The 18U AAA Victoria HA used a balanced offensive attack and a stout defensive effort to secure a 4-2 road win over the Surrey Eagles. The game opened with a flurry of activity, as both teams traded goals in a fast-paced first period. Victoria struck first when Wyatt Martel, assisted by Bryce Heggie, found the back of the net just over seven minutes into the contest. Surrey responded on the power play, with Griffin Carmont capitalizing on a setup from Sam Hsiao to tie the game. However, Victoria's Yihwan Joo, with help from Murdoch Tashe, restored the lead for the visitors before the first intermission, setting the tone for the rest of the night.
The middle frame saw Victoria extend their lead and take control. Just over two minutes into the period, Yihwan Joo struck again, this time assisted by Harshdeep Sharma, to net what would stand as the game-winning goal. Surrey's goaltender, Daniel Russell, was under siege, facing 13 shots in the period alone and making several key stops to keep his team within reach. The physicality began to ramp up as well, with penalties for roughing and interference creating a chippy atmosphere. Despite a strong push from the Eagles, who fired 10 shots on Victoria's Mathias Ramos-Gadbois, they couldn't solve the netminder in the second.
Any hope of a Surrey comeback was dealt a significant blow early in the third period. Victoria's Harshdeep Sharma, completing a nice passing play with assists from Wyatt Martel and Yihwan Joo, scored to make it 4-1 and put the game firmly out of reach. Surrey's Griffin Carmont added his second of the night midway through the period to provide a glimmer of hope, but it was too little, too late. The final minutes were marred by undisciplined play, including a pair of illegal check to the head minors against Surrey's Sam Hsiao. Victoria's Mathias Ramos-Gadbois turned aside all 25 shots he faced for a shutout performance, while Surrey's Daniel Russell was stellar in a losing effort, making 33 saves on 34 shots. The victory was a complete team effort for Victoria, highlighted by a three-point night from Yihwan Joo.
14U AAA - HC Edmonton
14U AAA - Surrey Eagles HA
15U AAA - Bow Valley HC
15U AAA - Langley HA
