The Stratford Cherrey Bus Lines Warriors earned a ticket to the finals by eliminating the Kitchener Rangers in Minor Bantam semi-final action this past weekend, taking the six point series 7-3. The Warriors skated to a 2-2 tie in Kitchener, and then came home and in convincing fashion, hammered the Rangers 5-1.
Saturday in the Tri Cities, Stratford controlled the play and tempo of the game and held a 2-0 lead thanks to goals by Brett Maguire and Hayden Arms. But penalty trouble plagued the visiting Warriors throughout the third period, particularly two late calls with 3:16 and 1:36 remaining. Kitchener scored on both powerplay opportunities, the last goal with just 13 seconds remaining in regulation to force the tie, and overtime. The overtime frame did not decide anything and the teams settled on the 2-2 draw. Connor Otto, Joel DenOtter and Tyson Hall all picked up assists for Stratford.
Both teams returned to Stratford Sunday, for game 5 at the Allman Arena. Stratford showed the heartbreaking tie the day before was not going to phase them, and came out and displayed their most dominant performance of the series, a 5-1 drubbing of the Rangers. Stratford struck early, with Arms scoring 70 seconds in, Hall and Josh Smith assisting. Then late in the first frame, two goals in the final minute of the period by Maguire and Kolton Debus put Stratford up by 3. Debus and Trent Zorgdrager assisted on Maguire’s goal, while Smith and Luke Marcy picked up assists on the Debus tally. Connor Otto and Carter Lewis closed out Warrior scoring, with Hall picking up assists on both goals, as did Maguire and Brendan Moorehead. Whatever momentum Kitchener was able to muster was thwarted by Owen Hahn, who made several key saves in the win.
Stratford will face either London or Burlington in the Bristol A playdown championship series.