Crushers halt slide, edge Dixie 2-1

ORANGEVILLE CRUSHERS Trent Hawke edges his way past a Toronto Junior Canadiens defender in CCHL Junior A action at the Alder Street arena last Friday. Photo/MIKE MALONEY Orangeville Crushers finally had a little sweetness injected into the sting of a four game slide, edging the Dixie Beehives in Etobicoke on Sunday night 2-1 in Central Canadian Hockey League action.

It had been a rough haul for the Crushers over the last two weeks. After giving up a heartbreaker to St Michaels in a shootout the week before, Orangeville had been looking for a strong showing against league leading Newmarket to lift back into the win column on the road last Thursday night.

Coming on like gangbusters from the opening draw, the Crushers outshot the Hurricanes almost 2-1 through the entire game but the league's leading goaltender, Jimmy Sarjent, was up to the challenge for Newmarket as he turned away 42 of 43 shots unleashed by the Crushers.

Orangeville's lone goal came in the second period, scored by Beni Berisha, with assists from Daniel Percuklijevic and Nick Quinn, while Newmarket would tally for two in the first and three in the third to give them a 5-1 win for the record books.

Looking to stop the skid at home Friday night, Orangeville played host to the Toronto Junior Canadiens.

Coming out flat in the first proved costly for the Crushers, who found themselves up against a determined Canadiens squad that made the most of its first period chances by putting two past Talon Dorazio, who was making his first start in net before the hometown crowd.

Just over four minutes into the second, Orangeville's powerplay was burned by Toronto's Dylan Hutton who scored short-handed at 5:51.

Redemption was just over minute away for the Crushers powerplay unit, however, when Trent Hawke tipped one into the Canadiens net with the help of Ryan Marcuz and Jared Martin.

Toronto would add another goal before Jordan Gidaro twisted the twine for Orangeville with just three seconds left in the second to make it 4-2.

But the five-on-four jinx continued to haunt the Crushers in the third, as they gave up another short-handed goal in the third. Toronto, meanwhile, scored a power-play goal at 9:22.

Despite a depleted bench, Orangeville continued to battle; probably playing their best in the third.

With Arnold out of the lineup and Connolly injured in the second, Cody Britton found himself paired with Philip Teri, who set Britton up for both the Crushers third goal of the game and Britton's third of the season with 7:23 left on the clock. But that would be all the offence either team could muster as the Canadiens went on to hand Orangeville their fourth loss in as many games, posting a 6-3 victory.

Playing at the Beehive in Etobicoke Sunday night, Orangeville looked to find their stride through the first twenty minutes of play.

Cranking up the intensity through the second yielded dividends on goals from Quinn and Hawke at 8:49 and 19:22 respectively.

Dixie would get one back early in the third but, with the help of a solid defence, Nick Gigone held his ground for the remainder of regulation time as the Crushers rode their lead to a 2-1 victory.

This weekend will be a bit easier with only two games on the schedule, but no easier with opponents.

Friday night it will be off to Markham, for their first and only meeting of the regular season with the Waxers, then back home Saturday night where they will host Upper Canada at the Alder Street arena, game time 7:30 p.m.