The Waterloo Warriors faced off against the Laurier Golden Hawks in the opening game of their playoff series, setting the stage for an intense battle. From the opening puck drop, both teams pushed the pace, showcasing relentless speed and determination. The energy was high, and the action moved end to end with neither side willing to give an inch.
Laurier struck first in the opening period, capitalizing on an early opportunity to take the lead. The Warriors responded with aggressive play, battling for possession and generating scoring chances, but the Golden Hawks held strong. The fast paced, back and forth action set the tone for what would be a thrilling match up.
The second period saw the tempo rise even further. Laurier added another goal, sneaking the puck past Waterloo's defense to extend their lead. But the Warriors refused to back down, turning up the pressure and launching a relentless offensive attack. They fired shot after shot on net, forcing rebounds and close calls that hinted at an imminent breakthrough.
That breakthrough finally came in the third. Down a player and killing a penalty, Nikki McDonald (Stoney Creek, ON) turned the tide with a brilliant short handed effort, breaking away and sniping a perfect shot to get the Warriors on the board. Energized by the goal, Waterloo kept pressing. With time winding down, Jalen Duffy (Burlington, ON) sent a pass across the point to Faith Mitchell (Stirling, ON), who directed it toward the net where Madison Pritchard (Richards Landing, ON) was perfectly positioned to tap it in, tying the game and sending it to overtime.
Waterloo wasted no time in the extra frame. They came out dominant, controlling possession and dictating the pace. It didn't take long for Leah Herrfort (Palmerston, ON) to make a decisive play, sending a tactical pass out from the corner to Tatum James (Stratord, ON) in the slot, who wasted no time, firing a rocket into the back of the net to seal the comeback victory.
With a thrilling 3-2 win, the Warriors take the series lead and shift their focus to Friday, where they will look to close out the series and advance.
