Strong Showing for U14 Warriors, News, U14, 2022-2023 (Stratford Minor Hockey Association)

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This Team is part of the 2022-2023 season, which is not set as the current season.
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Oct 24, 2022 | Dan Daum | 188 views
Strong Showing for U14 Warriors
    The Sutton Group First Choice Realty U14 Warriors travelled to Peterborough to take part in the Kawartha Earlybird AA Tournament over the weekend.  With two pools of competitive teams, the Warriors looked to show their stuff against some highly ranked teams.  In order for the Warriors to get to where they wanted to go they would have to get through the Ottawa Sting, Caledon Hawks and the Whitby Wildcats in pool play.


    


    

Game 1 would see the Warriors faceoff against the Ottawa Sting who were one of the favoured teams to go deep in the tournament.  Stratford came out with some spark, off the opening faceoff win they generated three quick chances to get things going.  Ottawa responded with two quality chances of their own but those chances weren't good enough to fool the Stratford netminder.  The majority of the period had the teams feeling each other out and fighting for momentum.  When it looked like one team would start to gain momentum the other team would rally and impose their will.  Neither goalie would budge and allow that important first goal and were good when tested.  With just over a minute remaining in the period the Warriors were granted their first powerplay opportunity when the Ottawa player was worn down and forced into taking a penalty.  Before the end of the period the Warriors were able to create one nice chance that came when the Warrior player was able to make a pass from his knees to the waiting trigger man.  With the Warriors unable to cash in on the remainder of their powerplay to start the second period, Ottawa decided to make a charge.  A beautiful post to post save by the Stratford netminder followed by two more quick shots kept the score at 0-0.  The momentum from the Sting penalty kill carried them down the ice repeatedly and at the 7:31 mark of the second period they were finally able to open the scoring.  Shortly after that the Warriors would be shorthanded for two minutes and were almost able to kill it off but Ottawa struck for their second goal with only 5 seconds remaining on the penalty.  The Sting would keep their foot on the gas pedal and were able to score their third goal with less than two minutes remaining in the period.  The Warriors came out strong in the third period and looked determined to chip away at the deficit when they rushed down the ice on a 2 on 1 but that chance was turned away by the goalie and quickly turned up ice for a breakaway for an Ottawa player but he too was turned away by the Stratford netminder.  Ottawa would add 2 late goals and walk away the victor 5-0.


