Aitken scores late winner to give Maroons opening win

Photo by Wyatt Williams
Chatham Maroons player Trevor Zanutto, circles in front of the Stratford Warriors net, during Game 1 of their best-of-seven playoff series held Sunday, March 29 at Chatham Memorial Arena. Chatham won the game 3-2.

Xandre Aitken scored the winning goal late in the third period to give the Chatham Maroons a 3-2 win over the Stratford Warriors in Game 1 of their Western Conference semifinal Sunday night at Chatham Memorial Arena.

Game 2 will be held tonight (Monday) in Stratford.

Trevor Zanutto and Bo Doxtator scored the other Chatham goals. Samuel DiBlasi was solid in the Maroons net, making 44 saves.

Former Maroon Cruz Ferguson scored for Stratford, along with Quinn Kipfer.

Aitken and his line-mates Santiago Jimenes and Matthew Crawford have been standouts for the Maroons in the playoffs. Not only are they providing Chatham with grit and energy, they are also giving the team a huge shot in the arm offensively. Aitken is the team’s leading point-getter in the playoffs and both Jimenes and Crawford are averaging a point a game.