Hishons Custom Tier 1 Warriors Win Silver in Guelph Minor Hockey
PowerPlay Tournament
(Updated for a scoring correction. Liam Hill scored the only Stratford goal in the Final Game.)The Warriors placed fourth after a four game round robin on Friday and Saturday to advance to the semi finals against the undefeated Woolwich Wildcats. Daniel Van Straaten scored early in the first period to give Stratford the 1-0 lead with one assist by Jack Zehr. The Wildcats scored late in the period to tie it up. One minute into the second defenseman Haden Frayne rushed up ice and shot the puck into the top of the net to take back the lead. The lone assist went to Wesley Duiker. The teams were back and forth until 2:46 in the third period when the Wildcats managed to tie it at 2. With time running out the Wildcats pressed hard in a mad scramble around the net. With a shot headed for a certain goal Frayne slid face first behind goalie James Hopper to block the puck. The tie sent the game into a frantic 5 minute 3 on 3 overtime with neither team able to score. In the following 3 man shootout all 3 Wildcats were turned aside by goalie James Hopper, while Stratford’s second shooter, Jonas Schmidt, fired the puck into the top right corner for the win, sending the team to the finals.
In the final against the St. Thomas Stars the Warriors fell behind 2-0 in the first period on a Stars breakaway, and a power play near the end of the period. Liam Hill scored for the Warriors halfway through the second period to make it 2-1 with assists going to Ethan Martin and Avery Thurston. St. Thomas scored their third goal early in the third to go ahead 3-1. Although the Warriors kept the Stars in their own end for most of the period and had several chances they were unable to score.
In the first game of the round robin Stratford tied the Guelph Gryphons 1-1. The Stratford goal was scored by Ethan Martin, unassisted.
In the second game Warriors lost to the St. Thomas Stars 2-1. The teams traded goals early in the first period. The teams were well matched and the game was back and forth until the Stars scored with 2 minutes remaining. Avery Thurston scored the lone Stratford goal with assists going to Liam Hill and Tyson Talsma.
The third game was against the Whitby Wildcats. Stratford skated to a 7-0 win. Jonas Schmidt and Daniel Van Straaten each scored twice with singles going to Thurston, Martin, and Sam Jeffery. Goalie James Hopper faced 17 to earn his second shutout of the year.
The fourth game was a 3-0 loss to the Woolwich Wildcats.
Throughout the six games every player on the team was at the top of their form. The team’s defensive play was excellent clearing rebounds quickly and skating back hard to prevent and limit breakaways.
Special mention to the team’s only goalie James Hopper who was superb throughout the tournament, Jonas Schmidt for his end to end rushes in every game which kept the opposition on their heels, and Owen Holloway for his fierce checking at both ends of the ice.
