The Ottawa Senators seized control early and weathered a physical storm to defeat the Toronto Aeros 5-2 in a U22 Elite matchup defined by special teams and a steady parade to the penalty box. The Senators set the tone in the first period, outshooting the Aeros 12-7 and capitalizing on a major penalty. Keara Kiley opened the scoring for Ottawa at even strength, assisted by Taylor Bosomworth and Ella Fridgen. The game took a significant turn late in the period when Toronto's Claire Severn was assessed a checking from behind penalty and a game misconduct, leaving her team shorthanded for an extended stretch. The Senators' power play made them pay just before the intermission, with Kiley striking again, this time on the power play from Lily Shannon and Avery Wojtyk, to give the home side a commanding 2-0 lead.
Toronto showed resilience in the second period, cutting the deficit in half just 16 seconds into the frame as Dalyn Fairey scored, with helpers from Alexa Labrecque and Ella Harding. The middle period saw continued physical play, with penalties for both sides, but the Aeros could not find the equalizer despite generating 10 shots on Senators goalie Cameron Garcia. The third period began with a crucial response from Ottawa's Brooke Glynn, who restored the two-goal cushion just over a minute in, assisted by Megan Hayes. The Aeros refused to go quietly, as Sophie Gauld answered back for Toronto midway through the period, converting a setup from Ruby Owen and Marissa Cowling to make it 3-2 and set up a tense finish.
However, the Senators slammed the door shut in the final seven minutes. Olivia Wallace provided a critical insurance goal with just over six minutes remaining, scoring unassisted to make it 4-2. With the Aeros pressing late, Charlize Danks sealed the victory with an empty-net goal in the final seconds, assisted once more by the playmaking Ella Fridgen, to secure the win. The game was a special teams battle, with Ottawa's power play delivering a key goal and their penalty kill holding firm. Cameron Garcia earned the win in net for Ottawa, turning aside 26 of 28 shots, while Ashley Hodgins faced a barrage of 39 shots for Toronto. The physical contest featured 13 total penalties, including the game misconduct to Toronto's Severn, as Ottawa's disciplined response to Toronto's pushback proved to be the difference.
Mississauga Hurricanes #5875