The HDC Bandits and Northern HC treated fans to an offensive spectacle, with the Bandits emerging victorious in a 6-4 shootout. The game opened with a quick exchange, as Northern's Chaz Hall struck first just over five minutes in. The Bandits answered before the first intermission, with Patrick Catellier knotting the score at 1-1. The second period was a wild back-and-forth affair. Ambrose McNichols put the Bandits ahead early, only for Northern's Beau Lamontagne to tie it again. The middle frame, however, belonged to Bandits defenseman Colton Toner. After serving a penalty, Toner erupted, scoring two goals in the final nine minutes of the period to give the Bandits a 4-2 lead heading into the third.
Any thoughts of a comfortable Bandits lead were quickly erased in the final period. Colton Toner completed a stunning hat trick just 12 seconds into the third, and then added his fourth goal of the night five minutes later to seemingly put the game out of reach at 6-2. But Northern HC mounted a furious comeback attempt, unleashing 17 shots in the period. Beaux Blatz and Preston Anderson scored late goals to cut the deficit to 6-4, creating a tense final two minutes. The Bandits, anchored by goaltender Arabella Van Heuvel who faced a barrage of 17 third-period shots, held firm to secure the win. Toner’s four-goal, one-assist performance was the undeniable story, overshadowing a strong 28-save effort from Northern’s Ryker Novak in a losing cause.
