Junior A Tigers hit historic low

October 10, 2019 · 0 Comments

By Jake Courtepatte

Just under a month into the Ontario Junior Hockey League season, and the assets are already being shown the door for the Aurora Tigers.

Payton Schaly was the first member of the club to be sent packing on Monday, ten games into a season where the Aurora team is still yet to find themselves in the win column. The second-year Tiger was set for a breakout sophomore season, posting two goals and three assist in his first seven games, before being shipped to the Collingwood Colts.

Yet the Tigers will go on without their winger as they try to move away from a historic 0-8-0-2 start to the regular season, the first of its kind in club history.

Last weekend marked the latest pair of losses to add to the pile, both close scores to the Pickering Panthers and the St. Michael’s Majors.

Visiting Pickering on Friday, Andrew Barwinski was still looking for his first win between the pipes in an Aurora uniform, looking stellar in a shutout first two periods. Aurora’s Noah Romeo was the only player on both sides to solve either team’s goaltending in the second, before Pickering exploded for three goals in the first twelve minutes of the third, on route to a 4 – 2 finish after a late empty netter.

Barwinski finished with 33 saves on 36 Pickering shots, while Jalen Balbosa earned the other tally for the Tigers.

The streak continued on Saturday back at the Aurora Community Centre, where Aurora trailed from early on right until the final buzzer in a 3 – 2 final.

St. Mike’s Brad Somers beat Aurora goalie Christian Filippetti just over a minute into regulation, prompting a back and forth affair that had Aurora goals from Kaleb Nelson and Jackson Clark.

Only two points have come the Tigers’ way so far in this OJHL season, sitting without a win through ten games just two seasons after being crowned conference champions. That marks the worst record in the entire OJHL, two points shy of the Buffalo Jr. Sabres, who managed their first pair of wins last week.

There is still hope, though, early on: the North has had the slowest start of any of the league’s divisions so far this season, with the Markham Royals leading the way at a record of 6-3-0-2.

The Trenton Golden Hawks are pacing the league at 10-3-0-1.

As for Aurora, the quest to get into the win column continues on Friday in hosting the Toronto Patriots, leaders of the South division, for a puck drop at 7:30 p.m. at the Aurora Community Centre.

Collingwood is in town on Saturday for a 7:30 p.m. start as well. For stats, schedules, and more information, visit www.auroratigers.pointstreaksites.com