Kodiaks solidify grip on playoff spot with 12-10 win over Excelsiors

The Kitchener-Waterloo Kodiaks virtually assured themselves a playoff spot by downing the Brampton Excelsiors 12-10 Tuesday night. The win gives KW 15 points for the season, seven more than Brampton. Each team has four games left to play. That means the Excelsiors would have to win all four of their remaining games while the Kodiaks lost all four of theirs for Brampton to slip into the playoffs.

The game itself served as a pretty good reflection of the season as a whole: the Kodiaks got out to a fast start while Brampton was slow out of the blocks, then Brampton got things together and put on a push towards the end, but ultimately it wasn't enough.

Mike Teeter had a huge first period for the Kodiaks. He scored 4 goals in the period to help give KW a 6-2 lead. They were up 10-4 by the 12:41 mark of the second frame. Then Brampton started chipping away at the lead, getting 1 goal back in the second and outscoring KW 5-2 in the third.


Teeter added a pair of assists to lead the Kodiaks with 6 points, while Aaron Wilson had 5 (1g, 4a) and Jordan Critch 4 (2g, 2a). Dillon Ward made 46 saves to earn the win and helped his own cause with 3 assists. Ryan Learn and Ethan O'Connor each scored twice for Brampton. Sandy Chapman and Mike Burke each chipped in a goal and 3 assists.

Both teams are back in action Thursday night. Brampton plays host to the Brooklin Redmen and the Kodiaks are in Peterborough to play the Lakers.