Be like Mike: Siddall, Morgan, Moffat pace Warriors over Mustangs

If Waterloo Warriors head coach Brian Bourque asked Santa for some goals this holiday season, then it looks like Christmas has come early.

Rookie Michael Siddall (St. Mary's) registered a goal and an assist, and the Warriors used a three-goal first period en route to a 4-2 victory over the Western Mustangs on Thursday night at the Columbia Icefield Arena.

Michael Morgan (Scarborough) and Mitch Elliot (Prince George) also scored in the first frame, while Nick Halagian (St. Catharines) added an empty netter to secure the win. The victory is Waterloo's second in a row, and they've now scored 10 goals in the past two contests.

The Warriors also struck a blow at Western in the standings, as they climbed to within a single point of the Mustangs for the eighth and final playoff spot, with two games in hand. Mike Morrison (Hamilton) made 23 saves in the victory for the Warriors, who saw their record improve to 5-7-3.

Cole Benson and Robert Polesello scored for Western, who falls to 6-9-2 on the year. Goalie Greg Dodds made some spectacular saves, turning aside 30 shots in defeat, while holding his club in the game until the final minute.

The Mustangs were playing their second game in as many days, and Waterloo took advantage of their fresher legs early on. The Warriors opened the scoring after Mitchell Smith (Plainfield) broke in off the right wing boards and feathered a gorgeous saucer pass to a streaking Morgan, making it 1-0 Waterloo.

The Warriors tripled their lead in a 24-second span late in the period, starting with an Elliot backhander that crept through a screened Dodds with less than two minutes left in the opening stanza. Western defenceman Sean Callaghan took a roughing after the whistle call during Elliot's goal celebration, and the Waterloo power play made them pay when Mike Moffat (Waterloo) curled out of the corner and fired a bullet pass onto the blade of Siddall, who tapped it home for a 3-0 Waterloo lead after 20 minutes.

Morgan nearly made it 4-0 in the second, when he ripped a wrister off the crossbar following an offensive zone faceoff. But seconds later, Cole Benson broke in and wristed a shot past Morrison's blocking hand to cut the Waterloo lead to 3-1.

Western thought they'd drawn to within one late in the period, but a power play goal was waved off when Trent Ouelette was called for goaltender interference. Both teams wore a path to the penalty box in the middle frame, but it ended with the Warriors up two goals.

The Mustangs pulled to within one on a late third period power play, when Polesello bounced one in off of Morrison. But the Warriors secured the victory when a Cam Wind (Barrie) clearing attempt stopped right in front of the empty Western cage, where Halagian salted the victory away.

The Warriors will now wrap up their first half with a road matchup against the York Lions on Saturday, December 3. Puck drop is scheduled for 7pm.

Source: Waterloo Warriors