AMHERST — Trailing 5-3 to McCann Tech entering the third period, the Belchertown hockey team made it clear in the locker room during the second intermission that it wasn’t going to lose on its senior night.

Charlie Fijal took matters into his own hands to ensure that was the case.

The junior netted three of his five goals in the third period, tying the game 5-5 with two in the period’s first six and a half minutes, and then added his last of the night to once again tie the contest at six with 4:12 remaining after Belchertown surrendered one minutes earlier.

Although the Orioles didn’t win, as Friday night’s game at the Mullins Center Practice Rink ended in a 6-6 tie following a scoreless overtime frame, they certainly preferred a draw over a loss as their three seniors – Caleb Reardon, Caiden St. Laurent and Christopher Wood – were recognized.

“They’ve been huge, and they’re the heart and soul of the team both in terms of emotional standpoint and a physical standpoint,” Belchertown head coach Jordan McCarthy said of his seniors. “We’re definitely going to miss them, but we’re proud that they’re going on to be successful in their lives. I was proud of them for buckling down and making sure that we don’t lose on senior night.”

Despite an offense that has struggled to put pucks in the net this season, Fijal has been a bright spot for the Orioles.

“He’s had a huge impact for us this season,” McCarthy said. “On the ice, for sure, as a goal scorer, but he’s also made a big jump this year as a leader. He’s taken a huge step mentoring some of the younger guys which has been a big lift for them. It’s also given him the ability to look at the game from a broader view, which has helped.”

Three of McCann Tech’s six goals were of the shorthanded variety, all by the same player. Dallas Richter buried three goals in the first two periods with the Hornets down a man. Even giving up one of those will make a coach angry, never mind three.

But those shorthanded goals had a lot to do with the Orioles having only 14 players dressed, and even fewer seeing significant ice time. Belchertown was exhausted as each period progressed, and that allowed McCann Tech to find success in the fast break game. McCarthy knows his team is out-numbered night in and night out, which is why he preaches discipline to his players each practice.

“Our margin for victory is so minuscule because we have so few guys,” McCarthy said. “As soon as we get out of our structure and get out of our layers, it hurts us more than anybody else because we have a hard time recovering. Once we start chasing the puck, we lose our wind, and then we’re sucking wind for the rest of the period. I’ve tried to hammer home with these guys that it is imperative we keep our structure.”

Although the Orioles were completely gassed, although they cycled the same two lines in and out of the game all night and although they were down two goals, they never stopped working.

For a team that’s only won one game all season, it would’ve been easy for Belchertown to roll over and chalk up Friday’s game as another loss. But it didn’t. The Orioles instead fought against their disadvantages and strung together several good shifts in a row to get back in the game. That’s the kind of fight McCarthy has wanted to see all season.

“We clearly didn’t have our best stuff the first half of the game, but I give my guys credit, they turned the corner,” McCarthy said. “We finally played our style of game in the third period, which we didn’t do for most of the night.”

Junior Jack Mandeville assisted his classmate Fijal on his first two goals, both coming on the power play. Mandeville then scored the third goal off an assist from eighth grader Andrew Lambert.

While Belchertown is going to miss its three seniors as McCarthy said, the Orioles also have plenty to look forward to with the majority of their core – spearheaded by Fijal and Mandeville – back for next season.

“I hope that we take a lot more out of the season than just the victories,” McCarthy said. “We had a lot of things that we did successfully this season that we can build on. It may not have been for a full three periods in some cases, but a lot of the younger guys got a lot of good experience and learned a lot from these seniors who are graduating. We’re gonna have a good core coming into next year.”

Belchertown (1-11-1) does have two games left on its schedule, and it starts with a quick turnaround on the road against Nashoba on Saturday night at 5:30 p.m. The Orioles then finish off with their season finale when they host Southwick on Feb. 3 at 8:30 p.m.