Mar 09, 2014 | slafay | 751 views
Warriors win another thriller- advance to Bristol Finals
Stratford Royal Lepage Hiller Realty Minor Peewee Warriors went into Waterloo Sunday and knocked the first place Wolves out of the play downs winning a thrilling game 3-2 in overtime.
Coming out of the gate flying, the Warriors served notice early that all three lines and five defencemen were ready to do battle dominating play deep in the Wolves zone. Their effort was rewarded with six minutes to play in the first when Aly McLeod put her team ahead collecting a rebound from Cohen Lesouder and slipping it into the low corner.
Waterloo responded with their first goal with a little more than a minute remaining in the first period and rode the momentum to turn the tables, having the better of the play throughout the second period. Warrior defensemen Callum McMann, Tyler Pogson, Josh Dowling, Bryce Lee and Alex Cassone battled hard to keep the play to the outside against bigger forwards and goalie Ryan Bell stood tall to weather the storm into the third period. However, early in the third, Waterloo capitalized on a power play with a blast from the point beating a screened Bell.
The goal somehow energized the Warrior's legs though, as they began to pour it on, taking the play back to Waterloo. The strong forecheck eventually lead to a power play for Stratford and McLeod cashed in yet again collecting a wobbling puck in the slot and roofed a backhand over the blocker to tie the game at two from Raymond Horan and Jared Lesouder with 2:16 left in the game.
The goal ignited the Warriors to a new level as their pressure in the Wolves zone increased through the end of regulation and into the ten minute overtime. Mason Petrie and Adam Windsor battled hard to move the puck out of the Warrior's zone, while Kaden Eybergen, Mitch LaFay and Noah Rusen-Steele poured on pressure and puck possession in the Wolves' zone throughout the OT. They were rewarded with 1:03 left to play in the first OT when Rusen-Steele found a loose puck behind the Waterloo net and flipped it high off the goalie's shoulder and into the net ending the six point epic battle.
Saturday evening, Waterloo won 3-0 in Stratford forcing the series to game five back in Waterloo. Overall, the series was extremely close with the Wolves playing like the first place team they were throughout the regular season. Meanwhile, Stratford prepares to compete together in the Bristol finals against Hamilton this upcoming week.