Box Score Photo by: Alex D'Addase
For the first fifty minutes of game one of their OUA West division quarterfinal series, the Waterloo Warriors played a near-perfect road playoff game. Unfortunately for the Warriors, the game was decided in the final ten.
Josh Sterk and Michael Fine scored third-period markers as the top-seed Ryerson Rams edged the 8th-seed Warriors 2-1 in Toronto on Wednesday night, taking a 1-0 lead in the best-of-3 series.
Michael Siddall (St. Mary's) scored the Warriors' lone goal of the night midway through the third period, breaking a scoreless tie that persisted for over two periods. But just as the Warriors looked like they might steal the game, the Rams responded twice to take the decision.
Mike Morrison (Hamilton) was outstanding in the Warriors net, making 37 stops in a hard-luck loss. Ryerson goalie Charlie Graham was far less busy but just as solid, kicking aside 25 shots to earn the win.
The Warriors came out of the gate with a staunch defensive game plan, and they executed nearly to perfection all night. Waterloo prevented the league's highest-scoring team from establishing sustained pressure, despite the fact that the Warriors were assessed the game's first 6 penalties. When the Rams did muster a good opportunity, Morrison shut the door.
With the pro-Ryerson crowd already in a state of shock at the 0-0 scoreline, the Warriors quieted the old Maple Leaf Gardens building even more when Siddall put the visitors in front. An offensive zone turnover bounced right to Zac Coulter (Owen Sound), who wound and one-timed the puck from the high slot. His shot was partially blocked though, and it ricocheted high in the air towards Siddall, who channeled his inner Blue Jay when he batted the waist-high puck home for a 1-0 Waterloo lead.
The advantage was short-lived though, as Sterk answered with a beautiful individual effort. The former OHLer danced around two Warriors in the slot and zipped a wrister past Morrison to knot things at 1-1 at 11:56 of the third.
The eventual game-winning goal was not a power play marker officially, but for all intents and purposes, the Rams claimed victory on their sixth straight man advantage of the night. Just two seconds after Stephen Silas (Georgetown) was freed from the penalty box, Fine one-timed a cross-ice feed through the wickets of Morrison to make it 2-1 Ryerson.
The Warriors would finally earn their first power play of the night with 3:43 to play in regulation, but they were unable to get many good chances on Graham and the Rams penalty killing unit. A late scramble with the extra attacker also didn't render the tying goal, as the Warriors fell in game one.
Waterloo will now look to stave off elimination as they return home for game two of the series on Friday night, February 17 at the Columbia Icefield Arena. Puck drop is set of 7pm, and the game will be streamed live on oua.tv.
