ORANGEVILLE NORTHMEN CAP SEASON WITH WIN OVER BRAMPTON EXCELSIORS
On the final day of the OJLL regular season Wednesday night it was possible for the Brampton Excelsiors to finish anywhere from fourth through sixth in the standings. To move up they needed a win against the Orangeville Northmen at Tony Rose Arena. Despite quick starts to the first and second period, the visitors were shut out for the back half of the game leading to a 14-6 Northmen victory.
As the season progressed, Brampton’s offence caught up to the defence, which has been top notch all season. Erich Acton and Nolan Byrne are big reasons for that, and the pair opened a 2-0 leads 1:19 into the game. Through the remainder of the period the Northmen scored four goals from four different scorers – Aiden Long, Trey Deere, Brian Jackman and Liam Matthews – to take a 4-2 lead after the first.
Byrne helped erase the deficit with a pair of goals, along with Tye Scott, through the first six minutes of the second. Brampton led 5-4 before Deere’s second tied the game just 37 seconds after Byrne’s hat trick goal. Another answer 55 seconds after Jacob Janke took the lead again led to Matthews’ first of three goals in the remainder of the period. He’d have five points over an eventual six goal run giving Orangeville an 11-6 lead they would not relinquish.
Dylan Sanderson, Matthews and former Excelsiors captain Bowie Horsman all scored in the feisty third period, making the final 14-6.
Liam Matthews (5+5) scored five goals for the third time this season, matching a career-high. His 10 points set a new career benchmark and give him 112 overall, one more than Burlington’s Will MacLeod and good enough for second in the league. Behind teammate Joey Spallina who needed just two points to take top spot. He ended up with six (1+5). Trey Deere (3+5) had eight. Against his former team Bowie Horsman finished with five (2+3).
Nolan Byrne (3+1) led Brampton scoring half of his team’s goals. Jacob Janke (1+3) also had four points. Marcus Madill faced 64 shots.
Due to a roof leak on the main floor, the game was moved to pad ‘B’ at Tony Rose prior to faceoff.
