Majors pull rank on Gens, Tavares

St. Mike’s rallies for 7-6 OT win Vitarelli hat trick sets Toronto mark

For the first time in four games, Oshawa rookie phenom John Tavares found his name missing from the score sheet.

His disappointment was magnified by a 7- 6 Generals overtime loss to the host Toronto St. Michael’s Majors yesterday.

“It’s nice to score goals but what’s more important is the win and we didn’t get that. It’s disappointing,” said Tavares, who turned 15 two weeks ago.

“ I could have played a lot better. Today wasn’t a great day but hopefully I can rebound with a few hard practices this week.” The 6- foot, 183- pound centre enjoyed a successful exhibition campaign and carried it into the start of the regular season with four goals in his first three games with the Generals.

In yesterday’s contest, Tavares — who centred a line with veterans Cal Clutterbuck and Justin Allen — was a minus- 2 with time on both the power play and penalty killing units and did not look out of place.

“ He’s a real good player and he’s adjusted very well to this level,” said Oshawa head coach Randy Ladouceur. “ You get too tempted to kind of overuse him alittle bit. It’s something I’m going to have to watch.”

Oshawa’s opponents are also tracking the heralded rookie.

“ He’s solid, I wish I was that solid at 14- years- old,” said Majors captain Tyler Haskins. “ I’ll probably be that solid at 23. He’s a good player.”

Haskins scored the winning goal for the Majors with 29.7 seconds remaining in overtime when he jumped on a loose puck after teammate Matt Halischuk’s shot had hit the crossbar.

“ I skated to the net and the puck was just laying there,” said Haskins. “ I think I might have been celebrating a little bit before I put the puck in the net. . . I got lucky.” Forward Cory Vitarelli tallied a natural hat trick for the Majors, who also got goals from Peter Franchin and Marek Horsky.

Vitarelli scored his goals in a span of 7: 47 in the first period, giving him a spot in the Majors’ record book with the fastest hat trick in franchise history.

Peter Tsimikalis netted a pair of goals for the Generals, who blew a two- goal lead in the third period. Nathan Brooks, Bret Nasby, Adam Berti, and Gary Friesen also scored for Oshawa.