Stratford Warriors forward Nathan Smilsky lays a body check on the Siskins' Alex Lycett during a game in Waterloo on Sunday. (FS Fotos)

With One Weekend to Play, Little is Settled in GOJHL's Midwest

With every local team in action last weekend and with the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League's Midwestern Conference standings as tight as they are, there were sure to be some changes in the ranks. On Friday morning, the Listowel Cyclones and Stratford Warriors sat tied for top spot, collectively one point ahead of the Waterloo Siskins. Each team played each other this weekend and the results did little to make the standings and playoff projections any less confusing.

Stratford began its weekend at home to the Cambridge Redhawks on Friday night, knowing that a win would keep the Warriors ahead of the pack. The home side put on a defensive clinic holding Cambridge to minimal opportunities, and when the Redhawks did break through 20-year-old goalie Zack Weir was there to stop all 26 shots he faced. Drew Welsch's powerplay tally 12 minutes into the second period was all the offence Stratford needed, as they shut out Cambridge 3-0. It was Weir's fourth shutout of the season. In Brampton, the Bombers were hosting the Elmira Sugar Kings who are in a battle for fourth place with Kitchener. The Kings put everything they had toward the Bombers goal to the tune of 49 shots, but could only muster three goals in what would end up being a 3-3 tie. The shots on goal were 49-18 for Elmira. The biggest game of the night, though, was in Listowel where the Cyclones welcomed the Siskins to Steve Kerr Arena. The Siskins came out flying doubling the Cycs in shots in the first period, 12-6, but it was Holdyn Lansink who opened the scoring for Listowel with just under two minutes left in the frame. Lansink would help double that lead only a minute into the second, assisting on Brayden Krieger's 27th goal of the season. After Alex Lycett cut the lead in half a minute later, Krieger would strike again to restore the two-goal cushion. A Listowel roughing after the whistle penalty late in the second would turn the game around, though, as Lycett found the back of the net again just nine seconds into the penalty, then Sam Cherry brought Waterloo even before the period ended. The deadlock didn't last long, as Curtis Rawn converted for the Siskins to give Waterloo its first lead of the game. The Cycs couldn't find an equalizer and Waterloo escaped with a huge road win, 4-3.

Listowel had a chance to regain its footing on Saturday in a road game versus sixth-place Cambridge. The Cyclones put 42 pucks on goal, but Tanner Wickware was sensational for Cambridge stopping 40 shots. Going the other way, the Redhawks were opportunistic and buried their chances when they came, highlighted by a three-goal flurry within the first two-and-a-half minutes of the third period. That was enough for Cambridge to hold on to a 4-2 victory. Krieger scored both Cyclones goals, both on the powerplay, as Listowel missed an opportunity to climb back ahead of Waterloo. A little ways away in Kitchener, the Dutchmen were hosting the Brantford 99ers and were trying to leap-frog Elmira with a win. Special teams were the story in this affair as the teams combined for 88 penalty minutes, put Kitchener was 4-for-6 on the powerplay while Brantford went 0-for-7. The 99ers did manage a short-handed tally, though, which opened the second period and gave them a 2-1 lead. Kitchener then took back the lead with two goals on the same powerplay, before scoring a short-handed goal and another powerplay tally to open up a 5-2 lead early in the third and cruise to the 7-3 win. Tyler Harrison and Sean Kawalec each had four points for Kitchener.

Two key match-ups highlighted the Sunday dockett, with Stratford visiting Waterloo and Elmira hosting Kitchener. Beginning in Waterloo, the Siskins needed a big effort to overtake Stratford for first place. They got the effort they needed, but not the result. Zack Weird was stellar in goal for the Warriors again, stopping 34 shots to guide Stratford to the 2-1 win. Back-to-back powerplay goals in the second period was the difference as Dylan Lebold and Ryan Cullen scored three minutes apart to give Stratford the 2-0 lead. The Siskins got one back in the third on Sam Spaedt's 20th of the season, but couldn't get another one past Weir. In Elmira, the Sugar Kings and Dutchmen turned in the most intense game of the weekend with fourth place and first-round home-ice advantage on the line. Skipping ahead to the final minute of the game, with Elmira leading 3-2 and Kitchener pushing for the tying goal, Elmira's Harrison Toms was caught with his hand covering the puck in the crease, giving Kitchener a penalty shot. With a chance to tie the game with 17 seconds left, Dutchies leading scorer Sean Kawalec was stymied by Mat Woroniuk to all but seal the game. Woroniuk had to make one more save in the final seconds and Elmira escaped with the victory, 3-2.

With Monday being the Family Day holiday, all six local GOJHL teams were in action. The Dutchmen rebounded nicely from their devasting loss Sunday night with a 3-0 shutout win on the road versus Brampton, while Waterloo blanked Brantford at home, 4-0. Christian Linton made 17 saves for the Dutchies while Matt Onuska stopped all 30 shots for Waterloo. In Elmira, the Sugar Kings could not follow up a Sunday win with a good effort on Monday, getting blown out at home by Cambridge, 5-1. Matt Gordon paced the Redhawks with two goals. Later in the afternoon, all eyes were on Listowel as the Cyclones needed a win against the Warriors to stay within striking distance of Stratford and Waterloo. Things were looking good for the home side as Listowel jumped out to a 4-1 lead after 40 minutes, but Stratford's Sean Ross scored twice early in the third to make it 4-3. After a tense 12 minutes of back and forth action, Hayden Coulter eased the home crowd scoring into the empty net. Krieger added another empty netter with under a minute to go and Listowel hung on for the 6-3 win.

So, after all that action and with one weekend left to play, only one first round playoff series is set. Elmira and Kitchener will face off in the quarter-finals, but where game one will be played is still yet to be determined. The teams are tied at 57 points a piece, but Elmira plays thrice this weekend while Kitchener plays twice. At the top of the standings sits Stratford, one point clear of Waterloo and two in front of Listowel. The Siskins have the disadvantage of only having one game left while Stratford and Listowel boast two. The Warriors host Kitchener on Friday and visit Elmira on Sunday, Waterloo plays in Kitchener on Saturday, and the Cyclones will enjoy two home games, Friday versus Elmira and Sunday afternoon against Brantford. A compelling side story is Holdyn Lansink's push for the league scoring title, as he sits at 104 points, four shy of the lead with two games left. It's unlikely he overtakes Niagara Fall's Justin Kyle, but it's possible. Come Sunday night, all will finally be settled in the GOJHL's wild, wild Midwest.