Well fans, the season has just begun, but things are amping up! There’s 14 games this weekend between the Midwest and West, so lets get to it.
Friday, September 25
Cambridge vs. Brampton, 7:30 Victoria Park
The Winter Hawks played 2 games last weekend. On Sat. night they hosted Listowel Cyclones in their home opener, losing 3-2. Cambridge goals were from Kevin Lanoix and Beau Goehrum. On Sun., the team headed to Waterloo, handing the Siskins a 3-2 loss. Goals were from Kyle Heitzner, Zack Hedley and Matt MacKay.
The team is without forward Brandon Stapley who received a gross misconduct for discriminatory slur during the Showcase. The penalty carries a 7 game suspension. During their game against Ancaster on Sept. 13, some comments were made towards the scorekeepers and Pointstreak operator. The OHA has taken a firm stance on discriminatory slurs and are sending a message to the players that this behaviour will not be tolerated.
Brampton played Kitchener Tues. night, losing 7-1. The loan Bombers goal was from Mike Rehding. Suffering the loss in net was Jason Reynold. He saw 37 shots, stopping 30.
Waterloo vs. Listowel, 7:30 Listowel Memorial
Waterloo had 2 games last weekend. They picked up a 5-4 OT win against Brampton Sat. night. The Siskins had built up a 3-0 lead with goals from Graham Evans, Nate Schnarr, and Ryan Sparkes. The Bombers came back with 4 unanswered goals in the second period. Waterloo’s Mitchell Rooney tied the game with 3:13 to go in the game and Gary Mantz scored the winner with 18 seconds left in OT.
On Sun. afternoon they hosted Cambridge, suffering a 3-2 loss. Cambridge took a 2-0 lead in the second period. Schnarr would get the Siskins on the board and Thomas Haffner would tie the game, but it wouldn’t be enough. The Winter Hawks would take the 3-2 lead in the second period and hold on.
Kitchener vs. Stratford, 7:30 Allman Arena
Kitchener beat up on Brampton Tues. night, picking up a 7-1 win. In the first period, they took a 4-0 lead with goals from Adam Kawalec, Jeremy Kuehn, Alex Demrovsky, and Connor Cole. In the third period, with a 4-1 lead, the Dutchmen continued to pound the Bombers. Jason Willms scored his first GOJHL goal to make it 5-1. Demrovsky and Kuehn added goals for a 7-1 final.
Stratford hosted Guelph last Fri. night, skating to a 3-3 tie. The Hurricanes opened the scoring with a shorthanded goal just 1:19 into the game. The Cullitons shook it off though and took a 2-1 lead with goals from Drew Gross and Hayden Broomhead. In the third period, down 3-2, Jack Scanlan tied the game. The teams went to double overtime, and neither side could capitalize on their chances.
This is the second meeting for these teams this season and this week. The teams played each other on Sun., where the Cullitons escaped the Kitchener Auditorium with a 2-1 win.
London vs. St. Marys, 7:30 Pyramid Rec Centre
London hosted Lambton Shores Wed. night, and laid a beating to the Preds, 10-1. John Warren had a big game with 4 goals and 2 assists. Rookie Jordan DiCicco had a 4 point night with 1 goal and 3 assists, while Tanner Ferreira scored 2 goals and 1 assist. The rest of London’s goals came from Kevin Madden, Trevor Dulong and Matt Bean. Connor Hughes picked up the win in net with 38 saves on 39 shots.
The Lincolns had 2 games last weekend. They hosted LaSalle Vipers last Fri. night, where they lost 4-3 in double overtime. The Vipers took a 2-0 lead over the St. Marys heading into the second period. Dan Cloutier and Brent House would tie the game for St. Marys. In the dying seconds of the third period, with LaSalle up 3-2, House would score his second goal of the game, on the power play and with an extra attacker, to send the game to overtime. Just 1:26 into the second overtime, Eric Kirby would find the back of the net for the Vipers. On Sun., the Lincolns travelled to St. Thomas, where they suffered a 7-3 loss. Lincolns goals were from House, Graham Brulotte, and Nolan King.
Chatham vs. St. Thomas, 7:30 Timken Centre
In their home opener on Sun., the Maroons hosted Leamington Flyers. Chatham defeated the Flyers 5-3. It looks that it was a bit of a rough game. Leamington had 53 penalty minutes and Chatham with 63 minutes. Chatham had a 3-0 lead with goals from Blair Derynck, Gus Ford, and Connor Koviak. The Flyers would tie the game at 3-3 just 2:26 into the third period. Ford scored his second of the night to give the Maroons the 4-3 lead and Steven Beenackers would score the insurance goal.
