The Bluewater Hawks and Burlington Barracudas delivered a tense, back-and-forth battle that wasn't decided until the final minutes. The Hawks struck first on home ice, with Olivia Minten finding the back of the net early in the first period, assisted by Olivia Thompson. The Barracudas responded with a strong second period, taking the lead with a pair of goals. Keelin Song tied the game, and then set up Addyson Lee just over two minutes later to give Burlington a 2-1 advantage. The Hawks answered before the period was out, however, as Jamie Ryall scored with helpers from Charlotte Richardson and Leah Carnochan to knot the game at 2-2 heading into the final frame.
The third period was a defensive struggle, with both teams fighting for the go-ahead goal. The turning point came with just under four minutes to play when Bluewater's Zoé Morin, assisted by Hannah Ahlberg, buried the game-winner to send the home crowd into a frenzy. The Barracudas' late push was hampered by a costly penalty in the final seconds, as Caileigh Tiller was assessed a double-minor for head contact, effectively ending any chance of a comeback. The Hawks' defense held firm to secure the narrow 3-2 victory.
While official goaltending stats were not tracked, the low-scoring affair and tight finish suggest both netminders were busy and effective. Standout performances included Keelin Song for Burlington, who had a goal and an assist, and the Bluewater trio of Minten, Ryall, and the game-winning hero Morin. The Hawks' ability to respond to adversity, erasing a second-period deficit and capitalizing on a crucial late opportunity, proved to be the difference in a hard-fought OWHL-U22 Elite matchup.
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