The Alliston Hornets' Kurtis Brossard carried the puck down the ice unassisted on a three-on-one play in overtime and scored the game winner to cap an historic season and capture the Schmalz Cup in game seven of the all-Ontario finals.

It's the first time in the 37-year history of the Jr. C Alliston Hornets hockey club that they have captured the prestigious Clarence (Tubby) Schmalz Cup.

The Hornets’ celebration of the cup win may have taken place tonight (Sun., May 4) about a 4.5-hour drive away near Windsor, but local fans will get a chance to see the cup and congratulate their hometown Hornets at a special tailgate party Sat., May 24 at the New Tecumseth Recreation Complex. Details of the event will be published as soon as they become available.

The Alliston Herald will have photos and video of tonight’s historic game as soon as we can get them posted here at www.allistonherald.com tomorrow (Monday) and will publish them along with full weekend coverage in Wednesday's paper.

It's was the final battle for the Jr. C Schmalz Cup in Essex between the Hornets and Essex 73's with 1,100-plus fans in attendance at the Essex Memorial Arena (which holds 700 comfortably) to witness a little slice of Jr. C hockey history and boy did they get their $10 worth in this one.

The only thing certain when the game got underway was that one of the two top teams in the province would leave the ice with the Clarence (Tubby) Schmalz Cup. The 73's stole another win on the road in game six last night (Saturday) in Alliston, this time 2-0, tying the series at three games each and forcing the seventh and deciding game.

Game Summary

First Period

Just like last night, Essex took the early 1-0 lead just 2:03 into play in this final match with a goal from Vince Santia off Cory Hamilton on a powerplay. It was the first time Essex has been successful on the powerplay against the Hornets in some time.

The Hornets failed to score on the powerplay at the bottom of the frame, then Thomas Faris took a cross-checking penalty with 5:08 remaining in the period to give Essex its third powerplay of the game.

But at 15:52, with 1:16 left in Faris' penalty, Essex captain Dan Croft took a tripping penalty to even up the play at four-on-four for a while and give the Hornets a 43 second powerplay of their own.

Second Period

Alliston's Kyle McDowell was hit hard by the 73's Anthony Iaquinta to lead off the third and was slow to get up and head to the bench. Right after play began again, Iaquinta targeted Zenon Byblow and dealt him a similar hit.

Alliston's Kurtis Brossard was called for a high stick 1:03 into the frame to give Essex another powerplay. Once again the 73's came up empty on the man advantage, leaving them one for four so far on the night.

Essex's Mike Roach hammered Alliston netminder Jon Porretta with shots about five minutes in, picking up three rebounds, but Porretta came up with three big rapid-fire saves. Essex seemed to be dominating early in the second period, but Alliston picked up a little speed headed towards the middle of the frame.

Fed by passes from Cole Parker and Tottenham-native Jef McCarty, the Hornet's Jason Campeau took a long slap shot that rose and found net behind Essex's goalie Branden Robitaille to tie it up 1-1.

Then Kyle Deslippe took a roughing penalty for Essex to give the Hornets another powerplay opportunity. They couldn't do anything with it though.

Headed to the bottom of the frame the Hornets seemed to be rejuvenated by their first goal in four and a half periods of hockey and really turned up the pressure.

Zenon Byblow scored on a wrist shot with 4:33 left in the frame to put the Hornets up 2-1 off a lone assist from Kyle Montpetit.

Third Period

There was lots of back and forth in the first six minutes of play and at least two big saves by Hornets' netminder Jon Porretta.

Zenon Byblow and Kyle Montpetit hammered at 73's netminder Branden Robitaille with about 13 minutes remaining, but Robitaille made three huge saves.

Essex's Mike Lepelaars drilled the Hornets's hulking Luke Vanderhulst into the boards with 12 minutes left in the third, but no penalty was called with everything on the line this night.

Essex wasn’t getting the chances they wanted as far as shots on net headed into the bottom of the third. Alliston was playing a conservative and defensive game.

The 73's Kyle Deslippe scored on a screened shot coming in from the line and Porretta didn't even see it coming. Cory Hamilton and Gabe Gervais assisted on the play as the score is tied 2-2 with 8:37 left in the game.

Shots on net at the end of regulation time were 34-31 in Essex's favour.

Overtime

Alliston netminder Jon Porretta makes a big save off the face-off about a minute in.

Porretta made another potentially game saving save with just over eight minutes remaining in the first and that’s when the Hornets’ Kyle Brossard picked up the puck and began his skate down the ice into Jr. C hockey history. In a three-on-one play play he fired the game and championship winner past Robitaille with 11:52 remaining in the first O.T.

Watch for this coming Wednesday’s Herald for details of the big tailgate party celebration for the Hornets at the New Tec Rec Centre on Sat., May 24. And don’t forget to check here tomorrow and in Wednesday’s edition of The Alliston Herald for images of the Hornets historic win.