It is play-off time for the MacMaster Pontiac Buick GMC Jr B Northmen.

Unfortunately though, the regular season did not close out quite the way they had hoped.

Sitting first in the OLA Western Conference - Mid- West division heading into the weekend, Orangeville had a chance to lock up the division title by posting a pair of wins over their last weekend of play.

With that goal in mind, the team found themselves half way there after defeating Windsor by a score of 5-4 on Sunday afternoon and then headed home to the Tony Rose for what should have been another two points against the Guelph Regals on Monday night.

Someone however forgot to fill in the Regals as to the Orangeville game plan and one that should have been, got away with Guelph playing for nothing but pride, defeating the Northmen 10-8.

The Northmen kicked off the scoring just over four minutes into the first frame when Andrew Stoner chipped in his first of four, a power-play marker assisted by Trevor Van Alstine.

Guelph fired back with two of their own before Dave Morton tied it back up at 2-2 at the 12:04 mark.

Again Guelph would double down, making the most of a largely uninspired Northmen effort before Parmbir Sohal showed some spark, slicing a laser to beat both the clock and Regals goalie Jeremy Snider to the shortside to end the first with Guelph holding a 4-3 lead.

Second period action saw Guelph widen that margin to 6-3 before Orangeville seemed to wake up and start playing ball.

Ace McNutt found himself in perfect position all alone at the edge of the crease after picking up a rebound from a shot by Stoner and quickly converted it into another Northmen goal. Guelph would answer back minutes later before Stoner stepped up to show the way with 39 seconds left in the period, driving in from the right side popping one low past Snider to make it 7-5.

Again it was Stoner off the top of three combining with Van Alstine and Deron Dempster for a power-play marker which would draw Orangeville back within one.

Hungry to finish out there season on a positive note, Guelph came back to restore their two goal cushion only to have VanAlstine claw that away with his goal at 12:20.

Just as the goal before, the Regals were quickly back on the ball with John Quarrie scoring what would prove to be the game winner just under a minute later.

Penalties would slow down the Northmen attack, forcing them to step back into defensive mode through the remaining balance of period three.

Dogged determination by Stoner again made him the go to guy, weaving past two Guelph defenders to keep it interesting with his fourth of the night but another Guelph power play goal with 1:13 left on the clock all but sealed the Northmen's fate and at the buzzer it was the Regals closing out with a 10-8 victory.

For coach Blaine Burman, the loss was felt through the dressing room "It hurts, I won't kid you. We expected more but for some reason (right now) we are slumping". Being philosophical though, he is quick to point out the old adage that good teams do slump but they do come out of that when they bear down decide to work hard.

With the loss, Orangeville's position in the standings drops down from second overall in the west to likely third or fourth depending on the outcome of an unfinished game between Elora and Owen Sound.

With a fourth place finish, their likely first round opponent in the playoffs would be division rivals, Owen Sound and the schedule for that series is yet to be determined.