The Lloydminster Athletics built an early lead and held off a furious third-period rally from Bow Valley HC to secure a 3-2 victory in a hard-fought 14U AAA contest. The game was marked by physical play and a goaltending duel that saw the Athletics' Riggins Tymchyshyn earn a hard-fought win, turning aside 23 shots. The Athletics struck first, with Shiloh Josue opening the scoring just 1:57 into the game. They doubled their lead early in the second period when Evan Dufresne found the back of the net, putting Bow Valley in a significant hole.
The game's turning point came midway through the second period on a Lloydminster power play. With Bow Valley's Levi Irwin serving a boarding minor, Kyler Martin converted a setup from Riddick Ford and Shiloh Josue to score what would prove to be the game-winning goal. The Athletics' defense and Tymchyshyn were stellar through two periods, weathering an 11-shot barrage from Bow Valley in the middle frame. Penalties were a constant theme, with both teams combining for eight infractions, including a rare butt-ending double minor assessed to Bow Valley's Nolan Wilde in the first period.
Facing a three-goal deficit, Bow Valley HC mounted a desperate comeback in the third. Brodie Breault finally solved Tymchyshyn to get his team on the board, and with just over a minute remaining, Evan Villani scored off a feed from Matus Kudrna to make it a one-goal game. The final 67 seconds were frantic, but the Lloydminster defense locked down to preserve the narrow victory. Despite the loss, Bow Valley's Nolan Wilde was a standout, making an incredible 53 saves to keep his team within striking distance in a game where his team was heavily outshot.