The Kingston Ice Wolves used a pair of power-play goals to secure a hard-fought 2-1 road win over the Oakville Hornets in U22 Elite action. The game was a defensive battle defined by special teams, with Kingston's Claire Scott in net turning aside all 21 shots she faced for a shutout, while Oakville's Chloe Smith was heroic in a losing effort, making an incredible 50 saves to keep her team in the contest. The Ice Wolves dominated the shot clock from the opening faceoff, firing 14 pucks on Smith in the first period alone, but the Hornets' netminder stood tall to keep the game scoreless through twenty minutes.
The game's complexion changed in the second period with penalties. Oakville's Holly Brimacombe took two minors in quick succession, and the Ice Wolves' potent power play finally broke through. At the 7:35 mark, with Brimacombe serving a body-checking penalty, Ashlea Whyte buried a goal, assisted by Ava Vrana and Kaylynn Fisher, to give Kingston a 1-0 lead. The Hornets struggled to generate offense against Kingston's structure, managing only five shots in the middle frame, but Smith's brilliance at the other end ensured the deficit remained just one heading into the third.
Oakville found a spark early in the final period. Just 1:14 in, Rainn Baliat scored an even-strength goal, assisted by Maya Hubbard, to tie the game at 1-1 and swing momentum. The Hornets' comeback hopes were hampered, however, when Lucy Terzievski was assessed a four-minute penalty for slewfooting midway through the period. On the ensuing extended power play, the Ice Wolves capitalized. Cora Galliah netted the game-winner with 3:38 remaining, with helpers from Reese Schutte and Peyton Borton. Despite pulling Smith for an extra attacker in the final minutes, the Hornets could not find an equalizer against the airtight goaltending of Claire Scott, sealing a narrow victory for the visiting Ice Wolves.
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