The following day, she began the game on the bench, but took over just 4:38 into the game after RPI scored on its first two shots. McDonnell stopped all 16 shots she faced over the final 60 minutes and 22 seconds allowing Mercyhurst to rally for a 2-2 tie. The freshman netminder, who was the CHA goalie of the month for November, improved to 9-2-4 with a goals-against average of 1.84 and save percentage of .902 this season.