The Rebels Hockey Academy came out firing on home ice, building an early lead, but the visiting Spartan Hockey Academy weathered the storm and used a dominant second period to secure a 5-3 victory. The Rebels' Hendrix Beaupre opened the scoring midway through the first period, assisted by Jack Clement, setting the tone for an offensive battle. The home side extended their lead early in the second when Barrett Nellis found the net, with Taid Jones picking up the helper. However, the game's momentum shifted dramatically during a penalty-filled middle frame. Spartan captain Rhett Wasylyshen capitalized on a power play to get his team on the board, but Rebels defenseman Luke Clark quickly answered to restore the two-goal cushion, with Nellis returning the favor with an assist. Undeterred, the Spartans' Sawyer Tams scored late in the period to cut the deficit to 3-2 heading into the third.
The final period belonged entirely to the Spartans, who showcased their special teams prowess and finishing ability. Just 28 seconds into the period, Nixon Haggins scored a crucial shorthanded goal to tie the game at 3-3, completely swinging the momentum. The Rebels, despite outshooting the Spartans 12-10 in the third, could not solve Spartan netminder Ryan Robert again. The game-winner came off the stick of Mason Piteau with just over ten minutes to play, a decisive even-strength marker assisted by Hayden Piche. The Rebels pulled goalie Beau Shofner for an extra attacker late, but Haggins sealed the deal with an empty-netter to complete his two-goal night and secure the 5-3 win for the Spartans.
Goaltending was a key factor, with Spartan goalie Ryan Robert earning the win, turning aside all 25 shots he faced for a perfect save percentage in a game where detailed goalie stats were not fully tracked. At the other end, Beau Shofner faced a barrage, particularly in a second period where the Spartans unleashed 15 shots. The penalty sheet was busy, with infractions from both sides influencing the flow, but the Spartans' ability to score both on the power play and shorthanded proved to be the ultimate difference in a hard-fought and entertaining contest.
