The Warriors Hockey Academy claimed a wild 6-5 road victory over the HDC Bandits in a game defined by a chaotic second period and a late game-winner. The Warriors struck first on the power play late in the opening frame, with Brody Steen finishing a setup from Henry Warsylewicz just 40 seconds into the Bandits' first penalty. The game then exploded in the second period with a combined seven goals. The Warriors built a commanding lead with tallies from Stratton Glencross, Boone Depew, and a shorthanded marker from Austin Mullen, assisted again by Steen. The Bandits, however, refused to go quietly. They answered with a power-play goal from Marcus Festa and even-strength goals from Weston Walsh and Noah Catellier, with Festa assisting on both to keep his team within striking distance. The period ended with Mullen netting his second of the night for the Warriors, making it 5-3 heading to the third.
The final frame saw the Bandits mount a furious comeback, outshooting the Warriors 16-8. Vincent Briceland brought the Bandits within one midway through the period, but just over six minutes later, Stratton Glencross struck again for the Warriors, converting a pass from Carter Menzies for what proved to be the game-winning goal. The Bandits pressed desperately with their goalie pulled and were rewarded when Dominic Ricciardi scored with just nine seconds remaining, assisted by the ever-present Marcus Festa, but it was too little, too late. The Warriors held on through the final faceoff to secure the narrow win.
This was an offensive showcase fueled by standout performances. For the Warriors, Austin Mullen led the way with two goals and an assist, while Brody Steen and Henry Warsylewicz each tallied three points. Jack Watson and Stratton Glencross were also pivotal, with Glencross netting the decisive goal. For the resilient Bandits, Marcus Festa was the engine, contributing a goal and three primary assists to spearhead the comeback attempt. Despite being outshot 39-34 overall, the Warriors' efficiency in the middle period and timely scoring proved to be the difference in a thrilling contest that kept fans on the edge of their seats until the final buzzer.
