The 18U AAA Kootenay HA set the tone early and never looked back, cruising to a decisive 4-1 victory over the Victoria HA on home ice. From the opening faceoff, Kootenay established a relentless offensive presence, outshooting Victoria 16-6 in the first period. Their pressure paid off at the 11:40 mark when Blaine Nelson, wearing #25, found the back of the net with an even-strength goal, assisted by Larson Proctor (#26). Victoria’s discipline wavered late in the period, taking two minor penalties, but they managed to escape the first twenty minutes down by only a single goal.
The middle frame saw Kootenay break the game open. Capitalizing on a power play early in the period, Karter Russell (#8) buried his first of the night, with helpers from Nelson and Ollie D’Amour (#3). Russell wasn't done, striking again at even strength later in the period to make it 3-0, completing a multi-point night for both himself and the playmaking Nelson. Victoria showed a brief spark in the final seconds of the second, as Jaxson Prette (#27) finally solved the Kootenay defense with just 14 seconds left, assisted by Cole McNabb (#8), to cut the deficit to 3-1 heading into the third.
Any hopes of a Victoria comeback were quickly extinguished in the final period. Kootenay continued to control the play, and Alex Johnson (#15) restored the three-goal cushion with an even-strength tally midway through, assisted by Wyatt Borys (#29) and Bryce Birmingham (#17). The period was marred by a parade to the penalty box, with four minors called, but Kootenay’s defensive structure and goaltending held firm. While official goalie stats were not tracked, the shot totals tell the story: Kootenay’s netminder faced 26 shots and allowed only the lone late second-period goal, while Victoria’s Ethan Lorentz was under siege, turning aside 47 of 51 shots in a valiant losing effort. The win was a comprehensive team performance for Kootenay, fueled by a dominant shot advantage and key contributions from stars like Karter Russell and Blaine Nelson.
14U AAA - HC Edmonton
14U AAA - Surrey Eagles HA
15U AAA - Bow Valley HC
15U AAA - Langley HA
