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Hornets lead Kindcardine 3-0 in quarter-final

March 30, 2016   ·   0 Comments

The Alliston Hornets hosted the Kincardine Bulldogs during game two of their best of seven quarter-final series at the New Tecumseth Recreation Centre in Allison on Saturday, March 26. The Hornets won this game 3-1 then went on to take a 4-0 shutout in Kincardine in game four to lead the series 3-0.
Photo by Brian Lockhart

By Brian Lockhart
A 4-0 shutout in Kincardine on Sunday (March 27) has given the Alliston Hornets a three-game lead in their quarter-final Schmalz Cup series against the Kincardine Bulldogs.
The series marked the first time these two championship teams have met in the Schmalz Cup playoffs. The Western League has been dominated by the Walkerton Hawks over the past decade and they have met up with the Hornets eight times in the provincial quarter-final round.
This year the Kincardine squad had a spectacular run in their championship series coming back from a 3-1 deficit to win three in a row to claim the Western League championship.
Game one of the Alliston-Kincardine series got underway March 24, and ended with a 4-3 Hornets win.
The series returned to Alliston for game two on March 26. The Hornets dominated this game with the Bulldogs scoring their only goal on a power play with an extra attacker on the ice and 35 seconds left on the clock.
“They come out hard. They’ll forecheck you, they’ll put anything on net that they can and just crash the net,” described Hornets goalie of how the Kincardine team plays. “You got to go to every game with a different approach. You never know how the other team is going to play, they might play different from the last series depending on how we’re playing and who they are playing against. You have to go in with an open mind and play strong.”
After winning the first two games, the Hornets definitely were in a good place in the series.
“We don’t forget the last two games but we put our mistakes behind us and focus on our positives and keep pushing forward as a team, not individuals. The first game was very close. It was well fought by both teams. Bounces were going our way, some weren’t going our way. It back and forth for the entire game.”
The return to Kincardine on Sunday saw the Hornets deliver a soul-crushing 4-0 shutout to lead the series by three games.
After scoring twice in the first period and neither team scoring in the second, the Alliston squad finished the game with two more in the third to put the game behind them.
The series was back in Alliston on Wednesday (March 30, results not available at press time).
If the Bulldogs managed to win and keep the series alive the series will return to Kincardine on April 1.
If the Hornets pulled off the sweep and end the series they will face the winning of the Empire B League and Central Ontario League.
That series has the Port Perry Mojacks up against the Port Hope Panthers with Port Hope leading 3-1.

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