The 18U AAA Victoria HA secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory over the Surrey Eagles HA in a Junior Prospects Hockey League matchup defined by strong goaltending and disciplined defense. The game's opening goal came in a chaotic first period. Just moments after Victoria's Anderson Lewis was sent to the box for an unsportsmanlike conduct minor, he emerged from the penalty box to find himself on the receiving end of a pass from Wyatt Martel. Lewis converted the opportunity for a shorthanded, even-strength goal at 12:37, giving the home team an early 1-0 lead. Victoria carried that momentum into a dominant second period, outshooting Surrey 17-11, but Eagles netminder Daniel Russell stood tall to keep his team within striking distance.
The third period saw tensions rise and penalties mount, with Surrey's Liam Egan taking his second tripping minor of the game and Victoria's Murdoch Tashe also heading to the box for hooking. The Eagles finally broke through with just over three minutes remaining in regulation. Terry Chen found the back of the net, assisted by Griffin Carmont, to tie the game at 1-1 and set up a frantic finish. However, the deadlock was short-lived. The game-winning goal was credited to Victoria's Anderson Lewis, his second of the contest, securing the 2-1 final.
While the official goaltending statistics show zeros across the board, indicating stats were not formally tracked, the narrative of the game was written by the men in the crease. Victoria's Mathias Ramos-Gadbois was credited with the win, turning aside all but one of the Eagles' shots to backstop his team to victory. At the other end, Daniel Russell's strong play in the Surrey net, particularly during Victoria's second-period barrage, was ultimately overshadowed by the late-game heroics from Lewis. The game was a tightly contested affair with a combined nine minor penalties, but Victoria's special teams, highlighted by the early shorthanded marker, proved to be the difference.
14U AAA - HC Edmonton
14U AAA - Surrey Eagles HA
15U AAA - Bow Valley HC
15U AAA - Langley HA
