Is there a more historic rivalry in the Ontario Junior A ranks than that of the Orangeville Northmen and Whitby Warriors? With Ontario hosting the Minto Cup this year, two teams from the circuit will make the tournament. One, we know, will be Whitby as they are the host city. The other team will have to win their way through the OLA Jr A’s playoff tree. Orangeville was looking to set out to do that on Tuesday night in Whitby.
Here is what separated the two teams in the regular season: two points overall, six goals scored, and one goal allowed. They had identical records on the road. Both teams swept their first round playoff series. The only noticeable difference is that while Orangeville saw just one player in the top fifteen in league scoring (Rob Hellyer), Whitby was well represented with six players. One other similarity: they both dislike each other.
This final stat was evident throughout Tuesday night’s matchup. It truly was a typical Jr A lacrosse game, with something for everyone. The Northmen came out quick with a number of chances, but Alexis Buque was able to stop each of them. He was peppered with seventeen shots in the opening frame, but allowed four goals to see Whitby down 4-0 after one. Mitchell Jones would score in the first minute of the second to widen the gap. Whitby got on the board with a Chad Tutton goal, which led to a two goal run for the Warriors. Orangeville would answer both before the buzzer, including one short handed in the final minute, to lead 7-2 after two.
From the opening whistle, the officials decided they would let the players play. However, you could sense the play on the floor about to erupt, especially with the score becoming out of hand. Mark Cockerton and AJ Masson got into it not three minutes into the third period. The officials deemed it was not a fight, and sent both to the box with Masson picking up an extra two for roughing. Mitchell Jones scored for the Northmen on the four-on-four, while Whitby’s captain Curtis Knight responded when his team picked up the powerplay. Jones answered with a powerplay goal of his own with a Whitby player in the box for tripping. Brandon Benn and Jordan Dance stretched the lead to 10-3.
On the ensuing faceoff after the Benn goal, Mike Lum-Walker and Hayden Smith exchanged words and dropped the gloves. Both were assessed five minute majors while Walker picked up an additional two. Shortly thereafter, Whitby’s Emerson Clark tried to convince a Northmen player to drop the gloves with him. When he couldn’t, the officials stepped in and he objected, still trying to get at his man. He was escorted off the floor and given five for fighting plus a game misconduct for instigating. Rob Hellyer picked up two for roughing plus a ten minute misconduct on the play for being the third man in an altercation. With the Jr A commissioner in the building, it’s likely Clark will be hearing more about this incident in the coming days.
Whitby would get two back before the final horn, but the game was well over by then with Orangeville taking the victory 11-5. After the final buzzer, both lines met and exchanged words near center floor. There was pushing and a few shoves, but no fireworks. Having said that, Hayden Smith and Mike Power were both given two minute roughing penalties and game misconducts at the twenty minute mark of the period which will likely also result in supplemental discipline.
Dillon Ward was outstanding in Orangeville’s net stopping thirty-two of thirty-seven shots. Whitby was only able to go two for nine on their powerplay, a stat that, assuming the physical play continues in this series, they will have to improve on. Orangville, led by Ward, has now allowed the fewest goals in the post-season with just fifteen in four games.
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Meanwhile, out in Six Nations, the Arrows defeated the Peterborough Lakers 11-8. The Lakers’ Turner Evans led all runners with six points, all assists, while his teammate Matt Crough contributed four goals. Randy Staats led the way for Six Nations with five points, also scoring four goals. Warren Hill picked up the win making thirty-nine saves, while Connor Danko was shouldered with his first loss of the post-season.
