MacMaster Pontiac Buick GMC Northmen improved their chances for a post season playoff berth with a couple of strong performances this past week.

Playing first last Thursday against divisional rivals, Owen Sound, the Northmen had their work cut out for them after falling behind 3-0 in the first four minutes of play.

Ben VanGalen kick started Orangeville's offence late in the first, teaming up with Kyle Kallay on a heads up pass from goalie Curtis Rydall.

Owen Sound would respond with two more of their own before the Northmen snipers zeroed in the range and dropped five in succession behind Owen Sound net minder Ryan Oldrieve to take a 6-5 lead into the final period of regulation time.

Orangeville looked like they might be able to hang on for the win but, with 15 seconds left on the clock and their goalie pulled, Travis Gibbons threaded one past Rydall to sent the two squads in to overtime.

Riding a wave of momentum, Owen Sound took a 7-6 lead just over two minutes into the extra 10 minute frame and looked to be on the way to pulling out a win until the brothers Caravello worked their magic. On the power-play with Rydall off for the extra attacker, Dustin Caravello redirected a pass from Niall Caravello with just one second on the clock to send the game into the record book tied with a 7-7 final score.

Other goal scorers for Orangeville in this game were Travis Szabolcs with two goals in addition to Caravello's pair while Kallay and Andrew Stoner each tallied for singles.

Buoyed by the big game Thursday, the Northmen rolled into Niagara on Saturday for a date with the Thunderhawks.

Wasting no time, Orangeville set the pace early, jumping out to a 7-0 lead before Niagara even managed to make it on the board midway through the first period.

Again it was Dustin Caravello leading the charge for Orangeville on the power-play at 1:25 before Stoner would add the first of his three, a short-handed marker at 3:01. Kallay counted for two while Niall Caravello and Cody McLeod chipped in singles

Second period action would see Orangeville widen the margin to seven with Niagara managing one shorthanded midway through the period splitting between Stoner's third of the game and one by Zach Ursu at 19:58.

Again in the third it was two for Orangeville - one for Niagara with Szabolcs and Kallay wrapping up the Northmen scoring on the way to a 11-3 decision at the final buzzer.

Orangeville currently finds themselves sitting seventh in the Western Conference standings with 13 points and seven games remaining on the schedule. They are three points ahead of Spartan in eighth at 10 points with Wallaceburg, Sarnia, Niagara and London all tied back at eight points each.

The Northmen have two games scheduled for this weekend - both on the road. Friday night they travel to Oakville for a for a game against the Buzz while on Saturday, its off to the Nichols Arena in London to go up against the Blue Devils.