In the U18 AA loop there are no easy games and there are no easy opponents. You simply must show up on time and ready to compete. The Stratford Warriors reminded the Waterloo Wolves of this topping the Wolves 4 to 3 in game 2 of the home and home.
A combination of coming off a convincing win and scoring first
put the Wolves players in cruise mode and the Warriors exploited them.
It started how the coaches expected with Cole Hunsberger
scoring from Matthew Ball but the lead was short lived when the Wolves failed
to play in the second and went down 2 to 1 in the game. Ball set the tone in
the third with a goal from Evan Wallace and Jake Patterson and then Riley
Webster scored unassisted. But again, the Wolves stopped playing.
With Drew Cribbin left to himself the Warriors got back a
goal and then had the winner. Cribbin played well but there was little that
could be done with some less than stellar defensive play for too many long
periods in the game.
When the players did put in effort, they showed they can
dominate games. Along with Ball and Hunsberger’s strong play, Declan Uniac did
a lot of good things with and without the puck. He was an example on the back
check for what was expected. Cole Ledgister followed suit in the third and had
some nice defensive plays. Jack Thompson used his reach to poke pucks loose and
Ben Morton was great on the PK. Hunter McMurdo played center and showed he was
more than capable, and Jack Mayne had several nice touches.
Griffin Beddis was out due to his fighting major.
There were not many options for the defensive core of
Patterson, Webster, Jordan Abbott, Jackson McNichol, Evan Walsh and Ethan Wasylyshyn
breaking the puck out of the zone. The forwards made life hard on them and they
were honestly hung out to dry with their goalie.
It left a bitter taste in the coach’s mouth and the coaches
hope the team will learn from it. Headed into Ottawa there are a lot of things
the team will need to improve and work through, and the coaches hope a more
superior effort will come right at puck drop.