Cougars swept by powerhouse Hornets in GMOHL first round

February 10, 2016 · 0 Comments

Schomberg goalie Vince Michelizzi watches a puck get past him during a chaotic moment in front of the Cougar net. The Cougars were swept by the Alliston Hornets in the first round of the GMOHL playoffs.

By Jake Courtepatte
No matter who drew the Alliston Hornets in the first round of the Georgian Mid-Ontario Hockey League playoffs, it seemed inevitable.
Following one of the most dominating regular season performances in recent Junior C memory, ranked second in all of Ontario, the Hornets made quick work of the Schomberg Cougars in a four-game sweep. The series took only five days.
The Cougars looked outmatched from the get-go, missing two long 5-on-3 opportunities in game one at the New Tecumseth Rec Centre last Wednesday. Going 0-8 on the power play, Alliston had a shorthanded marker with only three men on the ice in what was otherwise a fairly even game during even strength. Alliston took the contest 5-2 after a couple of late goals.
The Hornets hit the jackpot by putting up sevens over each of the next three games.
They entered Trisan Centre the following day and peppered Vince Michelizzi with 49 shots, while Liam Spurgeon, Carter LeRoux, and JP Crescenzi got on the board for Schomberg in a 7-3 loss.
Back in Alliston on Sunday, the Hornets took a strangehold of the series with a 7-4 win, including five given up by Michelizzi in the first period.
It was all but over by Monday when he was pulled in favour of Alex Traikos early in the second, with the Cougars already down 5-0. Traikos gave up two more as Schomberg was shut out 7-0 in their final game of the season.
The sweep marked the first time in three seasons that the Cougars have failed to make it out of the first round.
For veteran players, the series recalls memories of last season, when the Hornets once again swept the Cougars in the postseason, albeit in the league championship.
This may have been the cause for some bad blood between the teams, who combined for 165 penalty minutes throughout the four games, including twelve misconducts.
After outscoring the Cougars 26-9, the top four scoring leaders in the playoffs are all Hornet players. Blake Culley led the Cougars, putting up a goal and three assists over three games played.
With Alliston the first team to move on to the league semi-final, it is yet to be determined who they will meet. The seventh-place Erin Shamrocks have taken a surprising 2-1 series lead over the second-place Huntsville Otters, while the fourth-place Stayner Siskins are up by a similar score over the fifth-place Caledon Golden Hawks. The sixth-place Penetang Kings also lead the third-place Midland Flyers 2-1.
For stats, schedules, and more information, visit www.schombergcougars.com.