For hometown hockey fans this was the season they had been waiting for. The Hornets started the season strong and kept up the momentum that resulted in 36-3-3 record and saw the team score 255 goals in 42 games.
The first-place finish gives the Hornets a bye into the first round of the playoffs in the seven-team league.
Going into the weekend, the Alliston team could afford a single loss and still come out on top over the Penetang Kings, who wrapped up the season with 35 wins and 71 points.
Friday’s game against Fergus started with two fast goals that gave the Devils an early lead, but a quick return by the Hornets tied it up and Alliston went ahead by one late in the first period.
"We were pretty jacked up for this game because it was for first place," said Hornet left winger, Luke Vanderhulst. "We've been down two goals before but we came back. Once we get the lead we're pretty good with it."
Less than two minutes into the second period, Alliston scored to put their fourth marker onto the scoreboard, and by the end of the frame the Hornets were ahead by four.
Fergus switched goalies late in the period but a relentless Hornets’ offence kept up the pressure scoring again in the third to leave with a 7-2 win.
The final game against Penetang on Saturday resulted in a 7-4 win for the Hornets.
The two teams have met seven times this year with Alliston winning five and three of those wins were on the King's home ice. Penetang has only lost two games to other teams with one of those being in overtime.
"We're going to be meeting them in the end so we've got to send them a message," Vanderhulst said prior to Saturday's game.
Barring some catastrophic failure in either camp, the two squads should be facing each other in the league’s final series. The season stats give a pretty solid indication of what's going to happen in the playoffs in the early going, but you never know what dark-horse team could drop some sand into the gears during the second round.
The Hornets will mostly likely be up against the Erin Shamrocks or Midland Flyers when they get back into action after the rest of the teams has it out in the best of seven game first round series.
Check the Wednesday Herald for the upcoming playoff schedule, game results, and exclusive photos.
