Photo/MIKE MALONEY ORANGEVILLE CRUSHERS goaltender watches fellow team mate Shane Cater chase a loose puck into the corner during second period action against Newmarket at the Alder Street Community Centre On Friday night. The Orangeville Crushers continue to improve on their credibility as one of the league's better teams this year.

Friday night, the Crushers played one of their best games to date only to be edged 2-1 by Newmarket, but rebounded in style Saturday, doubling up the Seguin Bruins 6-3.

Friday night's contest against the Hurricanes was the second meeting of these two clubs this season.

In their first meeting back in September, it was Orangeville who rode a one goal differential to victory but this time the tables were turned.

Wasting no time, the ever potent line of Mike Arnold, Jarrod Connolly and Philip Peri opened the scoring with Arnold flipping one past Newmarket's Jimmy Sarjeant just 22 seconds into the game.

Each team would generate a number of chances over the remainder of the first period but Orangeville would hang on to take a slim one goal lead into the second.

When two evenly matched teams take to the ice, the last thing you want to do is give them any extra opportunity because generally the other takes advantage.

That is just what Newmarket did.

First, with Jared Martin serving two for hooking, the Hurricanes cranked up the heat and were rewarded with a power-play goal by Chad Sumsion at 2:47.

Seven minutes later, they did it again, this time Joel Hanley getting the goal with Nicholas Vassos in the box for slashing.

The Crushers would turn it up themselves in the third looking for that elusive tie breaker to no avail. Despite out shooting Newmarket 13-8 and pulling their goalie for an extra attacker in the final minutes of the third, the visitors hung on until the final buzzer sounded.

Even with the outcome, their was no disappointment in the words of Orangeville coach Dale Hawerchuk after the game. "It was a really great junior hockey game. Those were two tight teams out there and the goaltenders played great"

He went on to note that they had their chances, " We had it on the goal line a few times" but the Crusher were just not getting the breaks.

Hawerchuk added that he was pleased with the effort and intensity the team showed, adding that if they learn to play like that every night the team will be in great shape.

And apparently it was a call the players heeded as they travelled north on saturday to play the Seguin Bruins.

Again as on Friday night, Teri and Arnold were again in on a early opening goal by the Crushers, a power-play marker with Peri doing the honours assisted by Arnold and Ryan Marcuz.

Tyson Fawcett made it 2-0 with the help of Daniel Percuklijevic and Calvin Higley at 7:04.

A pair of Seguin markers late in the first and off the top of two kept it close for a bit but soon the Crusher machine kicked into high gear.

A pair of power-play goals — one by Scott Collins assisted by Fawcett, the other by Fawcett assisted by Collins and Krystian Yorke — nicely framed Trent Hawke's first goal with the Crushers at 3:51.

Seguin would get back on track late in the second, but another great showing by Nick Gigone between the Orangeville pipes, and Arnold's goal with just over 12 minutes left to play, robbed Seguin of any momentum they may have been generating. Orangeville notched its ninth victory of the season, this one by a 6-3 final score.

This weekend promises to be another busy one for the Crushers who play to another three-night - threegame schedule.

Friday night, North York Rangers will be in the house at the Alder Street Community Centre where the Crushers will be looking to avenge a 2-1 loss at the hands of the Rangers the last time the two teams meet.

Saturday and Sunday however, Orangeville will be wearing the visitors moniker, first in Stouffville then against the Streetsville Derbys at the Westwood rink in Etobicoke. Game time for all three games is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.