On Thurs. night, St. Thomas traveled to Sarnia to take on the Legionnaires, picking up a 3-2 OT win. The Stars took a 2-0 lead in the first period with goals from Lucan Astroianni and Carson Brookshaw. Sarnia tied the game in the second period. The game went to overtime where Matt McJannet capitalized on the powerplay, ending it 1:01 into the extra frame.
Saturday, September 26
Stratford vs. Cambridge, 7:00 Galt Arena Gardens
This will be the first meeting between the Cullitons and Winter Hawks this season.
Brantford vs. Guelph, 7:30 Sleeman Centre
Brantford suffered their first loss on Thurs. night when they hosted Elmira Sugar Kings. The 99er’s Ryon Pereira opened the scoring 4:44 into the game. Elmira took a 2-1 lead to end the first period. In the second period, Kyle Walker tied the game. In the third, the Kings would take the lead and add an empty net insurance goal.
Guelph hasn’t played from last weekend, where they had 2 games. On Fri., they travelled to the Allman Arena in Stratford to take on the Cullitons. The teams went to double overtime with a 3-3 final. The Hurricane’s Cameron Stokes picked up a bad give away from the Cullitons and made them pay for it, opening the scoring with a shorthanded goal 1:19 into the game. In the second period, down 2-1, Brody Milne tied the game. In the third period, Stokes and Milne would team up to go ahead 3-2. Stratford tied the game sending it to overtime, where neither team capitalized on their chances.
On Sun. afternoon, Guelph travelled to Elmira, leaving with a 4-3 win. Ryan Burns opened the scoring and Stokes made it a 2-0 game. In the second period, Elmira tied the game up at 2-2. In the third period, Burns scored his second of the game, shorthanded, and Lucas Dybowski would add another for the 4-3 win.
St. Marys vs. Lambton Shores, 7:30 Shores Rec Centre
This is the first meeting between St. Marys and Lambton Shores this season.
On Wed., Lambton Shores travelled to London, where they took a brutal 10-1 beating from the Nationals. Scoring the loan Predators goal was Colin Burns in the first period.
Leamington vs. Strathroy, 7:30 West Middlesex Memorial
On Thurs., Leamington hosted their county rivals LaSalle Vipers. The Flyers beat the Vipers 6-2 in what looks like a rough game. Scoring for the Flyers was Mark Gangnon, Derek Elliott, Cale Phibbs, Jacob McGhee (2) and Scott Florence. Both Thomas Virban and Cale Allen had 4 assists each in the game.
Strathroy travelled the LaSalle Wed. night, where they escaped the snake pit with a 4-3 win. The Rockets built up a 2-0 lead in the second on goals from Max Ewart and Noah Tooke. LaSalle battled back and would get on the board before the end of the period. At the start of the third, the Vipers would tie the game and then take the lead on 2 quick goals. Wes Kelly responded just 32 seconds later to tie the game at 3-3 and Ewart would add his second of the night to give Strathroy the 4-3 win.
Leamington and Strathroy played each other last week, with the Flyers defeating the Rockets 5-1.
Sunday, September 27
Kitchener vs. Waterloo, 1:30 Waterloo Memorial
This is the first meeting between Kitchener and Waterloo this season.
Listowel vs. Brampton, 3:30 Victoria Park
This is the first meeting between Listowel and Brampton this season.
Brantford vs. Elmira, 7:00 Dan Snyder Arena
This will be the second game between these teams, having just played Thurs. night. In the game, Elmira defeated Brantford 4-2, handing the 99er’s their first loss of the season. Elmira took a 2-1 lead in the first period with goals from Alex Uttley and Quinten Bruce. In the third period, with the game tied 2-2, Kings Captain Rob Kohli would score the winner and Ethan Skinner would add the empty net insurance goal to make it a 4-2 final.
Sarnia vs. Chatham, 7:00 Chatham Memorial
This is the first meeting between Sarnia and Chatham this season. The teams played each other in exhibition, where Sarnia took both games.
On Thurs., Sarnia hosted St. Thomas, where the Stars defeated them 3-2 in overtime. After St. Thomas took a 2-0 lead in the first period, Brad Yowart and Jordan Fogarty would score quick second period goals to tie the game 2-2. The teams went to overtime, where the Legionnaires took an unfortunate spearing double minor which would give the Stars a powerplay that ended the game.
Lambton Shores vs. Strathroy, 7:30 West Middlesex Memorial
Strathroy and Lambton Shores played last weekend. The Rockets pulled off a 5-4 OT win.
So there’s your preview for this upcoming weekend. There’s 14 games going on, so hopefully you can make it out to at least one. I believe I’m going to St. Thomas tonight to watch the Stars and the Maroons. This weekend is the Rockets double home opener. I’m throwing around the idea of hitting up a Midwest game Sun. afternoon, but we’ll see how I feel Sun. morning after Sat. night.
I hope you have a good weekend and I’ll see you all again on Monday.
Photo Credit: Brantford Expositor
