Stayner Siskins ousted in playoff opening round

A Valentine gift was never given to the Stayner Siskins hockey club because the team never got to a Feb. 14 Game 7 against the Caledon Golden Hawks. The Siskins lost their final three games to a team that was of a similar skill-set but finished four points back during the regular season. It’s the second year in a row that Stayner has been upset in the opening round of the Georgian Bay Mid Ontario Junior C Hockey League playoffs.

Thursday, Feb. 11, Stayner was leading Game 5, 3-2, with less than 30 seconds remaining in the game when Ryan Mouser tied the game by what can only be described as a fluke goal. His shot hit a Stayner defender, fluttered in the air and landed behind a sprawling Luke Aulthouse into the net. Randy Chen’s overtime winner 2:25 into the period was also a bizarre goal. His shot was blocked by Aulthouse but a Stayner defenceman didn’t communicate properly with the goaltender. The defenceman somehow misplayed the puck around the goalies pads and pushed it into the net instead. A strange Golden Hawks 4-3 victory. All the same, a victory and more importantly a 3-2 series lead.

Veterans Jackson Clarke (powerplay), Ricky Darrell (shorthanded) and Kyle Lafreniere’s third period goal were Stayner scorers.

In Game 6 the next night, Stayner once again let a very possible victory escape from its grip. The club led 4-2 after 26 minutes of play and 4-3 at the end of the second. In the third, Caledon poured it on and Stayner couldn’t handle the pressure. For that part, the hockey gods were never on Stayner’s side.

Christian Mariconda scored because a Stayner defender made a bad pinch, which resulted in a goal with seven minutes remaining to tie the game.

If you think the voodoo dolls were out in Game 5 then you will really believe it from the series’ clinching goal. Matt Magliozzi was deep in the Siskins corner and fired the puck towards the goalie with seconds left in the game. It went in! Take that, says the hockey gods. At 19:59! Game over! Series over! Wow!

Stayner goals were scored by Jordan Taylor, Lucas Jeffery, Griffin Pearce and Lafreniere.

Caledon’s other wins were by 8-2 and 1-0 scores. Stayner won the first and third games 10-1 and 3-1.

Siskins general manager Richard Gauthier summarized the series in one statement: “The difference in the series was goaltending. Their goaltender made massive saves. Ours didn’t.”

For Siskins, goal scoring sensation Ricky Darrell and stalwart defenceman Ryan Hudson, the two gut-wrenching losses will forever remain in their memory banks. It is too bad because these players have been warriors for the organization. The club, however, is blessed to have many returning players and despite the collapse have time to learn from the experience. Many will return next season. Several will not either. Gauthier made that clear.

“We have to make changes to be a better hockey club,” he said.

On the business side, by being eliminated early, the club has lost a large sum of potential revenue that is earned from the gate. Playoff action brings in far more paying spectators than the regular season.

As of Monday morning, Penetang Kings are leading the series against Caledon 2-1. Penetang beat Midland 4-1 in the quarterfinal series. Stayner owned their season head-to-head against the Kings winning 4-1.

Siskins’ executives must be wondering, what if their team beat Caledon? But, what ifs are only for dreamers and the Siskins will have to wait until next year.

In other semi-final series, the lucky charms are draping the Erin Shamrocks. The Shamrocks surprisingly defeated Alliston, arguably the best Junior C team in the province, in the first two games 3-2 (OT), and 4-2. Erin was the eighth and lowest ranked team to make the playoffs. Alliston shell-shocked the Shamrocks in Game 3, 9-0.

In other news, former Siskins coach Steve Walker, who returned to the German Hockey League at the start of this season to be an assistant coach with the Mannheim Eagles has been given more responsibilities after the club sacked head coach Greg Ireland two weeks ago. Former Eagles assistant coach Craig Woodcroft has taken over the head office duties but is relying on more from Walker, a star player in the German league for over a decade.