    After a short break to refuel and collect their thoughts the Warriors would look to bounce back against the Caledon Hawks who had won their opening contest.  It was Stratford again starting with the early energy and almost capitalized on a 2 on 1.  The play went back and forth until a Stratford player was sent to the box for a penalty in their own zone at the 7 minute mark.  The penalty killing unit looked sharp and made things look easy.  With the action back to 5 on 5 the Hawks were able to get set up in the Stratford end.  Around the 4 minute mark, a Caledon defenceman was able to get a shot through to the net that was tipped out front and past the Stratford keeper for the 1-0 lead.  The Warriors would regroup and apply some pressure of their own and with less than a minute remaining some tenacious forechecking by a Warrior forward would prove to be too much for the Hawk defender when he was forced to take a penalty.  His frustration at being outworked boiled over on the way to the penalty box and he followed up his original penalty with another unsportsmanlike and a misconduct penalty.  This would give the Warriors a 5 on 3 advantage for a full 2:00.  The powerplay started with an unbelievable chance out front of the net followed by another flurry of chances until the buzzer brought an end to the excitement.  The third period would start with 1:03 still remaining on the 5 on 3 advantage.  The Warriors had chance after chance until finally they struck paydirt with 8 seconds left to tie the game 1-1.  The Warriors had the wind in their sails and were taking control when another Caledon penalty at the 7 minute mark would put the Warriors back on the powerplay.  On the man advantage a turnover inside the Hawks blueline would send one of the penalty killers in on a shorthanded breakaway only to be denied by the Warrior goalie.  The Warriors would have their own penalty issues to navigate when they took one at the 4 minute mark and another one with less than 2 minutes left in the frame, both of which were killed off successfully.  With the teams back to 5 on 5 the third period was rolling along until a debatable crosschecking call to a Warrior defenceman put the Hawks back on the powerplay with 12 minutes left in the game.  A Hawks penalty nullified their advantage and nothing came of the 4 on 4 action.  Another Hawks penalty would give the Warriors another crack at the man  advantage and this time they made it look pretty with a beautiful give and go from the corner and picturesque finish over the blocker of the Hawk netminder.  Warriors up 2-1.  After a Stratford penalty with 8 minutes left the Hawks were able to tie the game on a rebound after the Warrior netminder had already made two saves.  The Warriors went right back to the attack when a phenomenal outlet pass put them on a clear breakaway but the player was dragged down.  Some were calling for a penalty shot but instead the Warriors would again go on a two minute powerplay.  With the Warriors pressing the Hawks took another penalty while shorthanded, this would give Stratford a 5 on 3 for 35 seconds.  An unbelievably patient play at the side of the Hawk net saw a Stratford forward fake a shot, then deke to below the goal line and feed the puck behind the goalie and through the crease to the waiting teammate for the tap in hattrick goal!!  Warriors back on top 3-2.  The Hawks responded the same way that hornets do when the nest is disturbed...aggressive and determined.  They were pushing hard for the equalizer but the Warriors goalie, perhaps a future bee keeper, swatted away shot after shot and built a wall that would not fall.  Even with the Hawks net empty and an extra attacker the Stratford turned away two dynamite chances including a one timer off of a faceoff deep in the Warriors zone with less than 25 seconds left in the game.  The final buzzer came and Stratford was on top 3-2!  It was now time to head back to the hotel for rootbeers and ministicks...BUT NOT IN THE HALLWAYS!


    Game 3 was Saturday afternoon and the Warriors were looking to solidify their position in pool play with a win against the Whitby Wildcats.  A loss would most likely see them crossover against the number 1 seed from the other pool.  Whitby was looking for their first win and weren't going down without a fight.  The first five minutes of period one had both teams jockeying for control and trading chances.  With Whitby taking a penalty around the five minute mark the Warriors powerplay would look to continue it's success.  A very gritty and determined effort by a Wildcat penalty killer deep in the Warrior zone would lead to a very controversial shorthanded goal that appeared(100% hit the crossbar) to hit the crossbar and stay out, while the referee claimed it hit back bar and was a goal.  the period ended with Whitby ahead 1-0.  The second period started with an old fashioned hockey play when a Warrior player knew he was going to pay a price but made the pass in time to his linemate who buried the chance and skated over to celebrate with his teammate who was picking himself up off the ice.  A true Warrior effort!  With just under 7 minutes to play in the second, a strong forecheck led to a scramble out front of the Whitby net where a loose puck would squirt to a waiting Warrior player who put it into the net for a 2-1 lead.  Stratford would take a penalty with 4:55 left but had no trouble killing it off.  Coincidental minor penalties would end the second period with Stratford still ahead by 1 goal.  The two teams would trade chances in the third period with both goalies refusing to wilt.  With 6 minutes left in the game a Warrior forward found himself alone on a breakaway from center ice, with a shot that seemed destined for the top corner the puck hit the one inch wide shaft of the goalie stick and stayed out.  the two teams traded penalties over the next few minutes and when the teams were back to 5 on 5 hockey the Wildcats scored an opportunistic goal with 2:02 remaining.  This is how the game would end after a strong Stratford push.


