The East Ottawa Stars earned a hard-fought 2-0 victory over the Brampton Canadettes in a U22 Elite matchup, anchored by a flawless performance from goaltender Madelaine Ouellette. Despite being outshot 34-27, the Stars' defense and Ouellette were impenetrable, turning away every one of Brampton's chances to secure the shutout win. The game's physical tone was set early, with East Ottawa's Kessa Hogue taking a hooking penalty just over five minutes into the first period, but the Stars' penalty kill held strong.
The home team struck first on a crucial early goal. At the 4:27 mark of the opening period, Macyn Driver found the back of the net, with assists from Annabelle McKenzie and Béatrice Gauvin, giving the Stars a lead they would never relinquish. The physical play escalated in the second period, highlighted by a major penalty for Attempt to Injury called against Brampton's Samantha Brown. East Ottawa capitalized on the momentum, with Genevieve Bisson doubling the lead with an unassisted even-strength goal in the final minute of the period, making it 2-0.
The third period saw Brampton push desperately, firing 13 shots on Ouellette, but the Stars' netminder stood tall. The Canadettes' frustration mounted, resulting in a flurry of penalties in the closing minutes, including a roughing call that led to coincidental minors for East Ottawa's Caitlyn Johnston and Brampton's Sydney Sammut. Despite their relentless pressure, Brampton could not solve Ouellette, who finished with a perfect 34-save performance to backstop the Stars to a clean-sheet victory. The disciplined, defensive structure of East Ottawa, combined with timely scoring, proved too much for the visiting Canadettes to overcome.
Mississauga Hurricanes #5875