The Orangeville District Secondary School Bears boys hockey team is leading the District 4/10 standings with a 5-0-1 record after six games.

The Bears had an unblemished winning record up until Wed., Dec. 10, when they took on the Westside Secondary School Thunder at the Alder Street arena in Orangeville.

That game ended in a 2-2 tie.

The local match-up got underway at 3:00 p.m. and Westside got the opening goal with 4:29 left in the first period on a shot from just inside the blue line.

The Bears got a four minute penalty late in the first period putting them on penalty kill mode, but the Thunder got a minor of their own making the final two minutes a four-on-four game.

The game was tied in the second when Myles Howell scored early in the frame.

ODSS took a lead when Kyle Waters found himself alone in front of the Westside goal and hit the back of the net to make it a 2-1 game.

The lead was short lived when Westside responded less than a minute later to score and again tie the game.

Returning for the final period the game was a back and forth effort for the duration with neither team being able to break the tie.

The game ended after a five minute overtime period that didn’t produce a winner and the teams left the ice with 2-2 tie for the record books.

“We were missing eight guys. We were missing out top four ‘D’, our whole second line and our top goalie,” Said Bears head coach Justin Davis. “We have injuries, other commitments, the game was rescheduled, so for us to get a point out of that – I’m pretty happy with the guys.”

The Bears were short-benched leaving them to roll out two lines for most of the game.

“The guys were just dying at the end. We’ve got a really good team this year and a good chance to go places.”

For the rest of the season, Davis said “It’s a matter of getting everybody out and getting injuries healed.”

There’s four game left on the regular season schedule.

The Bears are holding on to first place followed by Centre Wellington District High School who have a 5-1 record, and John R. Ross in third place with a 5-2 record.

Westside is currently in the middle with a 2-3-2 record that includes one overtime loss.

The local schools schedule: The Bears will be on home ice at Tony Rose arena on Tuesday, January 5, to host Our Lady of Lourdes with a 2:00 p.m. start.

The Westside Thunder will be in Fergus on Thursday, January 7.

Their next home game is scheduled for Wednesday, January 20, at the Alder Street arena with a 3:00 p.m. start.