Stayner Siskins were the hottest team in the Georgian Bay Mid Ontario Junior C Hockey League since November, but this isn’t November now.
It’s February. It’s playoff time and the Siskins are trailing number 7 ranked Orillia Terriers 2-1 in their best of seven opening round series.
Stayner, who fell just short of winning the regular league season, easily won the first game 5-1 on Stayner ice, then the Terriers got some lucky breaks, good goaltending and won the next two games, 3-2 in overtime Saturday night, and 3-2 at a matinée event in Stayner Sunday.
Siskins general manager Richard Gauthier quipped, “they had the hockey gods with them in the last two games.”
Although he stated, “Don’t take anything away from Orillia. They are working hard.
They are playing the position. They are trapping and checking. If they have to ice the puck 50 times in a game, they don’t care. They were not expected to win. They are working hard. Our guys thought they just had to show up.”
“Gordie is playing good,” said Gauthier of Orillia goaltender Gordie Weiss. “We’re not playing good. Our top guys, who were lighting it up all year, are snake-bitten.”
Weiss, a former Siskin, who was cut by Gauthier a few years back, faced a fury of shots in game 1. The aggressive netminder saw 45 shots come his way. Five went in by five different Siskins: Jamieson Buck in the first, and the rest during the second period, Ryan Hyndman, Brandon Watson, Quinten Bruce and Ricky Darrell. Neither team scored in the third. Orillia’s goal got by Trevor Bloch early in the second to tie the game 1-1.
Stayner didn’t control the second game the way they did the first one, although at spurts they dominated.
Orillia out-shot Stayner after the first 20 minutes, 15-10, and led 1-0.
The Terriers built a 2-0 lead with less than five minutes to go in the second but it was short-lived as Dylan Bursey netted a goal two minutes later. The opening minutes of the third was firebrand hockey if you ever saw it. Three goals were scored within four minutes. Kort Weir tied the game at the 57 seconds mark. A costly Stayner penalty gave Orillia the man-advantage, which they were able to pull the trigger and capitalize resulting in a glowing red light. After 3:55 played on the clock Brandon Watson tied the game at three apiece. The clubs settled down after that.
In the overtime, Stayner lost the game on the face-off. What was painful to watch was Stayner losing the face-off twice with the centre-man drawing the puck back to Sean Crowe, who snapped a shot that ricocheted off a stick and into the mesh for the win. The goal was Crowe’s third in two games.
In game 3, back at home, Stayner peppered shots at Weiss all game along.
The goalie was up to snuff and blocked 34 fired his way. Orillia led 3-1 by the end of the second, a goal by Dylan Bursy made the score close in the middle of the third.
Said Gauthier following the loss, “We got a bit of a task at hand. It’s 2-1. Give kudos to where it’s deserved. We were down 3-1 Erin to last year and came back to win in game 7.”
“We have to use our assets, speed, getting to the net and cycling.”
Finally, he asked, “Who else do you want behind the bench?” speaking of head coach Steve Walker who played professional hockey for about 20 years. “He’s been in almost every scenario. He’s the guy to deliver the message.”
Stayner just has to get their players to start playing what their coach has taught them… or else it’ll be a long summer.
Game 4 will be played Wednesday night in Orillia, game 5 in Stayner Thursday.
Game 6 is scheduled back in Orillia Valentine’s Day, and if a game 7 is deemed necessary it’ll be an afternoon game at Stayner, 1:30 p.m. puck-drop. I would suggest getting there early if it’s a game 7.
By the way, in the other series, fourth ranked Penetang Kings disposed of number 5 Caledon Golden Hawks in four games, Schomberg, who finished in sixth place, is up 2-1 over third ranked Huntsville Otters, and defending league champion and first place Alliston Hornets hold a commanding 3-0 advantage over eighth seed Fergus Devils.