The Warriors travelled to Sarnia Thursday evening for a
rescheduled road game and picked up another win as the regular season winds
down.
The Stratford Scotiabank Peewee Jr. Warriors travelled to Sarnia on Thursday for a rematch with the Jr. Sting, whom the Warriors had defeated in Stratford last Saturday. The Jr. Warriors knew the Jr. Sting would come out with a strong game wanting to avenge the prior loss. The first period has proven to be the Warriors best period this year in terms of goal differentials and this night was no different with the Warriors gaining an early lead that would prove key in the end.
While the Warriors were controlling most of the play it wasn’t until late in the 1st period when the Warriors broke the scoreless game on a power play. Ayden Hakkers put the Warriors up with a shot from the point that travelled like a pinball in to the back of the net after first deflecting off of two Sting defenders. Less than two minutes later Kaden Brame found a seam through the middle of the ice and fed a beautiful pass through on the tape to Owen Holloway who glided down and found the back of the net. The Warriors led 2-0 at the end of the first.
After some back and forth play and the Sting mounting a push in the second frame, both goalies stood strong and there were no goals scored in the second.
The Warriors were called for their second and third penalties of the game in the third period and special teams were called upon again. The strong penalty killing of the Warriors, which has been great all year, was effective again this night, successfully killing off all three penalties. The Sting did cut the shutout effort just short, finally beating Kiefer MacNeil, who played solid and made key saves all game, with 4 minutes to go. But in the end strong backchecking and an emphasis on team defence by all of the Warriors late in the game maintained the 1 goal lead and the Warriors won 2-1.
With the win the Peewee Warriors have won 3 of the last 4 games and are gaining important momentum with just two games remaining in the regular season. The Warriors hope to keep the great play rolling on Sunday when they travel to Burlington to take on the Bulldogs Red team and then on the 10th when they close out the regular season at home against Kitchener Blue.