The Waterloo Wolves opened the Stratford Silver Stick
Tournament against the undefeated and top seeded team in Ontario, The Oakville
Rangers Red, and showed why the Wolves are among the best teams in Ontario winning 2
to 1 Friday.
Griffin Beddis opened the scoring for the Wolves from Jaxon Broda before Matthew Ball put the game winning goal in from Cole Hunsberger. The Rangers had several opportunities in the game, but Jack Driscoll stood tall and was exceptional in the Wolves net.
Next up, the Rangers played the Gloucester Rangers in what was a goalie dual the Wolves ultimately lost 3 to 0. The Rangers goalie had some puck luck on top of playing very solidly. For the Wolves, Nate Sexton back stopped the team and allowed the Wolves time to get on the board, but it wasn’t in the cards for his team. The Rangers were patient and waiting to strike scoring on the power play and odd man rushes. The Wolves deserved a better fate, especially in the 2nd period, dominating possession for long periods of time.
The loss put the Wolves in a do or die game against the Oakville Rangers Blue and with their backs up against the wall, once again, the team came out ready to battle and earned a 3 to 0 win.
Driscoll earned the shutout and continued his steady play for the Wolves giving his team confidence.
Once again Beddis opened the scoring and once again it was set up from Broda, but this time Cole Ledgister got in on the action as well. Ledgister had another assist on the second goal scored by Ball with Jackson McNichol getting the other assist. Hunsberger made a fantastic move to get the 3rd goal after being sent in from Riley Webster and Ben Yong.
The win put the Wolves into the Quarter Finals against their new rivals, the Gloucester Rangers, and gave the Wolves an opportunity for revenge. Unfortunately, despite an effort that left the teams coaches and parents very proud, the team fell 3 to 2 in a highly energetic and fast paced game.
Ledgister opened the scoring from Beddis and Hunter McMurdo and Cooper Gaul put the team back into the drivers seat from Broda. However, the lead was not enough and despite some plays from the team that showed just how bad the team wanted the win and had them looking like warriors, they were eliminated.
Players like Ethan Wasylyshyn, Jackson Andrews and Michael Wei were all over the ice finishing hits and battling hard for loose pucks. Declan Uniac was constantly forcing plays down low and cycling the puck. Jackson Deitz played heavy minutes and fought hard as the team was forced to play with 5 defenders. Tim Hodson, who is a spark, plug and leader was forced out due to injury.
Sexton had the period of his life in the second period and made critical kick saves leaving it all on the ice with his play and his teammates singing his praise in the room after the game.
It is never easy when you come up short and miss your goal of a championship, but the Wolves had one of the harder roads and the road led to some critical lessons and the players left Stratford better prepared to win the Alliance banner then when they first entered the tournament.
The players dedication, tenacious play and refusal to give up made their coaches proud and excited to enter the Waterloo Memorial Tournament and are confident the team will earn a better result!
Go Wolves.