By Darryl G. Smart
After dropping the first two games of its Ontario Minor Hockey Association midget B quarter-final against the Ayr Flames, the Simcoe & District Minor Hockey Association Warriors dug deep, reeled off three-straight wins, and punched a ticket to the provincial semifinal.
And they did it in dramatic fashion.
Late Saturday night, the Warriors scored with a minute and a half left in regulation to tie and netted the winner with 30 seconds remaining to come away with a 3-2 victory over the Flames to take the best-of-six point quarter-final 6-4.
The Warriors will now take on the Petrolia Oilers in the OMHA midget B semifinal.
The Oilers swept the Mooretown Jr. Flags 6-0, before disposing of the Lambeth Lancers 6-2 in its quarter-final.
Game 1 is 6:30pm Thursday at Talbot Gardens, Game 2 is in Petrolia Saturday at 6:10pm, Game 3 is 7:15pm Sunday at Talbot Gardens, Game 4 is March 4 at 8:40pm in Petrolia, Game 5 is March 7 at 8:30pm at Talbot Gardens, and Game 6 is in Petrolia March 8 at 7pm.
ATOM B SEMIFINAL
It was a tough weekend for the Simcoe Warriors in its OMHA atom B semifinal with the Mooretown Jr. Flags.
The Warriors were not able to put the puck in the net this weekend, losing the opener Friday, 4-0 in Simcoe, and 2-0 Saturday in Mooretown.
The Warriors hope to bounce back in Game 3 on Saturday at Talbot Gardens, at 12:30pm. Game 4 is March 1 at 3:55pm.
ATOM C SEMIFINAL
The East Lambton Eagles struck first in its best-of-six point OMHA atom C semifinal with the Six Nations Minor Hockey Blackhawks.
PEEWEE C QUARTER-FINAL
After a huge effort at home Saturday and a 2-1 win, the Delhi Rockets Hockey dropped a close 5-4 decision to the Six Nations Blackhawks in Ohsweken Sunday.
The Blackhawks win the best-of-six point OMHA peewee C quarter-final 6-4 , and will now face the East Lambton Eagles in the semifinal.
Sunday in Watford, the Eagles scored a 6-3 victory in Game 1.Game 2 is Saturday at 5:15pm in Ohsweken, with Game 3 in Watford Sunday at 3pm.
BANTAM C QUARTER-FINAL
After being on the brink of elimination, the Hagersville Minor Hockey Association Hawks showed a ton of grit to punch a spot in the OMHA bantam C semifinals.
With the Delhi Rockets winning the first two games of the best-of-six point series, the Hawks clawed all the way back, winning 4-2 in Delhi Saturday and 8-2 at home Sunday night move on in the OMHA playdowns.
The Hawks will now face the East Lambton Eagles.
BANTAM BB QUARTER-FINAL
The Mt. Brydges Cougars were just too much for the Caledonia Thunder Minor Hockey in the OMHA bantam BB quarter-final.
On Saturday, the Cougars edged the Thunder 4-3 to take the best-of-six point quarter-final 6-2.
The Cougars will face the Pelham Panthers in the semifinal
.BANTAM AE GROUP 3-5 QUARTER-FINAL
The Caledonia Thunder are heading to the OMHA bantam AE Group 3-5 semifinals.
At home on Saturday, the Thunder struck a 3-1 win over the Dorchester Dragons, to win the best-of-six point series 6-4.
The Thunder will take on the Mt. Brydges Cougars in the semifinal.
Game 1 is Wednesday at 8pm in Mt. Brydges, Game 2 is in Caledonia Saturday at 5pm, Game 3 is Sunday at 6pm in Mt. Brydges, Game 4 is March 5 at 8pm in Caledonia, Game 5 is March 6 at 8pm in Mt. Brydges, and Game 6 is March 8 at 5pm in Caledonia.
MIDGET AE GROUP 3-5 QUARTER-FINAL
The Caledonia Thunder took the Ayr Flames to the distance. Unfortunately for them, their OMHA playdown aspirations came to a halt Saturday.
In Game 6 of the best-of-six point midget AE Group 3-5 quarter-final, the Flames punched its ticket to the semifinals with a 3-1 win.
They now take on the Petrolia Oilers in the semifinal.
JUVENILE TIER 2 QUARTER-FINAL
A 6-2 loss on Thursday was just a bump in the road for the Cayuga Stars.
On Saturday, the Stars returned home and handed the Beverly Bandits a 4-1 loss. And with the win, they won its best-of-six point OMHA juvenile tier 2 quarter-final 6-2.To get to the OMHA quarter-final, the Stars swept the St. George Generals and Tavistock Titans.
They will now face the Centre Hastings Grizzlies.