HOCKEY ROUNDUP: Streaking Warriors closing on on top-three finish

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Make it nine straight wins for the Stratford Warriors, who are closing in on a top-three finish in the GOJHL's Western Conference.

Published Feb 24, 2025  •  4 minute read

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Make it nine straight wins for the Stratford Hunter Steel Warriors, who are closing in on a top-three finish in the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League’s Western Conference.

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Stratford improved to 31-11-3 after a 4-0 win Friday over Strathroy at Allman Arena.

Hudson Binder scored twice – once on the power play. Kaedyn Long added a power-play marker, and Carter Petrie had the other goal. All of Stratford’s scoring came in the second period, and Carter McDougall took care of the rest by stopping 21 shots for his first shutout of the season.

Dracen Campbell picked up two assists.

Stratford is tied with second-place Chatham with 55 points, but the Maroons, who visit Friday, have a game in hand. The Warriors are six points ahead of both Listowel and London. Stratford faces London on the road Wednesday in a rescheduled game.

Cyclones split

Listowel, which is chasing third place, split its weekend games.

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Teague Vader had a goal and three assists in Friday’s 6-1 win over Sarnia. Jordan Visneskie and Colton Henderson both had a goal and assist, and Ezra Fischer, Teegan Middleton and Cam McNevan added single markers. Riley Arts made 18 saves in the win.

Sunday in Chatham, Harrison Meulensteen and Jack O’Donnell scored in a 7-2 Cyclones’ loss. Ethan Kowatsch stopped 36 shots for Listowel (28-13-3), which hosts St. Thomas this Friday at 7:30 p.m.

Lincolns’ streak ends

St. Marys’ 18-game win streak ended Sunday in Waterloo.

The Lincolns (38-6-2) did earn a point in the 3-2 shootout loss. Noah Vandenbrink, on the power play, and Ryan Cornfield, whose tied the game late in the third, scored for St. Marys. Colby Booth-Housego made 24 saves in regulation and overtime and stopped two of four Siskins shooters in the shootout.

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Friday at home, St. Marys’ 8-3 victory over St. Thomas was the team’s 18th straight win, tying Caledonia (2017-18) and Stratford (2022-23) for the fifth most in GOJHL history and surpassing the team’s previous record set in 2007-08.

Chase MacQueen-Spence and Jaden Lee each had two goals and an assist as the Lincolns clinched a first-place regular season finish for the first time since 2006. Ryan Hodkinson had a goal and two helpers, and Luca Spagnolo and Cohen Bidgood added a goal and assist apiece. Quinn Gavin-White had the other goal, and Nico Armellin stopped 15 shots.

St. Marys hosts Komoka this Friday at 7:30 p.m.

Braves split opening games

After stealing Game 1 on the road, the Tavistock Braves settled for a split in their Provincial Junior Hockey League Doherty Division quarter-final against New Hamburg.

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Timothy Mervyn scored 3:31 into overtime to give the Braves a 4-3 win on Friday. Ethan Sharpe, Liam Gorman and Marc Dionne, who sent the game to OT late in the third, also scored. Stephan Peppas added two assists. Lander Hartley made 29 saves in the win.

Saturday in Tavistock, Gorman scored the Braves’ lone goal in a 5-1 loss. Hartley was lifted after allowing five goals on 31 shots. Kaden Lange made nine saves in relief.

Game 3 was Monday night in New Hamburg, with Game 4 on Wednesday in Tavistock at 7:30 p.m.

Hawks take one of two

Home teams held serve in the Provincial Junior Hockey League Pollock Division quarter-final between Mitchell and Fergus.

The Hawks took Game 1 on Saturday, 4-2. Patrick Holloway scored twice in the win while Zach Lawrence and Nathan Jewitt added single markers. Jonathan Tenhag and Ryan Gansevles each had a pair of helpers. Jack Bree made 45 saves in the Hawks’ net.

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Sunday in Fergus, Isaac Nickel, Cody Bach and Talbot Geiger scored in a 5-3 Mitchell loss. Aidan Hill made 28 saves.

Game 3 is Tuesday in Fergus, and Game 4 is Wednesday in Mitchell at 8:30 p.m.

Fighting Irish fourth entering playoffs

The Stratford Fighting Irish will face Petrolia to open the Ontario Super Hockey League playoffs.

Stratford (13-10-1) ended the regular season in fourth place after a 7-3 loss to Tillsonburg on Saturday. Ryan O’Bonsawin, Zach Magwood and Matt Montgomery scored for the Irish. Jonah Capriotti took the loss in net.

The first-round series schedule hasn’t been announced.

Royals bounced from OEHL playoffs

Tavistock is out of the Ontario Elite Hockey League double-A playoffs.

The fourth-place Royals’ season ended Friday at home with a 5-3 loss to Saugeen Shores. Nicolas Thibodeau, Matt Zilke and Tyler Reid scored for the Royals. Erik Robichaud added two helpers, and Graeme Noye made 20 saves.

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Drives alive in round-robin

Milverton is still alive in the OEHL single-A playoffs.

The Four-Wheel Drives, in a three-team round-robin with the bottom three teams in the league, need to win Friday in Durham to advance to the best-of-seven final against the same team.

Milverton is coming off a 5-4 home win over Durham on Sunday. Carson Wickie and Brendan Schneider each had a goal and assist in the victory. Mitch Boertien, Chad Swartzentruber and Mike Vittelli also scored. Mitchell Penner had two assists, and Josh Roman made 38 saves.

If the Drives lose this Friday, Durham will face Lucknow in the final.

cosmith@postmedia.com

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