Feb 04, 2013 | tferguson | 740 views
Warriors Bring Home Silver
The Perth Auto Dismantlers Atoms travelled to Detroit this weekend to compete in the Motown Cup. The Warriors played their first game on Friday against the Toronto Wolverines coming away with a 2-1 victory. Goal scorers in that game included Adam Monteith and Noah Rusen-Steele while assists went to Mason Petrie and Mitch LaFay (2). In game #2, the Warriors met a speedy Cyclones Hockey team from Chicago that forchecked well. Stratford worked hard but lost that game 5-3.
LaFay had a three point game with two goals and an assist. Petrie also cashed in, with assists going to Jared LeSouder (2), Rusen-Steele (2) and Tyler Pogson. The Warriors bounced back that evening with their best game of the tourney in a must win Game #3 against a Rockford Hockey team. This was an exciting game for the fans and players alike with both teams getting penalty shot opportunities. With Stratford leading 2-0 late in the first, Ryan Bell stoned a Rockford player on a penalty shot that could have turned the tide. Stratford scored again before the end of the first to take a three goal lead into the second. Rockford answered with one of their own before Callan Ferguson made good on his penalty shot, to once again keep the spread at three. The Warriors committed to some defensive play in the third and held on for a 4-2 victory. Aly McLeod, LaFay and Monteith picked up a goal a piece with Kaden Eybergen, Cohen LeSouder, and Jared LeSouder each picking up helpers. The victory advanced the Warriors to the finals, setting the stage for a championship game at the Joe Louis arena on Sunday.
The final game would see Stratford get another chance against the Cyclone team they’d faced in round robin play. The Warriors were obviously awestruck by their surroundings as they came out a little flat off the hop. Chicago again forchecked aggressively and were able to gain a three goal lead late in the first period. Stratford eventually settled in and began to dig their way out of the hole they had found themselves in. LaFay got the tribe on the board off a feed from Ferguson and Pogson. Adam Windsor was then awarded a penalty shot, but was unable to finish a nice deke that had the goalie fooled. Next, Adam Monteith bulged the twine from Petrie and Bryce Lee. With a one goal differential, the Cyclones got one back to take a two goal lead into the third. The third period was all Stratford as they got back within one on a nice wrist shot from Ferguson assisted by Rusen-Steele. Late in the game, the Warriors threw everything they had toward the net, but good goaltending, blocked shots and goal posts prevented anything from getting through. The game ended 4-3, leaving the players just shy of the championship trophy. Both Carson Knott and Ryan Bell had strong outings between the pipes while Alex Cassone, Ben Wyatt and Riley Mathieson battled hard all weekend. The team as a whole had a rewarding and memorable experience playing the game they love on the same ice that many of their hero’s do.