Stingy defence and a complete team effort made the difference as the Stratford Warriors Tier III West, sponsored by Hockey Training Above, captured gold at the Bradford Bulldogs Tournament, January 15-17.
The Warriors opened with a decisive 8-0 victory over the Leaside Flames Gold squad, January 15. Owen Chambers opened the scoring with an end to end rush. He snapped a seeing eye shot low short side for the 1-0 lead.
Moments later the Warriors had two men in the box and the Flames put some pressure on. Owen Hunt dove across the crease three times to prevent sure goals and Reed Bowles stood tall before jumping on the loose puck.
Leading 1-0 early in the second, the Warriors went on the power play when the Flames were called for tripping. After winning the faceoff Colten Brenzil fired on net and Ryan Cassone was there to jump on the rebound and make it 2-0. Two minutes later Nolan Miller stole the puck and slipped a nifty pass across to Casen deGraaf. He deked the defenders and then fired a backhander that found the back of the net giving Stratford a 3-0 cushion. Midway through the frame Colston Kibedi pinched in at the point and found Owen Blain who sent it over to Rylan DeBoeck. He snapped a backhander past the Flames net minder to give Stratford a four goal advantage. Thirty seconds later Cassone found Cole Hishon and he ripped one high blocker side to make it 5-0. Moments later Cameron Parsons intercepted a pass while killing off a penalty and he fired on net. Owen Blain was there to flip it in for a short handed tally and a 6-0 advantage. Seconds later Leaside tried to take advantage of a second five on three advantage when Owen Hunt was called for hooking. Excellent neutral and defensive zone coverage limited the chances and the Warriors killed it off.
Late in the third, Chambers finished off another end to end rush when he flipped it over the left pad and it ricocheted off the post and in. A minute later Miller attempted to send a pass out front but it bounced off a skate and in to give the Warriors a decisive 8-0 victory. Bowles earned the complete game shutout.
In the afternoon, the Warriors faced the Burlington Eagles in a hard fought contest. Just over a minute in Kibedi intercepted a pass at the point and found deGraaf in the slot. He turned and fired but it bounced out to Miller and he tapped it in to give Stratford the 1-0 lead. Noah Brosens got the call in net and like Bowles he rose to the occasion making key stops for the team. The Warriors were handed a penalty for too many men on the ice late in the first and Brosens made three awesome stops before snagging the rebound.
Midway through the second, the Eagles took advantage of a power play and won the faceoff and dented the twine high glove side to square it 1-1. Less than a minute later Taten Mikel made a smart pinch at the point and slipped it over to Casen deGraaf. He found Harrison Robinet, his shot was stopped but Miller was there to snap it over the net minder to make it 2-1.
Miller broke in alone and fired a shot that found the back of the net a fraction of a second late.
Despite numerous chances the Warriors were unable to convert in the third. Brosens made several key stops. Unfortunately a bad bounce in the corner resulted in a turnover and it found its way into the net with three minutes remaining. The Warriors had several chances in the final three minutes but the game ended in a 2-2 tie.
At the end of the games Friday, Straford sat in a tie with Burlington and Leaside Flames Gold but finished first overall based on goals for and against. The placing gave the Warriors the day off Saturday and advanced them directly to the semi finals.
In the semi-final, the Warriors faced the Guelph Junior Gryphons. Midway through the first Kibedi kept it in at the blueline and fired it around the boards to Hunt on the far point. Hunt slid it down to deGraaf and he found DeBoeck out front. He popped it over the goalie to open the scoring. Sixty seconds later Cassone raced down the right side and ripped a low shot that fooled the goalie to put Stratford up 2-0. Parsons and Mark Martin were credited with assists.
Early in the second Owen Bridges kept it in at the blueline and fired it on net. Brenzil was there to pick up the rebound and he slid it across to Cole Hishon and he made no mistake giving the Warriors a 3-0 lead. Midway through the period Bridges fed it up the boards to Cassone and he found Miller. He turned on the jets and split the defence before whipping it past the Guelph goalie giving the Warriors a four goal advantage. A minute later Miller won the faceoff and found Harrison Robinet. He raced up the right side and then made a nifty pass cross ice to deGraaf. He fired a beautiful forehand from the high slot to make it 5-0. The offensive explosion continued when Kibedi moved it up to Owen Blain he dished to DeBoeck who split the defence and roofed it for a 6-0 advantage.
Blain rounded out the scoring late in the third after Kibedi found Martin just inside the Warriors blueline. He used his speed to break past the defenders and rip a blistering shot on net. Blain was there to tap it home and seal a 7-0 victory and send the team to the final.
Bowles earned his second shutout of the tournament as the team neutralized the Guelph offence.
The Warriors faced the Leaside Flames Red in the final and Brosens set the tone with a huge blocker save a minute into the contest. Seconds after the Warriors were called for interference the Flames were penalized creating plenty of space. It gave Owen Chambers even more room to wheel and he seized the opportunity going end to end before shooting just wide. Blain picked it up and he slid it across to DeBoeck and he flipped it high over the goalie for a 1-0 lead.
Twenty eight seconds later Miller made it 2-0 after he raced up ice, cut right then left before flipping a backhander just over the right pad.
Blain won the faceoff in the neutral zone and cut through the defence and shot wide but raced in to tap the rebound home and make it 3-0 after the first period. DeBoeck picked up the lone assist.
Early in the second, Brosens kept the Flames off the scoresheet when he made a great pad save. Kibedi picked it up and drove hard up the rightside. He saw Miller open in the middle and slid a nifty pass cross ice. Miller raced in and tried to go high but the puck went over the net and bounced off the back boards then caroomed off the goalie and in.
Minutes later Brenzil gave the Warriors a 5-0 lead after he snapped it home with eight minutes left in the second frame.
Brosens made a great save late in the period but the Warriors appeared to be in control. After two periods of play they held a 12-5 shot advantage but the Flames refused to give up. Brosens stood on his head in the third period and even used his head to knock one shot down. He used every inch of his body to stop a shot from inside the blueline that was destined for the top shelf. He came up big time and again as he faced eight shots in period. The entire team rallied around to help preserve the win.
The tournament win was a total team effort on offence, as every player had at least one point, but most importantly everyone contributed defensively limiting their opponents to two goals in four games while giving up only two dozen shots.
The Warriors are back in action January 19 when they face the North London Nationals in London. The team heads back to London to face the Bandits on January 23 and the Oakridge Aeros on January 24.
Written by Elaine Pennington