The U11 Lions established their dominance from the opening puck drop, overwhelming the U11 Wolves Black with a relentless offensive attack in the first period. Outshooting their opponents 19 to 7 in the opening frame, the Lions' pressure paid off early when Dermot Mielke, assisted by Nolan Milner and Rhett Faulkner, found the back of the net just over four minutes into the game. The Lions' only hiccup came late in the period when a bench minor for too many men gave the Wolves a power play, but the Wolves could not capitalize on the opportunity. Lions goaltender Munashe Berejena was perfect in the period, turning aside all seven shots he faced.
The second period was all Lions, as they broke the game wide open with three unanswered goals. Nolan Milner took center stage, scoring twice to complete a three-point night. He first tallied an even-strength marker assisted by Taylor Branton early in the period, and then added another later, with helpers from Benjamin Bosch and Kolten Rodil. Rodil would cap off the period's scoring himself, converting a feed from Kai Aseron with just sixteen seconds left on the clock, sending the Lions into the final intermission with a commanding 4-0 lead. The Wolves' defense, anchored by goalie Mikayla Flesher, faced a barrage of shots throughout.
The U11 Wolves Black showed resilience in the third period, finally solving Berejena to break the shutout bid. Ania Bousmia got the home team on the board, scoring an even-strength goal with assists from Jasmine White and Anna Drozdowski. A late tripping penalty by the Lions' Claira Swyrd gave the Wolves a final power play chance, but they could not mount a further comeback. The Lions' early offensive explosion and Berejena's steady goaltending—a perfect 7-for-7 on the night—proved too much to overcome, securing a decisive 4-1 road victory.
Raptors
