The sense of possibility… The “awe” of what can be accomplished… The certainty that this year, this team, and this season, is something different and something very special, fills the air/eithers with an overwhelming sense of… “Possibility!” Yes, Possibility!

What is possible?

The season began with 5 incredible victories, one outstanding tournament, and a series of exhibition games in Stamford Connecticut that saw the team bond, just like the pros! Long bus rides, hotel rooms, big ice surfaces, and more, during this great adventure to play the finest teams in the USA!

Dating back to the end of the Nottawasaga training camp, each player knew that they had a role to play in every game, well aware of the fact that they could not take a game off, take a period off, or even take a shift off! They had to “bring it” each and every time their skates made contact with the ice. They knew that they had their teammates relying on them and of greater importance; they knew that they could rely on their teammates. This led to a wonderful sense of possibility and that has now manifested in 5 consecutive victories for the month of September.

The first game was tough. The Toronto Red Wings came to play and they made no bones about it! Our “D” stepped up to protect our goalie and our forwards came through with 3 excellent goals. Even though the end result was Marlboros 3, Red Wings 0, this is not an accurate portrayal of just how fast and gritty this game was.

The second game was another resounding victory when the Marlboros beat the North York Rangers, 4-0! Each player took great responsibility in protecting their zone, back-checking aggressively and doing everything possible to protect the shut-out. Mission accomplished! Great goal scoring by our forwards; great “D;” and acrobatic goaltending, all meshed together perfectly for a fantastic result.

The third game was indeed something to watch. Passes were beginning to have even great snap and accuracy; great saves and excellent communication from the goaltender to the “D” to the forwards, was apparent, and even though the score was 2-0 for the Marlboros, over the Mississauga Reps; this was a very tight, hard fought, fast paced game.

Game four gave everyone a reason to sit on the edge of their seats, from the time the puck dropped, until the final whistle! The Marlboros where down repeatedly, there were some tough penalty calls that had more than a few parents in the stands, donning the “Stripes” to make calls that were obviously more fair and balanced, and the end to end pace of the game was definitely the fastest to date! This was the biggest challenge the Marlboros faced this season, and they were magnificent in rising to the task, beating the Mississauga Rebels 4-3!

Game 5, against the Toronto Young Nationals was not represented well in the final result. Sure, the game sheet concluded: Toronto Marlboros 4, Toronto Young Nationals 2, but the truth was told in the ‘shots on goal’ column. We ran into a very hot goalie that stood on his head to stop far more shots than most could have every turned away from being goals, but the Marlies were relentless in the execution of their plays, making hard, crisp, accurate passes, while executing on the basics, in a manner representative of a much older, more seasoned, championship AAA team!

September began as a month of incredible possibility and each player took great satisfaction each time they walked out of the arena, holding their heads high, as victorious team members of the Toronto Marlboros! Special mention must go to Coach Tony, Coach Mike; Managers Eddie and Warren, and of course, Head Coach Gialedakis. The manner in which they seamlessly and synergistically interface, leaves each player free to do their jobs to the best of their abilities. That is teamwork! That is the basis of great possibility! That was September, and that was a winning month of “possibility realized!”