The Alliston Hornets have successfully advanced to the second round of the North Carruthers Division playoffs after achieving a four-game sweep against the Huntsville Otters in their quarter-final series.
The opening match of the series took place on February 20 in Alliston, where the Hornets secured a decisive 6-1 victory. Game 2 followed on February 22 in Huntsville, and Alliston emerged victorious again, this time with an 8-3 score.
Returning to Alliston for Game 3 on February 27, the Hornets quickly established their dominance, taking a two-goal lead in the first period thanks to two strikes from Gunner Kirk. The second period saw the Hornets extend their advantage further, netting four more goals before the Otters could respond. Nick Lamont, Duncan Grube, David Harvey, and Ben Taylor all contributed to the scoring. With no goals in the third period, the Hornets finished the game with a 6-1 win, giving them a commanding 3-0 series lead.
Game 4 took place on the afternoon of March 1 in Huntsville. The Otters struck first, scoring the only goal of the opening period. However, the Hornets equalized in the second period as Will Hopcraft found the back of the net just under two minutes into the frame, followed by another goal from Duncan Grube. The Otters responded, leveling the score at 2-2 with a goal at the 9:23 mark. Alliston”s Noah Larmon then scored to regain the lead at 3-2 midway through the period.
As the game progressed into the third period, Huntsville managed to tie the game again with a late goal at 16:24. However, Larmon stepped up once more, scoring his second goal with just 2:05 left on the clock, putting the Hornets ahead again. Gunner Kirk sealed the victory with an additional goal 39 seconds before the final buzzer, resulting in a 5-3 win for Alliston and securing their place in the next round.
In other quarter-final matches within the North Carruthers Division, the Stayner Siskins eliminated the Innisfil Spartans in four games, while the Orillia Terriers also advanced by defeating the Muskoka Bears in four games. Meanwhile, the Penetang Kings are currently leading the Midland Flyers 3-2 in their series, with Game 6 having taken place on March 3, though results were not available at press time.
The Hornets are now set to face off against the Orillia Terriers in a best-of-seven semi-final series. This matchup promises to be thrilling, as both teams are highly skilled and possess a rich history, including a recent rivalry where the Terriers claimed the division title from the Hornets last season in a surprising upset. The schedule for the semi-finals has yet to be announced.
