For the first time since November, the Mclean and Dickey Orillia Terriers have suffered a defeat and, once again, it was at the hands of the Provincial Junior Hockey League's top teams.
Orillia payed three games this past week, beating Stayner 6-5 in a back-and-forth barnburer on Thursday, losing to powerhouse Alliston 7-1, and then getting back on the winning track with a 5-0 win in Innisfil on Sunday afternoon.
On Thursday in Stayner, the Siskins scored first, but the Dogs fought back to take a 2-1 lead in to the second period on goals by Caleb Tiffin-Seminara and Dylan Palomaki.
Stayner came out strong in the second period and scored three early goals to take a 4-2 lead. The Terriers would fight back and tie the game at 4-4 on goals by Seminara, with his second, and Finn Price.
In the third Price would give the Terriers the lead, but a late power-play goal by Stayner would tie the game. Just 16 seconds later, Jordan Fuller would score the winning goal, giving the Terriers an important two points in the standings. Aiden Jerry, who came on in relief of Nathan Hunter, got the win in net.
On Saturday at Rotary Place, before 492 people — the biggest crowd of the season — Alliston skated to a convincing 7-1 victory. The Terriers had compiled a perfect 12-0 record in December and January after losing 5-1 to Alliston on Nov. 29.
Orillia opened the scoring on a goal by Kaiden Robitaille, but Alliston would answer back with three goals to take a 3-1 lead into the second period. Alliston would get the only goal of the middle period. Orillia ran in to penalty trouble in the third as Alliston tallied three more goals in the final frame to win going away 7-1.
The Terriers bounced back on Sunday, skating to a convincing 5-0 victory over Innisfil. After a scoreless first, Orillia would get three second-period goals as Lleyton Mclean and Caleb Tiffin-Seminara, with two, gave the visitors the lead after two periods.
In the third Aiden Randell and Brenner Boddy would add to the lead. Hunter was in net, stopping 28 shots in picking up his fourth shutout of the season.
The Terriers now sport an impressive 29-4-1 record, good enough for second place in the North Carruthers Division. Alliston leads the province with 33 wins in 34 games; their only loss came in a shootout.
The Terriers have another busy week ahead: Thursday in Muskoka to take on the Bears, Friday in Penetang, before coming home to take on third-place Stayner at Rotary Place. Game time is 7:30 p.m.