Wolves Rise to the Occasion, News, U18, 2022-2023, AA / A (Waterloo Minor Hockey)

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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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Jan 23, 2023 | Mike Radatus | 324 views
Wolves Rise to the Occasion
Rivalries are what make hockey. Every sports fan has a favourite rivalry. In Alliance minor hockey there might be none better than the one between Waterloo and Kitchener. Two fantastic hockey associations filled with talent players. In these games it feels like the stakes are higher and the intensity is electric.

You can feel the energy throughout the game and that energy helped propel the Wolves to a 5 to 3 win in what was a complete team effort. Each player on the team contributed and proved their value.

It was Cole Hunsberger who started things rolling for the Wolves scoring on a great move on a breakaway after being sprung by Declan Uniac. Cole Ledgister scored an equally beautiful goal undressing the Kitchener goalie from Hunsberger and Matthew Ball. Speaking of beauty, what a one timer goal from Jacob Reid-Brant on the power play with Carson Bernhardt and Tyler O’Hearn earning assists. Tate Merritt continued his power play domination on a unique all defense 2 on 1 scoring from Bernhardt. Uniac put the game away when he scored from Hunsberger and Ball.

Playing in back-to-back games due to an injury, Ben Pendleton was once again a wall for the Wolves. The Rangers had multiple opportunities with the man advantage and the Wolves goalie was fantastic as always. If Pendleton wasn’t slowing the game with his glove, he was controlling rebounds to the corners and taking away any second chances.

One of the things the coaches felt was important when building its roster was having a balance of finesse and physicality so they could compete in a variety of ways against teams. This game was a perfect example of that as it was a rough and physical game and the Wolves never back down. Caleb Cumming pounded guys into the boards. Merritt delivered a massive open ice hit. Jackson McNichol was able to box players out in front and made key hits along the boards. Yianni Peppas got under the Rangers’ skin and showed why they miss him on their roster. Ledgister was all over the ice crushing people and instigating.

Matthew Anderson is a unique talent as well in that he plays physical and strips pucks but also dazzles with his ability to make highlight reel goals. A great combination of balance. Which is a fitting way to describe Connor Palmer’s play in the game as well. Palmer was especially effective killing plays before they had an opportunity to set up.

The coaches talked about the strong power play of the Ranger before the game and how guys like Griffin Beddis, Ryan Beckner, Jake Patterson and Cullen Derry would be difference makers shutting it down. Sure, the Rangers scored with a two man advantage but more often than not the penalty killers were huge and frustrated the Rangers who struggled at times to set up. These warriors rose to the occasion and played a massive part in the win.

At the end of the day, as fun a win as it was, the team needs to build on the momentum and move onto the more important games ahead including a game tonight in Brantford and a mid-week game against the Hamilton Huskies. With first place withing striking distance this team needs to step it up and keep working as hard as they did against their rivals.

Go Wolves!