News

Date: Jan 21, 2010

Pickering's Gertsakis is a key cog for Cougars

Former Ajax Attack player on CCHL's top team in Burlington

Jan 20, 2010 - 12:59 PM

By Shawn Cayley

WHITBY -- Bobby Gertsakis wasn't ready to move on.

While his family uprooted and relocated to Ohio due to his father's work commitments, the 19-year-old Pickering native wanted to remain in Ontario and continue his hockey career.

So as the family headed south of the border, Gertsakis was traded from the Ajax Attack to the Burlington Cougars, moved in with his uncle's family and is now enjoying the fruits of playing on the Central Canadian Hockey League's top team.

The Cougars clinched first place in the CCHL's West Division by virtue of a 6-5 shootout victory over the Whitby Fury Sunday, and while they sit pretty on top of the standings with a 36-5-3 record, Gertsakis says the secret to success has been simple.

"Just buying in. We are all of the same mindset here," he said following the game. "We all want the same thing. We just want to win. That's about it."

While Gertsakis, who had 10 goals for the Attack last season, hasn't been an offensive force for the Cougars with just one goal and 20 points in 36 games, he has provided a steady influence on the blueline as evidenced by his plus/minus rating of plus-31. That mark is tied for third on the team, and is tops among Cougars defencemen.

With just six games remaining in the regular season and first place wrapped up, Gertsakis and the Cougars can look ahead to the postseason. All but the eighth and final playoff spot in the West has been spoken for, and that position will come down either the North York Rangers or Upper Canada Patriots, with the Rangers likely to emerge and serve as Burlington's first-round opponent.

But regardless of what team the Cougars draw in the opening round, or any round for that matter, Gertsakis admits that anything short of a championship will be unacceptable.

"We want to go real far and we have the talent to do it," he says. "We just have to have the right mindset, keep our heads level and we can go as far as we want to."

As for what the future holds on a personal level, the 5-foot-10 blueliner is hopeful of earning a scholarship to a school in the United States.

"I am open to anything, but that is what I am hoping for is to get a scholarship," he notes.

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