Wild experience against Mexican National team a memorable one
By Jon Yaneff

Wild forward Jon Adams checks Adrian Cerventes, as the Mexican forward goes airborne. Adams agressiveness produced a goal and an assist in the exhibition matchup. Photos by Jon Yaneff

It may only have been exhibition, but it was fiercely entertaining nonetheless, with some international flavour from the south.

The King Wild became the first Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League (GMHL) franchise to defeat an International team, after they came away with a dramatic 7-6 overtime victory against the Mexican National team in a bonus game at the Nobleton Arena March 22.

This was one of five exhibition games against GMHL competition (as well as a men's league all-star team) to help them condition for the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) Division II Pool B Championships in Newcastle, Australia from April 7 to 13.

"Most of our players don't play many games during the year, so these physical games help prepare us," said Mexican forward Brian Baxter Arroyo, who is in his third year with Team Mexico.

"It's always different when you play against teams from other countries because they perceive hockey differently than in Canada," noted Wild Head Coach Paul Hampton after the game. "Mexico's style of play consists of a lot of sticking and hooking, which had us shot quiet early on. Whereas we're used a tougher style with a hard hitting, dropping the gloves and fighting Canadian mentality game."

The Mexican National Team members were shaking hands hands with the Wild after an exhibition game Saturday. The Wild won the game in a close 7-6 overtime thriller.

Toughness seemed to trump stick-use in the first period, as although Mexico outshot the Wild 22-8, they trailed 1-0 at the end of the period on the strength of forward Jon Adams' aggressiveness.

Adams' scrappy play managed to open the scoring at the 5:16 mark of the first (assisted by Steve Wicklum and Brandon Beadow) and he also gave the Mexicans a taste of their own medicine with a hooking penalty.

The Wild continued their relentless edginess with two more goals early in the second, as forwards Keylan Marchant (assisted by Dan Douglas) and Matt Marchese on the power play (assisted by Anthony Simone and Adams), made their mark to claim a 3-0 lead for the Wild at about the midway mark in the contest.

Not long after, goaltender Chris Stellato, who started the game for the Wild, was replaced by Kyle Parker to give both King netminders playing time. Mexico also gave both their goaltenders, Alfonso De Alba and Andres De La Garma, some action during the game.

The change in net woke up the Mexicans, as defenceman Luis De La Vega (assisted by Baxter Arroyo) slipped one of several shots past Parker.

With nine seconds left in the second, forward Roberto Chabat (assisted by De La Vega) scored to trim the Wild lead to 3-2 at the end of the frame.

The third 20 minutes resulted in a heavy stream of goals at both ends of the ice.

Forward Simone (assisted by Douglas) edged a shorthanded marker 34 seconds in the third to spout a 4-2 advantage.

But within three minutes the game was tied at four as Baxter Arroyo (assisted by Manual Sierra) and Juan Pablo De Sayve (assisted by Baxter Arroyo) surprised the young Wild squad.

Shortly after that, King vets Marchese (assisted by Marchant) and Douglas (assisted by Michael Garvie) potted their second goals of the game to recapture the two-goal margin.

About midway through the third (9:50) De La Vega notched his second marker (assisted by Chabat and defenceman Alejandro Rosette).

Baxter Arroyo (assisted by De Sayve and Sierra) played the proverbial exhibition hero with about oneminute left in the game to send the game into overtime. Baxter Arroyo had an outstanding game with two goals and two assists.

Defenceman Derek Long (assisted by Marchese and Chris Martella) won it for the Wild on a long shot from the point with 57 seconds left in the extra frame.

"It was an entertaining game with lots of goals and penalties, that's what exhibition is," said Hampton, who was coaching his first game since being suspended earlier this season. "But, it was good to be back even though it was just for fun."

The Wild didn't have the same emotion going into the exhibition game because they were coming off an intense quarter-final series against the Temiscaming Royals, where they lost four games to two, and maybe they didn't think Mexico would battle as hard as they did.

"We heard Richmond Hill Rams lost 6-4 on Friday, so we didn't know what to expect," said Douglas.

On a negative note to end the season, goaltender Craig Byford was involved in an altercation in Temiscaming and wasn't at the Mexico exhibition matchup.

Marchese, 19, who's dad Naz is the general manager and owner of the Wild, said he'll probably be back next season to improve his skills.

The Wild was to play the Mexican National team again yesterday (Tuesday) at Elgin Barrow Arena in Richmond Hill.

King was to be without forwards Steve Wicklum and Brandon Beadow for the last game of the season, as they had returned to their homes of North Carolina and Kapuskasing, respectively.