Stayner Siskins maintain solid lead
Stayner Siskins 2016-17 regular season has been great.
As of Wednesday, the local Junior C team is loftily perched on top of the North Conference with a 36-3-0 record. The club has three games remaining in the regular season and only requires one point to win the regular season and the right to play the eighth place Caledon Golden Hawks in the opening round of the playoffs.
Stayner’s 4-0 solid victory over second place Alliston Hornets Sunday in front of an arena packed full of spectators was important in that it evened the head-to-head match-up three to three. Stayner won the last three meetings, which may be important psychologically if the two teams meet in the playoffs.
Siskins goaltender Eric Pitcher was rock solid between the pipes to improve his season record to 11-0 and lower his goals against average to 1.50. He stopped 34 shots fired his way. At the other end, Hornets goalie Chase Krompocker played well, making 32 saves.
Penalties were a factor in the game. Alliston was called on eight infractions compared to Stayner’s five. The Siskins clicked on two power play goals.
Ben Hughes opened the scoring in the first period at 11:01 when the league’s run away leading scorer scored his 44th goal of the season on the power play with Zach Trott and Austin Fischer assisting.
Before the period was over Hughes notched his 45th of the season.
If Hughes owned the first period then Trott was the man in the second period. The rookie scored both goals, his 33rd and 34th of the season.
The 33rd was scored quickly, 38 seconds had ticked off the clock, when he pulled the trigger assisted by Hughes. His 34th was on a power play mid-way through the period. Trott ended with four points, Hughes, three, Fisher, two, and Jordan Taylor, two.
Despite the amazing season Trott, who was born in 2000,did not win the league’s rookie of the year. Midland’s Matt Walilko, who is a year older than Trott, took home the hardware. Walilko has 36 goals and 42 assists while Trott’s statistics are 34 goals and 31 assists.
Hughes did win the league MVP as well he should have for his 45 goals and 53 assists, 98 points in 45 games played. Best defenceman was awarded to Alliston’s Mitch Livingston; Most sportsmanlike player Lucas Amoroso, Caledon.
Stayner’s victory over Alliston was their 23rd straight. Other recent wins were 5-4 against Penetang Friday, Jan. 19th and 6-4 over Huntsville Thursday, Jan. 18.
Says Siskins general manager Richard Gauthier, “ The team has one goal only and that one goal is to win. We can’t wait until the second half of the season to start.”
That second half begins this Thursday night in Stayner. In all likelihood their opponent will be Caledon Golden Hawks, who will finish in the league basement. Friday, Stayner will play game two of the first round playoff best four of seven series there.
The series is a best four out of seven. Games three and four will be played the following Thursday and Friday.
The other series’ have yet to be decided.
