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Jr A Flyers done for the season

March 11, 2015   ·   0 Comments

Winning goal comes with nine seconds left in regulation time

Orangeville Junior A Flyers bowed out of the OJHL playoffs with a 4-3 loss in game seven of their quarter-final series against the Oakville Blades on Monday (Mar. 9) night in Oakville.

The game was tied at two late in the third period after O-ville’s Darren Nesbitt got the tying goal early in the period.

With the clock ticking down the final few seconds the Blades scored to stop the clock with just nine seconds remaining to end the game and the series.

It was a good run for the Flyers.

After having a tough 2013 / 14 season, the Flyers went into re-build mode bringing on new players and head coach Jamie Caruso, and right from the start of the season they started winning.

They secured a playoff berth – something they missed last year – after ending the regular season with 25 wins, 25 losses, one tie, and three overtime losses.

Meeting up with the the third seeded Blades in the quarter-final, the Flyers came out on top in game one on Oakville home ice on February 27.

The series was tied after game two, but the Flyers again had a lead taking game three 5-2 – again on the road.

It was looking hopeful for the Flyers when they edged ahead with a game four win at the Alder Street arena, but the Blades fought back with a 5-3 home ice win in game five.

The final two games were close – Oakville 3 – Orangeville 2 – in game six, to set up a showdown for a one game series in game seven that would determine who would advance.

Going into the final game, Flyers head coach Jamie Caruso was confident that the Flyers had the ability to knock out the Blades if the bounces went their way.

“It’s a good team we’re playing. It’s a game of mistakes right now. Who ever makes more, loses,” Caruso said after the team’s 3-2 loss in game six on Saturday. “Unfortunately on their second and third goals we made two big mistakes.”

Going into the final game, the pressure was on both teams with little margin for error to come out on top.

“It’s one game – winner takes all,” Caruso said. “We’re going to have to sit down as a coaching staff and make some adjustments. We’ve played two of the best games of the series in that building. (Sixteen Mile Sports Complex) It’s Olympic size ice. We have a fast team so our kids like playing there because they can skate. Based on how the series has gone, I’d give us the advantage going into game seven.”

It was a close battle in the final game but with the Oakville goal at nine seconds left, it would have been almost impossible for the Flyers to score after the puck drop.

The Blades will now go on to meet the Toronto Patriots in the South / West conference semi-final round.


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