Sean Allen
BRANT NEWS
There is an extra level of preparation that comes whenever the Brantford Blast meet their rival Dundas Real McCoys.
As Brantford’s Allan Cup Hockey league team gears up to put its perfect record on the line against the Real McCoys for the first time this season, captain Chad Spurr knows his team will be ready.
“Obviously all the boys get up for this game,” he said. “The rivalry is getting stronger over the years.”
Spurr, in his sixth year with the Blast, said he has gotten to know players on the Real McCoys lineup all too well over the years.
“A lot of the guys have been playing each other for a long time and you get to hate some of the guys on the other team,” he said.
The Blast are putting an unblemished 7-0 record on the line when the Real McCoys visit on Friday at 7:30 p.m.
“They are right down the road and it’s always nice to beat them,” Spurr said. “They are usually a contender, too.”
The Real McCoys sport the second-best record in the ACH this season at 5-3, having lost twice to the Whitby Dunlops and once to the Orillia Tundras.
“These are two huge points right now,” Spurr said. “We look at it as a four-point game because they are in second place. If they win, they are four points closer to us because that’s also two points we don’t get.”
The Blast have been a scoring machine this season, averaging more than six goals per game so far.
“(Owner) Peter Ham brought in some more forwards that can score this season,” Spurr said. “So where we had a line and a half that could score and a line and a half that was out for checking, we now have three lines that can score at any given moment.”
On Friday, the Blast earned their sixth win with a 9-4 victory against the visiting Orillia Tundras. In just his second game of the season with the Blast, Kyle Zettler potted a hat trick.
On Saturday in Welland, the Blast earned their seventh win with a 4-3 victory against the Whalers. Kyle Spurr scored the winner with fewer than four minutes to play.
Walter Gretzky will be at the Brantford Civic Centre for Friday’s game, signing autographs and meeting with the fans. The first 500 fans thorough the gate will get a gift card for one pound of chicken wings at Kelsey’s.
