The Kingston Ice Wolves set the tone early and never looked back, defeating the East Ottawa Stars 5-2 in a U22 Elite matchup. From the opening puck drop, the Ice Wolves' offense was relentless, firing 17 shots in the first period alone. The home team struck first when Kaylynn Fisher, wearing #94, found the back of the net at 14:21, assisted by Jocelyn Osborn. The Stars responded quickly, however, as Annabelle McKenzie (#44) tied the game just over two minutes later. Kingston regained control with a dominant stretch, as Fisher netted her second of the night and Rio Pierre scored what would stand as the game-winner before the first intermission, with Ashlea Whyte (#7) assisting on both tallies. The period was not without its physical edge, with Kingston's Ava Vrana and East Ottawa's Genevieve Bisson each taking minors.
The Ice Wolves extended their lead in the second period, with Rio Pierre (#9) scoring her second goal of the contest, assisted by Ava Vrana. The middle frame was a parade to the penalty box, with five minors called between the two teams, including a pair of roughing calls on Cayleigh Bowes and Jocelyn Osborn at the very end of the period. Despite the frequent stoppages, Kingston's defense and goaltender Lilyana Reid held firm. Reid was a wall in the Kingston net, turning aside all 27 shots she faced for a shutout performance, while East Ottawa's Madelaine Ouellette made 30 saves under constant pressure.
East Ottawa pushed hard in the third period, outshooting Kingston 13-9, and was finally rewarded when Kessa Hogue (#10) scored to cut the deficit to 4-2. The Stars' push was hampered by a late penalty, however, and the Ice Wolves sealed the victory with an empty-net goal from Samantha Keil (#43) in the final minutes. The win was a complete team effort for Kingston, highlighted by multi-point nights from Kaylynn Fisher (2 goals, 1 assist), Rio Pierre (2 goals, 1 assist), and Ashlea Whyte (2 assists), proving too much for a valiant East Ottawa squad to overcome.
Mississauga Hurricanes #5875