In a game that mirrored their season, the Orillia Terriers lost a 7-6 heartbreaker to Penetang Sunday night that gave the Kings the victory in the teams’ first-round Provincial Junior Hockey League playoff series.
It was a do-or-die game for the Terriers and they responded early. Thanks to goals from Kyle Heitzner and Owen King, the visitors jumped out to a 2-0 lead at the Penetang Centennial Centre, before getting into penalty trouble.
The Kings took advantage, scoring a pair of power-play goals to knot the score.
The resilient Terriers kept coming and went back out in front 3-2 when regular-season team-scoring leader Corey Miller tallied his first of the playoffs.
But the Kings scored two quick goals to re-take the lead and then scored a back-breaking short-handed breakaway marker to extend their lead to 5-3 heading into the final 20 minutes.
After Penetang scored again, all appeared lost. But the Terriers never quit and goals from Ben Schryer and Miller allowed Orillia to close the gap to 6-5 and get within striking distance.
But the Kings scored a late goale and skated to the narrow victory and the 4-2 series win.
It was a disappointing end to a turn-around season for the local Jr. C squad.
After a demoralizing and embarrassing season in which they won just four games and were routinely out-classed and out-scored in dramatic fashion, the Terriers cleaned house.
New team owner Jamie Clarke and general manager Andrew McDonald rebuilt the team. They brought in coach Nick Ricca and assistant coach Dallyn Telford, who made it known it was a new era for junior hockey.
The team surprised everyone when they jumped out to a surprising 11-5 record during a stretch in which they dominated and found ways to beat the league’s heavyweights.
But then the wheels fell off. In a dispute with management, Ricca quit.
Telford took the reins and while the Terriers were competitive every night, they stumbled and tumbled down the standings.
At season’s end, the Terriers had a respectable 19-19-1-3 record, good enough for fifth place in the eight-team North Carruthers Division
McDonald, who had convinced OHL star and Orillia native Kyle Heitzner to come play for the Terriers mid-season, felt confident the Terriers had righted the ship by playoff time.
With Heitzner returning to the lineup after a lengthy absence due to injury and suspension, hopes were high.
But injuries to captain Jake Beard and standout defenceman Ayden Dooley hurt the Terriers in the playoffs.
In the end, their inability to hold a lead and a failure to capitalize on key opportunities spelled their demise.
And Sunday’s finale was a microcosm of the season - a fast start, a collapse, a spirited comeback and lots of heart and hustle.
While the final result was disappointing, the season was a successful one in many respects.
The Terriers rekindled interest, locally, in junior hockey by becoming competitive and icing a team that was in every game.
On top of that, the stands at Rotary Place were often the place to be on a Saturday night and the team’s Booster Club was a hit.
There is a good nucleus of young players and a solid foundation has been built off the ice that should allow the team to continue in an upward trajectory.
TERRIER TALES: Sunday night’s loss marked the end of the line for two Terrier stalwarts. Corey Miller and Jake Beard are now too old to play junior hockey; the two forwards, who played the game with heart and talent, will be missed. Penetang moves on to play Stayner, who elimated Schomberg in five games. Alliston swept Huntsville and will now play Caledon after Caledon ousted Midland in six games.
