Sports

Hornets start the new year with 27th consecutive win

January 9, 2025   ·   0 Comments

By Brian Lockhart

The Alliston Hornets started the new year with their 27th win of the season when they hosted the Innisfil Spartans on the ice at the New Tecumseth Recreation Centre on Friday, Jan. 3.

Cole Turcotte and David Harvey scored the opening Alliston goals in the first period.

Jaeden French chipped one into the Innisfil net to make it a 3-0 game with one period remaining.

The Spartans avoided the shut-out when they scored at 41 seconds in the third frame.

With just over a minute remaining in the period, the Spartans scored a second goal to make it a 3-2 game.

They pulled their goaltender and put another attacker on the ice in the bid to tie it up, but they couldn’t do it and the Hornets left the ice with a 3-2 win.

While the Hornets played well and took the win, the team didn’t seem to be up to their usual highly charged play in this game. They took the lead and seemed satisfied with that.

Alliston head coach Jacob Bauchman said the team didn’t play with their usual vigour, likely because they knew they could win the game. Innisfil came to the game as a sixth-place team with a 10-21 record.

“That’s a challenge for us this year,” Bauchman said. “Whether we play Innisfil or Orillia, we have to make sure we come ready to play the same and not drop down to another team’s level.”

After a successful first half of the season, Bauchman said the Hornets have to get ready to meet some stronger teams in the playoffs.

“Our biggest focus is making sure we’re up and ready for every single game, no matter who we are playing. In the first half of the season, no one has really tested us. Tonight, was the first one goal game we’ve had all year. The most important thing for the second half of the year is now we ramp it up for the playoffs and get ready to meet stronger teams. Our division’s not that strong. Now we have to get ready for what possibly could be next. We saw a glimpse of it at the All-Star game. We had 13 players go and we played the other side, so we got a sneak peek of what we’re dealing with.”

The Hornets will be in Stayner on Thursday, Jan. 9.

They return to home ice at the NTRC on Friday, Jan. 10, to host the Muskoka Bears.

Game time is 7:30 p.m.

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