JUNIOR HOUNDS LOOKING AHEAD

The Soo Junior Greyhounds have earned a bit of a rest. The Junior Hounds completed a four-game sweep of the Abitibi Eskimos in Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League opening round playoff action last week as goalie Shane Bellini stood out. The 19-year old tender allowed only seven goals in the four wins and was twice named first star of the game. Bellini earned his second first-star performance of the series last Friday, making 44 saves as the Junior Hounds eliminated Abitibi with a 7-2 road decision. "I'm seeing the puck really well right now," offered the soft-spoken Bellini. "If I'm able to make the first save, the guys have been really good at clearing the rebounds." Bellini and the Junior Greyhounds are awaiting the winner of the Sudbury Northern Wolves/Rayside Balfour Sabrecats series. The locals will have home-ice advantage for that series. Not as experienced a team as the one that lost out to Rayside in last season's championship series, Bellini likes the makeup of this year's team more. "I think we work harder, have more heart as a team, and are closer knit," the first-year Algoma University student related. Bellini is hoping that his excellent play this year will result in an American college scholarship. Thus far, he has heard from Sacred Heart, a Division 1 school which plays in the Metro Atlantic Conference.