Welcome to the U13 Stratford Warriors 2024-2025 Season!, News, U13, 2024-2025 (Stratford Minor Hockey Association)

The U13 Stratford Warriors slid into their season at the Aurora Early bird Tournament this past weekend.

Game #1

The boys faced off against the tournament hosts, the Aurora Tigers with a 5:30pm puck drop at McAlpine Lincoln Arena with Nash Zacher taking the stand between the posts. To start the game off interesting :) , thirty seconds after the black disc hit the ice the Warriors were on a PK. The early penalty didn’t rattle the boys but drove them to dig in and play a defensive game. Although, new member of the SMHA ’12 crew, Oliver Morwood played the wing hard, with strong stick lifts and backchecks to create offensive opportunities throughout the period, the boys ended the period 0-0.

Zacher with a spread-eagle toe save started the second period with a 4min battle end to end without a whistle. Halfway thru the period, Morwood with a strong backcheck, sending a loose puck into Owen Hurley’s reach, was all that was needed for the wheels to turn on and a quick wrist shot right side over the goaltenders’ shoulder to make it 1-0 Warriors. What felt like seconds later, defencemen Miles Marshall grabbed a puck at the blue line and created a pathway down the right side with a last-minute cut to center and shot to make it 2-0 Warriors. With the pressure in the O-zone defencemen Malcolm Austin-Olsen read the play between Aurora players, intercepted a pass, stepped into a one time shot – nothing but mesh to make it a fast 3-0 to end the second.

The third period the team held their ground and played a save defensive game. Winger Joey Bitzer had a solid period using his limbs and shins to block shots and protect the Warriors lead. With the clock winding down and what looked to be a clean shutout, which may or may not have been jinxed by a parent 😉 – with 19.3 seconds left Aurora knocked in their lone goal, to end the game with a 3-1 Victory.

Game #2

With an early Saturday morning rising the Warriors stared across from the Stoufeville Clippers for an 8am puck drop. Netminder Sawyer Verspeeten was put to the test, with the more aggressive Clippers who were not afraid to crash the net, poke, shove, rock the boat within the blue paint. Verspeeten held his space strong, making key saves in the first, including a breakaway to keep the Warriors on even ground. With a mad crumble in front of the Clippers net, winger Mason Bye kept his eye on the disc, swinging in the first goal for the Warriors.

With the boys being up, Stoufeville players started the period with a chippy edge and kept it moving consistently. The boys did a good job at not biting on the edge and maintained a steady period, holding the board at 1-0.

Third period was full of penalties with the refs trying to keep the aggression at bay between teams. With the Clippers sneaking in a goal SH part way thru the period, Verspeeten kept his composure between the pipes making a couple hot glove saves to hold the 1-1 until Marshall was given a clear skate on a line change to fire a shot low glove side to give the boys the 2-1 lead with 3:15 left in the period. As the seconds clicked down, Clippers pulled the goalie for a push to tie the game. With 15.6 seconds till the buzzer Austin-Olsen shot the puck from the d zone on an open net to solidify the W at 3-1.

Game #3

The light on the board kept flickering all game against the Forest Hill Force, and not in the way you think. : ) Penalties were constant from puck drop to buzzer beep. The game seemed to be a concoction of scrambly, weird bounces and penalties, until Andrew Hodgins went “bunk” clean over the goaltenders’ shoulder coming down the right side, ending the second period 1-0. Defencemen Marcus Atkinson was consistent on the backend, holding the line, covering his partner and forcing Forest Hill to make a move.  

Start of the third, the Force caught a lucky goal from a hand swat – weird bounce into the Warriors net, making it even at 1’s. The period continued with many SH situations, but the boys held on. With a faceoff win, newly rostered NRP, defencemen Jack Lepelaars was able to make a clean pass across to Marshall who teed up a clapper giving the lead back to the red, white and blue. Shortly after, Hurley did his bob and weave down the ice, taking a shot that bounced back out and was picked up amongst players feet by winger Tyler Peck who smacked in the disc, making it 3-1. The Force answered back with a goal of their own but were kept a standstill to end the game with a 3-2 Victory for the Warriors.

Game #4

The Warriors were meeting against the Mississauga Rattlers for a 9:10am puck drop on Sunday morning to complete their pool play.

The boys were unfortunately snake bitten with the game not falling in their favour but ending with a discouraging loss of 5-1. Centermen or work horse Nate Micks had a good game battling the corners, moving the puck and holding the top of the circle on PK’s.

Lone goal was a mesh shot scored by Hurley, assisted by Austin-Olsen and defencemen Nick Forman. Defencemen Jaxon Hallock had a solid third period pinning players on the board, digging pucks out and clearing behind the net.

Game #5 – FINALS

The Warriors came out ready to take on round two vs. Mississauga at Stronach Arena. Zacher got the call to net and kept the Warriors on equal playing field in the first period. The teams went back n forth, taking shots but both came up empty during the first ten.

Second period followed suit, with lots of shots, Warriors spent most the time playing offence. Forward Grayson Gorley had his grit turned up, wheels on and bulldozed through the period building offence momentum. Mississauga caught the first goal off an unfortunate SH bounce, making it 1-0. The boys didn’t slow down their drive, they kept digging. Marshal fed Hurley on the fly up the center, taking shot that rebounded out to Hodgins, who took the second shot, that stumbled back out of the blue to Morwood who finished the shot, tying it at 1’s to end the second ten.

With fans clenching fingers, the third period was on its way – forward Joseph Moss was hard on his stick, moving players and pucks along the boards to keep the boys pushing thru. With a few Pk’s and PP’s throughout the period, the U13’s kept driving the Rattlers net but hit a wall with the Mississauga goaltender and were unable to break it. The game ended 3-1 with the Warriors claiming Silver !

Congratulations to the boys on their first tournament of the season!

HOME OPENER:
Saturday, October 12th vs Kitchener Jr Rangers at RBC (Rink A) @ 6:00P.M