By Tracey Richardson

In a weekend where the Attack split its two home games, two trades made last week paid immediate dividends in Saturday's game, with overage centre Erik Bradford scoring the Attack's first goal in the 4-1 victory over the Belleville Bulls.

The Attack fell to the Sarnia Sting 2-1 Sunday.

The 20-year-old Bradford was acquired from the Ottawa 67s last Thursday for two future draft picks. Winger Liam Dunda, a six-foot-four 17-year-old, arrived from the Plymouth Whalers for a couple of draft picks as well.

"I thought the new guys brought good energy," Attack coach Greg Ireland said after Saturday's game. "Bradford's speed certainly drove the D back, he did a good job with his line and certainly was good on the penalty kill. Dunda is a north-south guy, gets pucks underneath, and (he's good) on the forecheck, very responsible. I think they fit in very well with our group."

Both were part of a spin cycle of different linemates Saturday, which was no bother to Bradford.

"I'm used to playing with the same guys in Ottawa, so it was a feeling out process for me tonight," Bradford said Saturday. "I was able to get some different looks with some different guys, pick up some tendencies they like on the ice. I thought we did a pretty good job."

The Attack now have an abundance of riches with a bulging roster of 23 skaters, leaving four or five players in the stands each game. Holden Cook also returned to action after being out with an upper body injury since Oct. 22.

"As a leader, tough decisions are good decisions," Ireland said of the plethora of players. "It creates competition, it creates accountability, accountability creates better performance. And so for our guys, it's a real fight to get in. It may not always be equal, but we're going to try to make it as fair as we can and we're going to try to make sure we put up the best lineup, but we're also mindful of guys' development as well."

On Saturday, goaltender Jack Flinn made 35 stops for the win and was named first star of the game. Goals came from Bradford, Jaden Lindo and Zach Nastasiuk, all unassisted on Bulls' goalie Charlie Graham. Kyle Platzer scored into an empty net.

For Bradford, an Orangeville native who also spent three seasons with the Barrie Colts, the transition to Owen Sound has been a fairly smooth one. He went to high school with Attack forward Daniel Milne, he said. "He took me in as an old friend, we went to high school together, so he's been really good for me. Everybody's been really welcoming and it's been great for me."

Bradford said he was already familiar with the Attack, thanks to his time in Barrie. He said he knew the Attack's reputation for being "hard working and tenacious on the puck. It's definitely tough to come in here and win on the road, so when I came here I knew exactly what I was getting into. The guys worked hard out there tonight and it was no surprise to me."

The game against Sarnia Sunday was a makeup game of the postponement from last Friday. A game against Peterborough was also postponed Jan. 7 from the weather and has yet to be rescheduled.

"Our guys were antsy, they were kind of jumpy to get playing," Ireland said of the two postponements last week. "They came in (Saturday) morning and said, are we going to play today? It's hard to kind of focus and sense whether you're going to play, so it's nice to get one under the belt and get going."

Flinn started Sunday's game as well, making 25 saves on 27 shots. Justin Brack scored the only goal in a game that saw the Attack out-shoot and out-work its opponent, yet still come out on the losing end. Sting goalie Taylor Dupuis stopped 41 of 42 shots.

The Attack have 43 points, good for fourth in the Midwest division.

BETWEEN THE LINES: Jaden Lindo turned 19 on Sunday... Defenceman Chris Bigras is the Attack player of the week for two straight weeks. He has 124 career points, 18 back of Bobby Sanguinetti, who holds the record for most points by an Owen Sound defenceman. The Colorado Avalanche prospect was also the OHL defenceman of the month for December... The Attack head to Peterborough Thursday and Ottawa Friday for games. They have a rare Saturday off on the 17th.