Submitted by Rob Nyenhuis
The All Equipment Repair Service Major MD Warriors began day two as hosts of the Stratford Early Bird tourney down, but not out. They needed a win today to have a chance of advancing to the final day Sunday and the Brantford 99ers were the first to stand in their way.
With a home crowd hoping that the previous evening’s rain would wash the games of yesterday clean and give way to a fresh new day for their boys the Warriors took to the ice determined to make a difference. The 99ers got off to an early start squeaking one past net minder Lachlan Stanley in the first going up 1-0. Luke Jackson took a puck from the point in the second and blasted a deflected shot to a frozen 99er goalie tying things up 1-1. The Warriors held the 99ers down with strength in the power play with the blue line firing multiple shots from the point while the solid 99er net minder held off the Warrior attack. As had happened 24 hrs previous the Warriors relented two unanswered third period goals falling 3-1 to Brantford and ending the hope of advancement to Sunday.
With pride in their shoulders and heads up high the boys suited up and faced the London Bandits in their final round robin game determined to show their stand support they won’t go down without a fight. This was a goal tenders duel as both net minders were pounded with rubber from multiple end to end rushes and tense near net scrambles. Dylan Abel gave the Warrior bench some early hope with a solo break blasting one into the Bandit goal putting the boys up 1-0. The Bandit’s answered late in the 1st lifting one over the blocker of Brendan Sippel. Into the second and only in his 5th game as a Warrior Jared Smith took a pass on a 3 on 2 rush from Ellis Schnurr and wristed his first goal putting the Warriors back up 2-1. The Bandits answered once again capitalizing on a Warrior defensive positioning breakdown sprouting a 3 on 1 rush at the warrior net tying things up again 2-2. The Bandits kept the pressure at the Warrior net while the Warriors pushed back in step. The strength of goal tending held off the offensive pressure from both sides and the teams skated to a 2-2 tie.
The All Equipment Repair Service MD Warriors leave the tourney with a 0-2-2 record and look forward to the return of the regular season as they host the Burlington Bulldogs White at the RBC arena October 5 at 6 pm.