For their fifth consecutive season in Haliburton County, the Huskies have clinched a playoff spot. They did so this past weekend in the OJHL’s East Conference.
After a slow start to the season, coach Jordan Bailey said, “obviously, it’s always nice when you get that ‘x’ beside your name in the standings. Now, it’s just about trying to get home ice advantage.”
The Huskies were in fifth place in the East Conference as of Feb. 3, with a record of 27 wins, 13 losses, a tie, and five overtime losses for 60 points. However, they were equal points with Newmarket in fourth; just two points behind Pickering in third; and only seven away from the Stoufville Spirit for second. The Trenton Golden Hawks have so far distanced themselves from the competition, sitting comfortably in first place. The Wellington Dukes are six points back of the pack.
The Huskies are preparing for the Burlington Cougars Feb. 7 at home.
“At this point, every game is a playoff game for us because we are jockeying with four teams for standings,” Bailey said. “If Stouffville was ever to slip up, you could maybe even try to jump into second. “Just preparing yourself every day over this next month, and treating it like it’s playoffs because once playoffs come, if you haven’t already done that, it can go by quick for you.”
Huskies 6 Newmarket 1
The Huskies dominated the Newmarket Hurricanes Feb. 1. Despite being outshot 42-37, they took advantage with two powerplay goals to secure a 6-1 win.
Chase Del Colombo opened the scoring on the PP at 12:41 of the first, from Liam Oravsky and Ryan Fairbairn. Less than four minutes later, Lewis Hergaarden tallied, with an assist to Fairbairn. The blue and white made it a 3-0 game at 8:39 of the second as Nic Ferrante fired one in, with the assist going to Hergaarden. Newmarket answered at 12:40 to go into the dressing room down 3-1. But it was all Huskies in the third: Nate Taylor at 9:25 from Brody Coe and Kaiden Thatcher; Oravsky, from Del Colombo and Fairbairn with the man advantage at 11:15; and Hergaarden with a short-handed tally, unassisted at 16:23.
Owen Edwards turned aside 41 of 42 shots in the win.
Bailey felt his specialty teams played a big role in the victory, with the two powerplay goals and a short-handed marker.
He added the fourth line “was really big,” tallying three of the goals against a top contender.
Huskies 1 Royals 5
It was a different story the day before, as the Markham Royals beat up on the Huskies 5-1 Jan. 31. Despite outshooting their opponents 55-33, the blue and white could get only one past Markham goaltender Crosby Dacosta. Carson Durnin scored at 8:43 of the second, from
Gosse and Coe. Carter Nadon, between the pipes, turned aside 28 of 32.
Bailey felt they took too many penalties, requiring specialty teams, and disrupting the flow of the game. “So, we have to stay out of the box in those situations.” They also ran into a hot Dacosta. The Huskies host Burlington Feb. 7. Puck drop is scheduled for 4 p.m. at S.G. Nesbitt Memorial Arena. They then travel to Newmarket for a Feb. 10 tilt with the Hurricanes.
