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Local hockey: Brodie changes plans, Griffith sets record, Caetano wins award

Maple Leafs defenceman T.J. Brodie will miss out on a family vacation, but he’s happy the NHL will play several postponed games during what was originally an Olympic break.

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Leafs’ Brodie glad games rescheduled

Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman T.J. Brodie of Dresden will miss out on a family vacation, but he’s happy the NHL will play several postponed games during what was originally an Olympic break.

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Since NHL players are no longer going to the Beijing Games, the NHL is using the three-week period in February to make up games postponed because of COVID-19.

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“I’m glad they rescheduled to give us a chance to hopefully have fans in the building,” Brodie said. “… It’s exciting to get a whole season and somewhat feel back to normal.”

The new schedule has forced Brodie to change his plans.

“We’d planned originally last summer to do a full family vacation,” he said. “Obviously nothing was concrete. We knew that there was a lot of variables and things that could happen, so didn’t really get too excited for it. And now seeing what happened (I’m) sort of happy I did.”

The Maple Leafs (24-10-3) are third in the Atlantic Division behind the Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers, but they have games in hand on both teams.

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The Leafs will visit the New York Islanders on Saturday.

Brodie has 11 points in 37 games and is third on the team with a plus-nine rating.

Griffith breaks Condors’ record

Veteran forward Seth Griffith of Wallaceburg set the Bakersfield Condors’ team record with five assists in a 6-3 home win over the Tucson Roadrunners late Wednesday.

It was the fifth five-point game of Griffith’s American Hockey League career.

He moved up to seventh in the AHL scoring race with 33 points in 25 games. He was tied for third before Thursday’s games with 24 assists.

Griffith has 15 points during his seven-game point streak, tied for the second-longest active streak in the AHL. He began the season with a 13-game point streak, which remains the league’s longest this season.

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The Condors are enjoying their own point streak. They’ve earned points in 10 straight games (7-0-2-1), the longest active streak in the AHL.

GOJHL waiting to resume season

The Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League hopes to resume its regular season Jan. 31 when the province’s COVID-19 restrictions start being lifted, commissioner Brent Garbutt said.

The Ontario government announced Thursday that sporting events can have either 500 spectators or 50 per cent capacity, whichever is less, on Jan. 31 at 12:01 a.m.

Most leagues have been on hiatus since Jan. 5 when the province tightened restrictions.

The GOJHL is waiting to receive confirmation from the Ontario Hockey Federation on its restart date and also get permission to extend the season beyond May 31, Garbutt told the Daily News.

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Caetano honoured with monthly award

Forward Braedon Caetano of the Wheatley Omstead Sharks is the December player of the month in the Provincial Junior Hockey League’s Stobbs Division.

Caetano, who turned 20 on Jan. 3, had 10 goals and five assists in seven games last month. He posted four multi-goal games, including a hat trick.

The ex-Chatham Maroon from Leamington has 12-7-19 totals in 16 games overall.

Another ex-Maroon, Dallas Anderson, leads the Sharks with 17 goals and 25 points in 20 games.

Goure second star with winning goal

Deni Goure of Grande Pointe scored the winning goal as the Owen Sound Attack beat the Barrie Colts 3-2 on Thursday in the Ontario Hockey League.

Goure was named the second star after his team-leading 15th goal snapped a 2-2 tie at 13:51 of the third period.

He also leads the Attack with 16 assists and 31 points in 30 games.

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