The Oakville Hornets edged out the Ridley Tigers 4-3 in a U22 Elite clash that was ultimately decided by special teams and a chaotic final minute. The game started with the Hornets striking first on the power play, as Maya Hubbard found the net early in the first period, assisted by Egann O’Hara and Rainn Baliat. The Tigers weathered a parade of minor penalties in the opening frame, with Elouise Syer taking two infractions and Ivy Morrissey one, but managed to escape further damage. The middle period belonged to Ridley, as they turned a dominant 18-shot effort into a lead. Sophia Macmillan tied the game, and Morgan Nodding put the Tigers ahead less than a minute later, with assists from Mckenna Syer and Abigail Dingwell.
The third period saw the Hornets mount a fierce comeback, outshooting the Tigers 14-9. Holly Brimacombe tied the game early in the frame, and maya Valeri gave Oakville their first lead since the opening minutes, with assists from Arleigh Anderson and the earlier goal-scorer, Maya Hubbard. The game then descended into chaos in the final half-minute. With just 29 seconds remaining, Ridley's Julyana Farray was assessed a major and game misconduct for head contact, resulting in a suspension. Simultaneously, Oakville's Lucy Terzievski took a 10-minute unsportmanlike conduct penalty. On the ensuing play, with the Tigers' net empty, Egann O’Hara sealed the victory with an empty-net goal, assisted by Terzievski and Addison Neto. Abigail Dingwell scored a consolation goal for Ridley with just 7 seconds left, but it was too little, too late.
While the goalie statistics were not tracked, the shot totals tell a story of contrasting periods. The Tigers' surge in the second was answered by the Hornets' relentless pressure in the third. Key performances included Morgan Nodding with a goal and an assist for Ridley, while Oakville's Egann O’Hara and Maya Hubbard each tallied a goal and an assist in a hard-fought road victory defined by special teams and a dramatic, penalty-filled finish.
Mississauga Hurricanes #5875