The Burlington Barracudas and Ottawa 67s treated fans to a wild, back-and-forth affair that required overtime to decide a winner, with Burlington ultimately prevailing 6-5. The game was a story of two halves, with the first period erupting into a six-goal offensive explosion. The Barracudas struck first when Addison Butler found the net, but Ottawa responded in kind. Burlington's Madeline Delahunt scored what would later stand as the game-winner in the first, but the 67s kept pace with markers from Maude McCarthy, Quinn Toll, and Logan Robertson to send the teams into the first intermission tied at 3-3. The pace settled slightly in the second, with Ottawa's Vanessa Sciampacone and Burlington's Addison Butler, who notched her second of the night, trading goals to keep the contest deadlocked heading into the third.
The final frame saw the Barracudas begin to tilt the ice, outshooting the 67s 15-3. Their pressure finally paid off when Keelin Song scored to give Burlington a 5-4 lead. However, the drama wasn't over. Elleh Frigui added an insurance goal for the Barracudas with just 54 seconds remaining, seemingly sealing the victory. But in a stunning turn, Ottawa's Logan Robertson scored with a mere 42 seconds left on the clock, forcing a sudden-death overtime. The extra period was a tense, back-and-forth battle until, with just over three minutes remaining, Caileigh Tiller completed a stellar four-point night by burying the overtime winner, assisted by Hayley Thompson.
The game was a showcase for several key performers. For the victorious Barracudas, Addison Butler led the charge with two goals and two assists, while Caileigh Tiller was a force with a goal and three helpers. Hayley Thompson also chipped in with three assists. Ottawa's effort was led by multi-point nights from Maude McCarthy and Logan Robertson. The game was not without its physical edge, as both teams combined for eight minor penalties, including three for head contact in a chippy third period. In the end, Burlington's relentless offensive pressure, which saw them fire 50 shots on Ottawa's Livia Debnarova, proved to be the difference in a classic, high-scoring OWHL-U22 Elite showdown.
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