The U14 Stratford Warriors participated in the International Silverstick AA Qualifier this weekend.
Their first game took them to St Marys to verse the London Jr Knights. Stratford opened the scoring late in the first period. Owen Bridges netted his first of the tournament, assisted by Blake Lalande and Cole Hishon. London tied the score at 1 a piece on a power play late in the second period. London scored one more in the third period, leaving Stratford falling short in game one, with a 2-1 loss. Goalie Jake Taylor was strong in net.
Game 2 brought the Warriors back to home ice where they faced the West Niagara Flying Aces. Charlie Holloway opened the scoring midway through the first period, assisted by Mason Bauld. West Niagara tied it up shortly thereafter. Stratford answered back with a goal by Hishon, assisted by Colton Brenzil and Timothy Kraayenbrink to wrap up the first period. In the second period, Bridges netted his second of the tournament, assisted by Ty Wheeler. Stratford advanced their lead in the third period to 4-1 with another goal by Holloway, assisted by Owen Hunt and Rylan DeBoeck. West Niagara fought back to net 3 goals late in the third period to end the game in a 4-4 tie. Goaltender Ethan Walters held on for the tie.
Game 3, Stratford was back at the Allman arena, on home ice, hoping for their first win of the tournament against the Vaughan Panthers. Stratford again opened the scoring in the first period with a goal from Lalande, assisted by DeBoeck. Stratford scored 3 back to back goals in the second period, Brenzil scored two, assisted by Hishon, Lalande and Wheeler; Cameron Parsons sniped a slap shot from the blue line to net his first goal of the season, assisted by Lalande. The Panthers scored to end the second period at 4-2 for Stratford. Stratford secured their win at 5-2 with a goal by Brenzil, giving him his first hat trick of the season, assisted by Hishon. Taylor was again strong in the crease.
Stratford advanced to the Semi-Finals for Game 4 to face an undefeated Guelph Gryphons. Stratford played well both offensively and defensively to keep period one scoreless. Stratford opened the scoring in the second period by a shot by Bauld from the blue line, assisted by Hishon. Stratford maintained the lead through the end of the second period. Guelph pushed back hard and tied the game 1-1 early in the third period. Guelph scored again to advance the score 2-1. Walters, who faced shot after shot from the Gryphons, was pulled late in the third for an extra attacker, but Guelph was able to capitalize to bring the score 3-1. Stratford pushed back, again with 6 attackers and Brenzil was able to get another past the Gueph goaltender assisted by Kraayenbrink and Casen deGraaf. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough, and Guelph scored their final goal on an empty Stratford net to secure their 4-2 win to advance to the final.
The Stratford Warriors will be back in action Nov 13 when they will travel to St Thomas to take on the Stars.