Rocks pummel Stratford to add to series lead

STRATFORD – The Elora Rocks clobbered the Stratford Fighting Irish 11-2 Saturday at the William Allman Arena to grab a 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven Western Ontario Super Hockey League semifinal playoff series.

The Rocks had won the opening game 4-1 at the Elora and District Community Centre Friday night.

Elora Rocks 11 Stratford 2

The Rocks broke a 1-1 tie midway through the first period with eight consecutive goals, two while playing shorthanded.

Elora led 5-1 at the end of the first period and 9-1 after the second.

Zack Cameron had a hat trick for the Rocks while single goals were added by Brad Krysko, Jacob Black, Spencer Gourlay, Andrew Whalen, Michael Giometti, Phil Teri, Yianni Skropolis and Tye Campbell. Steven Dol had two assists while Cameron, Krysko, Black, Mark Hamilton, Trevor Lord and Alex Utley each had one.

Ray Robbins and Cameron Stokes scored for Stratford while Robbins, Michael Finley and Matt Martin each had an assist.

The teams each had 30 shots on goal. Elora’s Colin Dunne stopped 28 of them and Stratford’s Andrew Harriman-Duke had 19 saves.

Elora had finished the regular season in first place in the five-team league with 34 points while Stratford was fourth at 18. The Fighting Irish defeated the fifth-place Alvinston Killer Bees (three points) 2-0 in a best-of-three play-in series.

Third game of the semifinal series is set for Friday in Elora starting at 8:30 p.m. while the fourth game is to go in Stratford March 19 at 4:30 p.m.

• Guelph Sports Journal