Stratford Warriors goaltender Rhett Kimmel stands on guard during the national anthem earlier this season. Kimmel earned two wins over the weekend for Stratford. (Photo by Censational Photography)

Warriors sweep three-game weekend to gain ground in Midwest 

The Stratford Warriors have quietly become the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League’s hottest team. They have the longest active win streak in the GOJHL at five games, highlighted by three victories in three days this weekend. 

On Friday night at the Allman Arena, Stratford played unpleasant host to the Brampton Bombers, scoring three times in the first period on its way to a 4-1 win. Drew Welsch and Clayton Lewis each contributed two points, and Rhett Kimmel was strong in goal stopping 20 shots. Remy Dalben scored Brampton’s lone tally. Sheldon Pryce opened the scoring on a powerplay in the first period, before Lewis and Jake Ertel brought the lead to three before the period ended. Mitchell Casey made it 4-0 early in the second, and it stayed that way until Dalben’s powerplay goal midway through the third period. 

Saturday night saw the Warriors travel to Brantford to take on the Bandits, and a shaky first period left the game tied 2-2 after 20 minutes. Stratford then exploded in the second frame, scoring seven unanswered goals, including four on the powerplay, to open a 9-2 lead. They’d add one more in the third period and cruise to a 10-2 drubbing. Stratford finished 5-for-7 on the powerplay, while Brantford went 0-for-5. Welsch, Evan Dowd and Malcolm McLeod all had three points for the Warriors, while Tyler Parr made 30 saves for the win. 

Stratford showed no signs of fatigue on the third day of a three-in-three, blanking the Waterloo Siskins on Sunday afternoon, 4-0. The Warriors outshot Waterloo 40-24, as Kimmel earned his second shutout of the season. Lewis, McLeod, Danny Heath and Camden Daigle scored goals for Stratford, with all but Daigle’s coming with the man advantage. Stratford is now first in the Midwest and third in the GOJHL in powerplay percentage, working at a 25% clip. 

Elsewhere in the Midwest, the Kitchener Dutchmen failed to take sole possession of first place after going winless over the weekend, tying Listowel on Friday before losing in overtime and regulation to Elmira on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. With the two wins, Elmira moved into a tie for first with the Dutchies. The Cambridge Redhawks earned three of a possible four points, tying Brampton before beating Brantford. Waterloo and Listowel were only in action once.