Busy Vernace elevating his game

BRAMPTON, Ont. – Battalion defenceman Michael Vernace didn’t play every minute of a 4-4 Ontario Hockey League tie Sunday with the visiting Kitchener Rangers. It just looked that way.rrA depleted blue line corps and a season-high 11 power-play opportunities had Vernace and many other Battalion players working overtime.rrIt was a pretty tiring game,” Vernace said Tuesday. But it was good to be out there in the action, because you really get into the flow of the game. We had a lot of power plays, but the other guys had to work just as hard. Since we were shorthanded, we all had to elevate our game.”rrThe 18-year-old Toronto resident, who had two assists, was one of five defenceman available against Kitchener, with veterans Nick Duff, Phil Oreskovic and Stuart Simmons out of the lineup.rrThose guys bring a real physical dimension to our team, so you have to keep it a lot simpler,” said Vernace, in his first full season with the Troops after joining the club late in 2003-04 from the Bramalea Blues of the Provincial Junior A League.rr”We really have to work together as a team back there. The guys have shown a lot of character over the last couple of weeks with guys out. We’ve worked really hard in practices and games on limiting scoring chances. We’ve really tried to help the younger guys like Tomas Stryncl and John de Gray.”rrVernace is tied for fourth in scoring among OHL defencemen with 10 goals and 29 assists for 39 points in 53 games, but the San Jose Sharks prospect said he continues to work hard on improving his defensive game.rrI’m working towards that in practice and I try to bring it into games. I feel myself getting better in the defensive zone and playing a lot stronger on guys. rrI can see a big difference from this time last year and even from the beginning of this season. I’ve been working really hard at it, and I try to learn new things in practice about taking guys out down low and limiting their chances. I’m always trying to keep my head up to be aware of what’s going on.”rrWith 15 games left in the regular season, Vernace, who has a goal and nine assists for 10 points in his last 10 games, may take a run at Rostislav Klesla’s club record of 54 points by a defenceman, set in 2000-01.rrI’ve always tried to focus on offence without forgetting about what I need to do in my own end,” said Vernace. “I’ve been playing with a lot of great offensive guys this season and I just try to get them the puck, and they’ve been doing a great job of finishing. We try to get as many points as we can on the power play, and at even strength I just try to get pucks to the net. I try to be creative and see the ice well.rrThe coaches have always given me the green light to go and jump into the play. I’m thankful for that, and it’s a credit to our forwards that they give me some time with the puck and get open so I can look for them.”rrVernace, the only Battalion defenceman to have played every game this season, said confidence has played a large role in his success.rrA big part of it is getting used to the guys and knowing where they’ll be. I’m a lot more confident and I’m not afraid to make a pass or try and get a shot through.rrOnce you get more comfortable with the speed and the tendencies of the other players, you can improve. You can’t be afraid to make mistakes, and I just use the skills that got me here.”r