Written by Dave Graff. The SMHA Cherrey Bus Lines Minor Bantam Rep team started
out their 2016-17 Alliance minor hockey regular season with two solid efforts
winning one and losing one over the last few days.
Sunday in Waterloo the Warriors opened the season with a 3-2 win over the Wolves. Special teams was huge in this one as Stratford scored all three on the power play and successfully killed off both minor penalties whistled against them. Caleb Musselman opened the scoring early in period two with helpers going to Carter Musselman and Brady Ballantyne. After the Wolves tied the game early in the third period Carter Musselman buried a Maverick Mulder rebound to put the Warriors ahead to stay. Again Ballantyne began the scoring play from the left point. Ben ten Hag added the third power play marker a few minutes later with both Musselman’s assisting. A late Waterloo goal made this a close one but the visitors held on for the win. Caelan Trupp dominated the back end for the visitors while Tallyn Soper started off the year with a stellar effort in the Warrior goal stopping 16 of 18 Waterloo shots.
Monday night the at the Allman arena saw a fast paced tilt against the London AA Jr Knights and despite holding a 2-1 lead part way through the third period the Warriors watched the Knights tally two late markers to go home with a 3-2 victory over the home side. Curtis Taylor scored unassisted in the second period to tie the game at one and ten Hag scored early in the third period to momentarily put the Warriors ahead, his goal assisted by Owen Fraser and Carter Musselman. The defense pairing of Connor Loerzel and Nathan Graff had a strong game on the back end for the Warriors while Nolan Traynor was solid in the Warrior goal stopping 20 of the 23 London shots fired his way.