Waterloo Siskins forward Alex Lycett celebrates a goal against Brampton on Sunday. (Photo courtesy of FS Fotos)

Dutchmen shutout weekend, Siskins and Warriors retake first place

The Listowel Cyclones had a chance to extend their lead atop the GOJHL's Midwest Division, but instead opened the door for a familiar foe to replace them there. The Waterloo Siskins trailed Listowel by a point heading into their heavyweight battle on Friday night with first place on the line, and a tightly contested game was expected. That did not come to fruition.

The Siskins exploded for four goals on just nine shots in the first period and cruised to a 7-1 victory in Listowel. Tyler Dam had a hat-trick by the end of the second period and Darcy Winkler finally broke the shutout for Listowel with 27 seconds remaining in the game. Owen Lane chipped in a goal and two assists while Sam Cherry added four points for the Siskins, who moved a point ahead of Listowel with the win. Over in Stratford, the Warriors also had a chance to leapfrog the Cyclones with a win against the Elmira Sugar Kings. Leading 2-0 after the first period, Stratford's Kameron Shearer got his second goal of the night on a power-play in the second that held up as the game-winner with the Warriors prevailing, 3-2. Zack Weir was stellar in the Stratford goal stopping 27 shots.

Stratford had an opportunity to move further ahead of Listowel on Sunday, and did just that with a convincing 5-1 win. Drew Welsch scored twice for the Warriors while Chayse Herrfort scored the lone goal for Listowel. Also on Sunday, the Siskins returned home to thump the Brampton Bombers, 6-2. The game got off to a hot start with Brampton opening the scoring just seven seconds into the game, but Sam Cherry promptly responded eight seconds later to tie it, 1-1. The Siskins then rallied for four unanswered goals from a 2-2 tie, with Lane scoring twice. Then win ensured Waterloo a tie with Stratford atop the standings, with Listowel going winless on the weekend to sit tied for second with Elmira, who beat Brantford in overtime on Saturday.

While the Conference's top four teams battled it out, the fifth-place Kitchener Dutchmen quietly had a very impressive weekend. The Dutchies beat the Redhawks in Cambridge on Saturday, 7-0, with Blair Derynck scoring twice and Christian Linton making 33 saves for the shutout. Kitchener then went into Elmira on Sunday night and shut them out, too, 4-0. Lucas Patton earned the zero in goal, making 21 saves, while Cooper Walker and Matt Marinier had a goal and an assist each. 

Teams again have the week off before action resumes on Friday night.