Sports

Alliston Hornets sting competition with 11-game win streak

February 8, 2024   ·   0 Comments

By Brian Lockhart

The Alliston Hornets are on an 11-game winning streak after leaving the ice with a 2-1 victory over the Orillia Terriers on Orillia home ice on Saturday, Feb. 3.

The win leaves the Hornets in first place with a 31-6 record and 62 points – six points ahead of the second-place Stayer Siskins.

“We’re ahead of Stayner, so a big game for us will be here on Family Day [Feb. 19]. We have Stayer here, it should be a big crowd,” said Hornets head coach Jacob Bauchman. “Both teams have some tough games to end the year. Their last five and our last three are against the top four teams. We’re the hottest team in the province right now. We’ve won 10 games in a row – we haven’t lost since the trade deadline. The dressing room is great, we’re flying on the ice. We’re already in playoff mode. We’re two points back from a tie for first in the whole province.”

After Saturday’s game, the Hornets were two points behind the Hanover Barons in the provincial standings. 

The Hornets hosted the Innisfil Spartans at the New Tecumseth Recreation Centre for their home game on Friday, Feb. 2.

Alliston forward Cole Turcotte scored on the only first-period goal in Friday’s game.

It was tied up when the Spartans scored at 9:20 into the second period.

Alliston’s Ben Smith got the go-ahead goal at the 11:30 mark to give the Hornets a one-goal advantage going into the third period.

The Hornets wrapped it up with three unanswered goals in the last period.

Duncan Grube got two third-period goals, with the final goal of the night coming from Jaeden French for the 5-1 Allison win.

In what has become a trend for the Hornets over the last few games, they out-shot the Innisfil team 50-13 for the night. Four of their goals came on powerplays.

“Their [Innisfil] goaltender played great tonight,” Bauchman said. “Our powerplay was clicking tonight. That’s the fifth time in the last ten games that we kept our opponents to under 15 shots. In hockey, that’s incredible. With how good our offence is, and how good our goaltending is, if our defence and defensive game can hold, we’re going to be tough to beat because we put a lot pucks in the net. To me, [Rod] Lewis [Alliston’s goalie] has been the best goalie in the league for the last three years. Having him back there, and only giving up 13 shots – I like our chances.”

Lewis has a goals-against average for the season of 1.92.

The Hornets have three road games in a row this week.

They will return to home ice at the NTRC on the Family Day Holiday on Monday, Feb. 19, when they will host the Stayner Siskins.

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