    With very tight pool rankings that were decided by head to head tie breakers the Warriors finished as the 3 seed and would crossover as underdogs to play the 2 seed Ajax Pickering Raiders for their quarter final match up.  The first period would once again start with the Warriors sustaining pressure and creating a good chance.  A too many men penalty to the Raiders would give the Warriors an early powerplay.  Nothing would come of the man advantage and the teams would trade chances until some strong forechecking from the Warriors created a turnover and rocket from the point found the back of the net with 1:31 remaining in the period.  the Warriors would end the frame on top 1-0.  Stratford opened the second period with more pressure including a 2 on1 that didn't convert and a nice point shot through traffic.  The Raiders responded with a 2 on 1 of their own the required the Stratford goalie to make a tremendous glove save.  Another attempt from the Raiders was a point shot that was deflected out front but the Warrior netminder was dialed in.  With less than 7 minutes remaining a Raiders defenceman giftwrapped a pass to a Warrior forward cruising into the slot which was promptly sent top shelf to the glove side, 2-0 Warriors.  With an Ajax player in the box the Stratford powerplay was again on display with some patient passing that was finished off with a nifty deke that had the goalie twisting himself in knots.  With some quality coaching the Warriors were staying poised and disciplined both positionally and emotionally.  The Warriors knew what was on the line and they were determined to keep that at the forefront.  The Warriors had their foot firmly on the gas pedal when they added another marker with 43 seconds left.  The period ended with Stratford leading 4-0.  The third period started with the Raiders pushing hard and after a dandy save by the Stratford goalie a rebound was sitting at the top of the crease and was about to be tapped in for a score until a Warrior forward extended as far as he could to lift the stick and sweep the puck out of harms way and saved a sure goal.  Moments later a shot from the point was tipped home by a Warrior forward to give Stratford the 5-0 lead.  At this point the Warriors were in lock down mode as they rolled the lines over and kept the puck deep in the Raiders zone.  Any chances that the Raiders could muster were turned aside by the Stratford goalie who earned the shutout!


     With a convincing win in the Quarters the Warriors were excited to advance to the semifinals against the Flamborough Sabres who were riding high after knocking off the 1 seed in their crossover.  After a dominant first minute of the game the Sabres went down the ice and were able to cash in on their first opportunity for an early 1-0 lead.  The Warriors got right back on the horse and responded with two more great chances.  the Sabres marched back down the ice and forced the Stratford netminder to make three saves in rapid succession to keep the Warriors close.  Frantic action to end the period almost had the Warriors back to even but no luck.  The second period started with neither team getting much going.  At the 7 minute mark the Stratford goaltender made a ridiculous post to post save and followed that up less than a minute later with a glove save on a 2 on 1 that was made so confidently it had to have crushed the spirit of the shooter.  Every championship run is built on the backbone of strong goaltending and the Stratford goalie was battling to do his part.  At the 5:30 mark an awkward bounce from a Stratford clearing attempt somehow saw three Sabres alone out front of the Stratford net.  The first shot was turned aside but unfortunately the rebound was an easy tap in giving the Sabres a 2-0 lead.  Flamborough continued to pour it on but the Warriors stood tall and fended off the charge.  A Stratford penalty would test the PK unit which held up and the Warriors looked to build some momentum off of that.  With 5 seconds left the Sabres would take penalty that ended with a Sabre and a Warrior locked together by the masks.  The powerplay to start the third period seemed to build some momentum for the Warriors as they pressed hard to get back into the game.  With just under 11 minutes remaining a hitting from behind penalty to a Flamborough player put the Warriors back on the powerplay where they generated multiple chances including a mad scramble that seemed sure to end with a goal but the puck continued to bounce the wrong way.  The warriors had another opportunity after a too many men call but couldn't get one to go.  Stratford then lost one of their players to a hitting from behind penalty.  As the clock ticked down the Sabres would take another penalty with 4 minutes left in the game.  A clever timeout by the Warriors would see them return to the Sabres end with 6 attackers and no goalie in hopes to pot a quick score.  Despite their best efforts the Warriors would fall short after the Sabres notched 2 empty net goals for the 4-0 win.  


    Although the the hockey didn't go as planned the weekend was a big win for the team.  Whether it was the late night food runs chauffeured by parents, swimming in the pool, cruising the mall or any of the other interactions these teammates shared, the value of the bonds created and strengthened are sure to pay dividends as the regular season rolls on!  Great job Warriors!
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