The Calgary Crusaders and Stars Hockey Academy delivered a back-and-forth thriller that saw the visitors escape with a narrow 4-3 victory. The game started with the Crusaders striking first, as Marcus Cabana buried an even-strength goal off a feed from Logan Sullivan late in the first period. The second period was a tighter, more physical affair, with both teams trading penalties and the Stars finally breaking through when Dane Swyripa netted the equalizer. The game truly exploded in the final frame, with Swyripa scoring again just over a minute in to give the Stars their first lead, only for Cabana to answer right back with his second of the night, once again assisted by Sullivan. The Crusaders then surged ahead when Beau Bennefield scored to make it 3-2, but the game's momentum swung decisively when Calgary took a major penalty for checking from behind.
Capitalizing on the extended power play, the Stars' Maxton Modzelewski fired home the tying goal, with assists from Tred Gano and Remington House. The Crusaders, despite being shorthanded for five critical minutes, fought valiantly to protect the tie, but the relentless pressure from the Stars paid off as they found the game-winner shortly after the major penalty expired. The goaltenders were busy all night, with the Stars' Matthew Stewart turning aside 18 of 21 shots for the win, while Landon Devries made 27 saves in a hard-luck loss for the Crusaders. The physical contest was marred by several penalties, including a costly major in the third that ultimately paved the way for the Stars' comeback victory in a game that kept fans on the edge of their seats until the final buzzer.
