Vernace puts name in record book

BRAMPTON, Ont. – Michael Vernace had a delayed start to his career with the Brampton Battalion, but his name now is written large among the Ontario Hockey League club’s record holders.rrVernace earned two assists in an 8-1 victory over the host Mississauga IceDogs last Friday night to break both Rostislav Klesla’s club record for points in a season by a defenceman and Jason Maleyko’s club mark for career points by a blueliner.rrVernace, who has eight goals and 48 assists for 56 points in 59 games this season, broke Klesla’s mark of 54 points set in 2000-01. In 129 career games, Vernace has 21 goals and 87 assists for 108 points, surpassing Maleyko’s 105 compiled in 194 games from 1998-99 through 2000-01.rrVernace, a ninth-round pick in the 2002 OHL Priority Selection from the Mississauga Reps bantams, joined the Battalion at 17 late in 2003-04 after his season with the Bramalea Blues of the Provincial Junior A League ended.rrI didn’t think I’d be here almost two years later after achieving these things,” Vernace said Wednesday as the Troops, on a club-record-tying five-game winning streak, prepared to host the Oshawa Generals at 7:30 p.m. Friday.rrAfter scoring one goal and earning one assist in two regular-season games, Vernace had five points, including two goals, in 11 playoff games in 2003-04. The San Jose Sharks took him in the seventh round of the National Hockey League’s 2004 Entry Draft.rrAs soon as I started to get in the lineup in the playoffs and get a regular shift I felt I could be a contributor here,” said Vernace, a Toronto resident. The coaching staff has given me plenty of opportunities to succeed, and I’m grateful for that.rrI’ve been lucky that we have a lot of guys who can put the puck in the net this year. We’re a pretty good offensive team.”rrAssistant coach Kelly Harper, who oversees the Battalion defence, recalled when Vernace practised with the Troops while still with Bramalea.rrThe one thing that separated him from other guys offensively was his panic level,” said Harper. rrHe’s so calm with the puck and he’s able to hold on to it and be patient and make plays, whether it’s in our end or the neutral zone but especially on the power play. At that time we didn’t have a defenceman who could do what he could. We needed a guy with his skill level and patience.”rrVernace, who has five goals and 38 assists on the power play, is a key member of the Battalion’s unit, which ranks second in the OHL with 103 goals in 448 man-advantage situations for an effectiveness of 23 percent.rrIt’s a rare skill among defencemen to find the open man and put the puck on the tape,” said Harper. On the power play he makes the right decision more often than not, and there’s no question Wojtek Wolski has been a big part of his success. We’d like him to improve his five-on-five play, but he’s a huge part of our power play.”rrSaid Vernace: It’s about knowing where your teammates are and knowing where they want to shoot the puck from. They need to know where you are, too. You need to be able to anticipate what will happen.”r