The 18U AAA clash between the Langley HA and the Coquitlam HC was a wild, back-and-forth affair that saw special teams dominate the scoresheet, culminating in a narrow 5-4 road victory for Coquitlam. The game was a story of power plays and penalty kills, with both teams capitalizing on man-advantage situations and even finding success while shorthanded. The action started early, with Langley's Nolan Oxtoby opening the scoring just over a minute into the game. Coquitlam responded quickly, however, with Markus Halliwell tying the game on a power play. Langley's Jackson Schroeder then gave the home team a 2-1 lead late in the first, but Coquitlam's Christiano D'Addabbo answered just 13 seconds later to send the teams to the intermission deadlocked at 2-2.
The second period descended into penalty-filled chaos, and Coquitlam's special teams seized control. Nathan Hillmann and Colby Monette both scored for the visitors, with Hillmann's goal coming on the power play and Monette's a shorthanded tally. Sandwiched between them was a brilliant shorthanded effort from Langley's Jackson Schroeder, who netted his second of the night off a feed from Nolan Oxtoby. Despite being outshot 13-11 in the frame, Coquitlam found a way, and Blake Miller scored what would prove to be the game-winning goal with just 36 seconds left in the period, assisted by the dangerous Monette, to make it 5-3.
Langley refused to go quietly in the third, pouring on 15 shots to Coquitlam's 6. Their relentless pressure was rewarded when Nolan Oxtoby scored his second of the game to cut the deficit to one with just over four minutes to play. The home team pressed for the equalizer, but Coquitlam goaltender Rhys Penninga and his defense held firm under the siege. Penninga turned aside all 15 third-period shots to preserve the win, finishing with a 35-save performance. For Langley, Colton Bush faced 29 shots in the losing effort. The game was marred by numerous penalties, including a concerning illegal check to the head call against Langley's Riley Sytsma in the third period, but it was Coquitlam's efficiency in the special teams battle that ultimately secured the two points in a thrilling Junior Prospects Hockey League contest.
14U AAA - HC Edmonton
14U AAA - Surrey Eagles HA
15U AAA - Bow Valley HC
15U AAA - Langley HA
