The Gorillas Hockey Academy BLACK stormed to a 7-4 victory over the Wolverines Hockey Academy in a penalty-filled, high-octane affair. The game was a story of special teams and opportunistic scoring, with the Gorillas capitalizing on their chances to build an insurmountable lead. The Wolverines struck first, with Oliver Fossey lighting the lamp late in the first period. However, the Gorillas quickly responded on the power play, as Brady Anhorn tied the game with assists from Declan Morton and Jireh Do. The period ended with a dramatic power-play goal from Fossey with just nine seconds remaining, giving the Wolverines a 2-1 lead heading into the intermission.
The second period saw the Gorillas seize control. James Degaust tied the game on the power play early in the frame, assisted by Elliott Gravelle. The Wolverines' Carter Stubbs briefly restored the lead with an even-strength marker, but the Gorillas answered with a flurry. Degaust netted his second of the night, assisted by Jack Sanchez, and Brady Anhorn added another to complete his two-goal night, with Sanchez and Jireh Do picking up the helpers. The Gorillas' relentless pressure and effective power play turned a one-goal deficit into a 4-3 lead after forty minutes. The third period saw the Wolverines pull even once more on a power-play goal from Carter Stubbs, his second of the game, with Kohen Ewaskow and Jack Milsted assisting. But the Gorillas had the final say. Parker Kornik scored what would stand as the game-winning goal at even strength, and Lincoln Stawnicky added an insurance marker on the power play, with Jireh Do and Noah Duke assisting. Merrick Pess sealed the 7-4 victory with a last-second empty-netter, capping off a dominant offensive display.
While the Wolverines' Oliver Fossey and Carter Stubbs provided a multi-goal spark, the Gorillas' balanced attack proved too much. Jireh Do was a playmaking force, racking up three assists, while Jack Sanchez added two helpers. The game was marred by penalties throughout, with both teams spending significant time in the box, but the Gorillas' special teams execution was the difference-maker. In a game where goalie-specific stats were not tracked, the final shot totals and scoreline tell the tale of an offensive onslaught that the Wolverines simply could not contain.
