Sports

Hornets done for the season after 5-4 overtime loss to Orillia

April 3, 2025   ·   0 Comments

By BRIAN LOCKHART, LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER

It took the Orillia Terriers just 26 seconds into overtime to win the North Carruthers Division Championship 5-4 against the Alliston Hornets.

The two teams played at the New Tecumseth Recreation Centre during Game Five of the Carruthers Division Final Series on Friday, March 28.

It was a disappointment for Alliston fans who were expecting to see their team vie for the provincial Schmalz Cup this season.

The Hornets dominated the Division this year taking only two losses in the 42-game regular season. They took over first place early in the season and remained there getting win after win as the season went on.

Entering the playoffs, the Hornets won the quarter-final round with a four-game sweep over the Muskoka Bears.

They followed up in the semi-final round against the Penetang Kings, taking that series in four games to advance to the championship round to face the Terriers for the Division title.

The Terriers were a formidable squad this year, finishing in second place with a 35-7 record and 59 points.

The Hornets won over the Terriers in all six games they played against them in the regular season, usually beating them by several goals.  

However, the Terriers really came alive in the playoffs and showed what they could do.

Fans were stunned when the Hornets were shut out 3-0 in Game One of the championship series on March 21.

The Hornets redeemed themselves with a 3-2 win in Game Two and Alliston fans expected them to win four straight.

A 4-2 Terriers win in game three gave the Orillia squad a 2-1 lead in the series.

A 4-3 loss in Game Four on Orillia’s home ice meant the Hornets were under threat of elimination if they didn’t pull it together for Game Five.

Game Five started off well for the Hornets and confidence was high when they took an early 2-0 lead on goals from Bendo Logan and Jax Bellwood.

The Terriers got on the scoreboard at 13:55 into the first period.

Jax Bellwood scored his second of the night at 1:27 into the second period to make it a 3-0 game.

Orillia closed the gap with a goal at 14:51 into the second period.

It was a tied game when Orillia’s Josh Presley scored a short-handed goal that stunned Hornets fans on a penalty kill and a shot to the top corner of the net.

Alliston was again in the lead when Tristen Pitt scored at 8:12 into the third period, and fans were hoping they would hold on for the win.

The game was tied at four when the Terriers scored with 2:04 remaining on the clock.

The teams returned for overtime (OT), but not for long. The game ended with Orillia forward Dylan Palomaki scoring at the 26-second mark.

Orillia claimed the Division championship and the Hornets players can now trade their hockey sticks for golf clubs.

Hornets coach Jacob Bauchman said he thought the Hornets needed more of a challenge during the regular season to be more successful at the end.

“We played great during the regular season and we played great in the playoffs,” Bauchman said after the final loss. “We didn’t face any real adversity and that’s what ended up getting to us. We didn’t know how to battle through the adversity and bear down when we needed to. I’m not trying to make excuses. It happened last year as well – no one really tested us. They (Orillia) were a different team than they were in the regular season. We didn’t have the fight in us. We had three leads in that game and couldn’t hang on.”

The team and the fans were disappointed to see the season end the way it did.

“Our end goal was much further than what happened,” Bauchman said.

After having such a dominant season, the Hornets were expected to move to the Schmalz Cup playoffs.

The season still provided some great entertainment for Junior C fans throughout the region.

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