In a back-and-forth Junior Prospects Hockey League battle, the 17U AAA Victoria HA edged out the 17U AAA Okanagan HC with a 4-3 victory in a game filled with momentum swings and special teams drama. The contest opened with a bang as Okanagan's Harry Watson, wearing number 12, struck first, finishing off a play set up by Oliver Wilson and Cohen Hole. Victoria answered back on the power play midway through the period when Haze Helle buried a goal, assisted by Reggie Lott and Nathan Laird. Watson wasn't done, however, netting his second of the period in the final minutes to give Okanagan a 2-1 lead heading into the first intermission, with assists from Andrew Wilson and Memphis Rosette.
The second period saw Victoria begin to tilt the ice, outshooting Okanagan 17-8. Their pressure paid off when Blake Sanderson found the back of the net to tie the game, with helpers from Linden Wilson and Linden Alsdorf. The third period started with Victoria capitalizing on another power play opportunity, as Reggie Lott scored to give his team their first lead of the game, with Nathan Laird and Linden Wilson picking up their second assists of the contest. Okanagan showed resilience, battling back to tie the game at 3-3 when Mason Casorso scored, assisted by Jaxon Everett and Kayden Patkau.
Despite Okanagan's push to force overtime, Victoria found a way to secure the win. The game was a special teams affair, with both of Victoria's third-period goals coming with the man advantage. Okanagan's goalie Nicholas Cresswell was busy, turning aside 31 of 36 shots in a valiant losing effort, while Victoria's Alex Dorrell earned the win in net. The contest was a tightly officiated affair, with seven minor penalties called, underscoring the physical nature of this hard-fought divisional matchup.
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