The Burlington Barracudas put on a disciplined road performance to secure a 4-1 victory over the Windsor Southwest Wildcats. The game was a story of defensive structure and opportunistic scoring for Burlington, who weathered a handful of penalties to control the flow of play. After a scoreless first period that saw both teams take a Too Many Players penalty, the Barracudas broke through in the second. Keelin Song opened the scoring midway through the frame, and Addison Butler doubled the lead with just 26 seconds left in the period, netting what would stand as the game-winning goal.
The third period saw the Barracudas pull away. Caileigh Tiller extended the lead to 3-0 just 61 seconds into the final frame. The Wildcats managed to break through Burlington goalie Mackenzie Ferguson's shutout bid when Alexis Slota scored, assisted by Olivia Hymers, to make it 3-1. Any hope of a Windsor comeback was extinguished just over a minute later, however, as Hayley Thompson restored the three-goal cushion for Burlington. Thompson was a force all night, finishing with a goal and two assists, while Butler and Tiller each had a goal and an assist in the winning effort.
Despite the lopsided score, the game was a penalty-filled affair with eight minors called. The Wildcats' Cassidy Cooper took a Head Contact minor, while the Barracudas saw Keelin Song penalized twice. Burlington's penalty kill was a key factor, successfully neutralizing Windsor's power plays. In the crease, Mackenzie Ferguson backstopped the Barracudas to the win, while Paige Oliver faced a heavy workload for the Wildcats. The victory was a complete team effort for Burlington, who showcased their offensive depth and defensive resolve to claim the two points.
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