Two goals by Mark Martin powered the Tier III West Warriors, sponsored by Hockey Training Above to a 5-2 victory over the North London Nationals, February 27 at the Molson Arena.
It didn't take the Warriors long to get on scoreboard. Colten Brenzil won the opening faceoff and the puck squirted over to Ryan Cassone. He carried up ice and found Cole Hishon, who opened the scoring on a beautiful drag and flip move 46 seconds into the contest. A minute later the line of Nolan Miller, Casen deGraaf and Harrison Robinet was buzzing in the offensive zone when Miller, parked along the boards, fired towards the net and the puck ricocheted off the defender and the goalie before finding the back of the net.
Reed Bowles got the start and he set the tone with three big pad saves early on.
With just over three minutes remaining in the first, Owen Blain won the draw and Martin raced up ice and fired a shot through the netminder that just trickled over the line to give Stratford a 3-0 lead at the end of the first.
Both teams had their chances in the second but the goaltenders on both teams were on top of their game. The Warriors held a 9-6 advantage on the shot clock after two periods.
Two minutes into the third, Martin stole the puck at the blueline and raced in alone and fired a blistering shot that dented the twine to make it 4-0. Just over a minute later, a bad bounce ended up in the back of the net cutting the lead to 4-1. Brenzil was called for slashing a minute later and the Nationals turned up the heat firing shots at Noah Brosens from all angles. They scored on the power play to make it 4-2 with 11:23 remaining.
Martin appeared to have his third of the game midway through the period but the goalie fished it out before the referee arrived.
The Warriors defencemen were huge in the third period blocking shots, and clearing the puck out of harm's way as the Nationals threw everything they had on net. Late in the period, Owen Bridges made a beautiful pinch at the point and dished it down to Hishon. He found Cassone out front and he sealed a 5-2 win with a beautiful backhander.
The Warriors have five wins and two losses and are in third place, two points behind Sarnia but with two games in hand.
The Warriors travel to London three times in the next week to face the undefeated West London Hawks 4 on March 5; the London Bandits on March 6; and the North London Nationals on March 8.
Submitted by Elaine Pennington