Burning passion

Anthony Peters was in net the on March 16, 2007 when the Dukes defeated the Kingston Voyageurs in five games to win the OJHL East Division.

Anthony Peters should have been the news in Naples Florida. The former Dukes netminder plays semi-pro hockey now with the Florida Everblades in the ECHL. Peters has been a wall of late propelling his team to the top spot in the South Division after ten straight starts in net.

On Saturday Peters and the Everblades welcomed the Brampton Beast to southern Florida. In the other net was another former Dukes netminder, Jordan Ruby. Peters faced two more former Dukes players in this game, Chris Auger and Joe Zarbo also play for the Beast.

But it was the netminders who shone this night.

“Anthony Peters and Jordan Ruby put on a goaltending clinic, matching each other save for save,” gushed the Everblades game summary.

The Everblades won the game 2-1 in overtime. Peters earned an assist on the winning goal.

That should have been the headline in the Naples Daily News this week. Instead, it was his teammate, Justin Agosta, grabbing the spotlight in Naples and elsewhere. Not, however, in a good way.

It seems Agosta was having a difficult time getting over a recent break-up with his girlfriend over the holidays. Just before New Years he gathered up their love letters, brought them to the entrance of her apartment building, in nearby Estero, picking up gasoline on the way. Then he set the letters on fire. A pyrrhic demonstration of his heartbreak.

But the fire got out of hand. The flames grew higher. They began licking the front of the building. That triggered the sprinkler system. He tried dousing the flames with a towel. But no use. Meanwhile, the sprinklers were now raining down on unsuspecting apartment dwellers.

Out of options, Agosta called 911.

Shortly afterward, the Everblades defenceman was arrested, charged with second-degree arson and locked up in the Lee County jail. He was later released and is set to appear in court on February 1.

Anthony Peters and the Florida Everblades meanwhile host the Orlando Solar Bears this Friday night.