Elora Rocks nipped by Stratford in semifinal opener
FERGUS – The Stratford Fighting Irish netted a power-play goal with 7:45 to go in regulation time to edge the Elora Rocks 3-2 in the opening game of their best-of-seven WOSHL semifinal playoff series Friday night at the Centre Wellington Community Sportsplex.
Cooper Leitch’s second goal of the game and seventh of the playoffs gave Stratford the victory.
Stratford Fighting Irish 3 Elora Rocks 2
Stratford led 2-0 at the end of the first period before the Rocks tied it with a pair of goals in the final seven minutes of the second period.
Matteo Condotta and Chad Herron scored for the Rocks while Brendan Woods assisted on both goals. Zack Cameon and Spencer Gourlay each had an assist.
Warren Gorman scored the other goal for Stratford with four seconds to go in the first period. Dylan Buckholz collected two assists in the match while Brody Smith, Steven Degroot and Sean O’Brien each had one.
Stratford outshot the Rocks 34-32 and went 2-for-5 on its power play while Elora was scoreless on four power plays, but did score a shorthanded goal.
The Rocks swept the Alvinston Killer Bees in the best-of-five quarter-finals while the game continued the Fighting Irish’s string of matches against Wellington County opponents as Stratford defeated the Erin Blitz 3-1 in the quarter-finals.
Stratford also won both games with the Rock during the regular season, winning 6-4 at Elora Dec. 2 and 10-5 at Stratford Nov. 26.
The Rocks finished the regular season in second place at 18-4-0-2 while Stratford was two points behind in third at 18-6-0-0.
Second game of the semifinal series is set for Saturday at 3:30 p.m. at Stratford’s Allman Arena.
- Guelph Sports Journal
Elora Rocks nipped by Stratford in semifinal opener
FERGUS – The Stratford Fighting Irish netted a power-play goal with 7:45 to go in regulation time to edge the Elora Rocks 3-2 in the opening game of their best-of-seven WOSHL semifinal playoff series Friday night at the Centre Wellington Community Sportsplex.
Cooper Leitch’s second goal of the game and seventh of the playoffs gave Stratford the victory.
Stratford Fighting Irish 3
Elora Rocks 2
Stratford led 2-0 at the end of the first period before the Rocks tied it with a pair of goals in the final seven minutes of the second period.
Matteo Condotta and Chad Herron scored for the Rocks while Brendan Woods assisted on both goals. Zack Cameon and Spencer Gourlay each had an assist.
Warren Gorman scored the other goal for Stratford with four seconds to go in the first period. Dylan Buckholz collected two assists in the match while Brody Smith, Steven Degroot and Sean O’Brien each had one.
Stratford outshot the Rocks 34-32 and went 2-for-5 on its power play while Elora was scoreless on four power plays, but did score a shorthanded goal.
The Rocks swept the Alvinston Killer Bees in the best-of-five quarter-finals while the game continued the Fighting Irish’s string of matches against Wellington County opponents as Stratford defeated the Erin Blitz 3-1 in the quarter-finals.
Stratford also won both games with the Rock during the regular season, winning 6-4 at Elora Dec. 2 and 10-5 at Stratford Nov. 26.
The Rocks finished the regular season in second place at 18-4-0-2 while Stratford was two points behind in third at 18-6-0-0.
Second game of the semifinal series is set for Saturday at 3:30 p.m. at Stratford’s Allman Arena.
- Guelph Sports Journal