Stratford Warriors showed inconsistency against the LaSalle Vipers, and attended a team-building retreat

The Stratford Hunter Steel Warriors travelled to the Vollmer Recreation Complex to take on the Vipers in the second head-to-head matchup in under two weeks.

Preparing for their only game of the week against the LaSalle Vipers, the Warriors ran a controlled special teams scrimmage with the Huron-Perth Lakers U18 team at the Allman Arena on Oct. 27.

Warriors head coach Dave Williams views the scrimmage as an opportunity to revamp the special teams and prepare for their opponent, who is looking to avenge the tough defeat suffered back on Oct. 17.

"It's a good opportunity to immerse the two groups. We work on our power play and our penalty kill, and they can do likewise," Williams said. "We know that we're heading to the south, a long bus ride against the team that we beat 7-1 a week or two ago, that I'm sure is gonna be hungry to try and beat us."

At press time, the Stratford power play has progressed through the Greater Ontario Hockey League (GOHL) team ranks, ranking eighth with a 22.4 per cent success rate, up from 17.95 per cent, which was among the bottom five in the league heading into the previous week. The penalty kill, despite a below-average showing last week against London and Waterloo, remains in the top six with an 84.3 per cent success rate, a slight drop from 86.3 per cent the week prior.

On Oct. 28, the GOHL released their third team power rankings of the season, with the Stratford Warriors remaining in sixth place.

The Warriors travelled to the Vollmer Recreation Complex to take on the Vipers in the second head-to-head matchup in under two weeks.

The Vipers got on the board first at the 7:52 mark of the first period. Stratford poured on the shots-on-goal total with over thirty shots in the first forty minutes of play but managed to score a goal in the closing seconds of the second period, courtesy of the fourth goal of the season by Evan Arnold, to take the game into the third period.

LaSalle retook the lead under ninety seconds into the third period on a tough bounce with the puck going between the pads of Warriors netminder Noah Bender. Dax Vader's second of the season put the Warriors back on level terms with the Vipers, only for the home side to retake the lead for good less than a minute later.

The Warriors pressed for an equalizer with the extra attacker, but the Vipers sealed the win on the empty net goal with nineteen seconds in regulation to win the game 4-2. Bender stopped 37 of 40 shots in the loss. Stratford went 0-4 on the power play in the game, three in the first period. Vader, Arnold and Jack McGurn led the Warriors with two points each.

With the defeat, this marked the first time the Warriors had lost in regulation since their loss to Fort Erie on Oct. 4, ending their six-game streak with a point.

Williams commented on the team's performance, citing issues with consistency in executing the game plan.

"There were some moments where I liked how we were playing, and for whatever reason, we just couldn't find some consistency to keep playing the same way. It takes a little bit of wind out of your sails there if you're trying to battle your way back. But again, we need to be consistently more competitive with our basic play," Williams said.

McGurn commended the efforts of his linemates, Vader and Arnold, and knows the team can't let this kind of performance falter.

"I think we kind of battled back a bit, but we kind of took our foot off the gas a bit," McGurn said. "My line did well, but it kind of goes to show you can't take your foot off the gas, even for half a shift and come back and kind of, but we're building and doing great things, and it's just unfortunate."

Later in the week, the Warriors travelled to Bowling Green University for a weekend-long, team-bonding retreat. The team attended several events on campus, including a hockey game and a practice.

Williams and team captain Haden Frayne discussed the festivities and the importance of having the team come together to recharge.

"It's always nice when a group of guys gets to spend extended time together. They're all there together in both directions, and yeah, just 48 hours away from the rink, watching some hockey and doing something a little bit different. It was excellent," Williams said.

"The guys brought Halloween costumes down and more, some dressed up for the game Friday, and we also got to go sit in on a meeting with the BG hockey team their Saturday morning meeting, and my brother (Bowling Green Head Coach and Stratford native Dennis Williams) was able to challenge them a little bit about things that are key to their program, that they look for in players. And just all in all, it was a very productive weekend."

"I think it's great, because getting out and going away with the team is very important, especially early on,” Frayne said. “Indeed, we do come back as a stronger team. You build connections that might not have been there with some guys, you know, and everyone comes back really tight.”

"We had so much fun this weekend. I think the trips we do are very important."

The Warriors host the Chatham Maroons on Nov. 7 and travel to Komoka for a road matchup with the Kings on Nov. 8.