Nov 24, 2013 | slafay | 387 views
Minor Peewees Endure Heartbreak in Guelph
Stratford Royal Lepage Hiller Realty minor peewee Warriors experienced a heartbreaking 1-0 loss in overtime Sunday morning to the Erindale Spitfires, ending their inspiring run in the Guelph Powerplay tournament.
Stratford clearly outplayed their opponent in the rematch from the previous evening, scoring what appeared to be two disallowed goals due to quick whistles on rebounds in regulation time but were unable to count the much desired goal on an outstanding Spitfires goalie who earned an MVP award. Goalie, Ryan Bell, was awarded the MVP for the Warriors.
Playing an unusual five minute 3 on 3 format in overtime, the Warriors continued to dominate play but were penalized with two minutes to play. Despite playing 2 vs 3, they still had a great chance to win the game on sheer effort but lost, as fate would have it, on a rebound that landed right on the stick of the extra attacker with 57 seconds to play.
Overall the entire Stratford team played gritty, intelligent hockey and deserved a better fate. The coaching staff is extremely proud of the progress made by this team and know that it will endure this set back and compete very well in the Bristol division throughout the balance of the season.
The Warriors opened the tournament with a 1-1 tie against the Leaside Flames. The game was choppy with many penalties by both teams resulting in little offence. Leaside opened the scoring with a shorthanded goal but Mason Petrie took a nice feed from Noah Rusen-Steele just inside the Flames zone and blasted a wrist shot just over the goalie's pad on the short side to tie the game a minute later. The Warrirors entire team battled hard on the boards the for remainder of the game in front of Ryan Bell who was solid in goal, earning the MVP award for Stratford.
Game two against the Pickering Panthers had a completely different feel as Stratford came out flying from the first shift and dominated the majority of the play but struggled to finish on their chances around the net winning 3-2. After a scoreless first period, the Panthers opened the scoring on a beautiful individual effort but the Warriors were unfazed and kept coming. They were rewarded with just over a minute to play in the second when Jared Lesouder found a loose puck behind the net and walked out and roofed a nice shot. Lesouder roofed his second of the game, earning him the MVP award, taking a goal mouth pass from Adam Montieth and Rusen-Steele.
Mitch LaFay chimmed in when he walked out from behind the net and jammed his own rebound home less than a minute later. Pickering kept the game interesting with a power play goal with 1:41 left to play but the Warrirors turned up the forecheck and hemmed the Panthers in their zone to win the game. Carson Knott was good when called upon in net behind the Stratford defense corps who moved the puck well, turning the play up ice all afternoon.
Game three was a low scoring affair that the Warrirors won 2-0 over the Niagara Falls Canucks. After a scoreless first period due to terrific goaltending by the Canucks, Mason Petrie opened the scoring with five minutes left in the second taking a cross ice feed from Noah Rusen-Steele in the neutral zone, driving the net and firing a wrist shot into the short side. Despite a lopsided shot count in favour of Stratford, the game remained 1-0 with a faceoff in the Warriors zone with 24 seconds remaining and the Canucks goalie pulled for the extra attacker. Mitch LaFay won the draw to Tyler Pogson who cooly head manned the puck to a streaking Aly Mcleod who put the game on ice scoring into the empty net. Overall the Warriors played smart and hard in front of Ryan Bell in goal who earned the MVP of the game.
Game four was an exciting game with good speed and flow that saw the Warriors beat the Erindale Spitfires 4-2. Jared Lesouder opened the scoring when he went to the net hard and chipped a rebound over the goalie assisted by Adam Montieth and Noah Rusen-Steele. One minute later, Lesouder added to the Warrior's lead taking a lovely cross ice pass from Montieth and beat the goalie high for a second time. Then in the second frame, Rusen-Steele won the puck deep in his zone and found Aly McLeod who fed Lesouder streaking down the right side who beat his man inside and fired his hat trick home over the goalie's shoulder again, earning him MVP of the game.
Montieth rounded out the Stratford scoring late in the second taking a feed from Lesouder and beating the goalie through the five hole. Overall the Warriors displayed good discipline playing with the lead and staying out of the many opportunities to retaliate in this game.