The 14U AAA HC Edmonton squad opened the scoring early on a power play, capitalizing on a Check from Behind penalty to Northstars' Landen Goebel. Just over five minutes into the first period, Brayden Kuo, wearing number 29, found the back of the net with helpers from Grayson Monea and Jack Kemila. Edmonton carried that momentum and a 14-8 shot advantage out of the first, but Northstars goalie Owen Picken was just getting warmed up. The second period saw Edmonton extend their lead when Parker Garlitos, number 77, scored an even-strength marker early in the frame. The Northstars began to push back, and their persistence paid off when Mathéo Ross, assisted by Lincoln Wigle, cut the deficit in half. The period was marred by a flurry of penalties, including matching minors to Edmonton's Jake Cox and Northstars' Logan McMorran, showcasing the rising intensity.
That intensity boiled over into a dramatic third period. The Northstars, who outshot Edmonton 13-6 in the final frame, finally broke through to tie the game. Ben Mitchelmore, number 9, completed the comeback with an assist from the earlier goal-scorer, Mathéo Ross, knotting the score at 2-2 and forcing overtime. The extra frame was a tense, back-and-forth affair until the 4:18 mark, when Edmonton's Brody McAuley, number 14, became the hero. In a remarkable play, he took a pass from his own goalie, Jayden Gardner, and buried the game-winner to secure a 3-2 victory for HC Edmonton.
The story of the game was written in the crease. Edmonton's Jayden Gardner was a brick wall, turning aside 30 of 32 shots to earn the win, including several crucial stops during the Northstars' third-period onslaught. For the Northstars, Owen Picken was brilliant in a losing effort, making 28 saves on 31 shots to keep his team in it. Despite being outshot 42-30 overall, HC Edmonton found a way to win, with their special teams making the difference early and their goalie providing the ultimate assist to seal a hard-fought overtime triumph.
14U AAA - HC Edmonton
14U AAA - Surrey Eagles HA
15U AAA - Bow Valley HC
15U AAA - Langley HA
