The Lions U13 came out flying in the first period, dictating the pace and testing U13 Phantom 309 goaltender Bentley Klemola early and often. Their pressure paid off just ten seconds into the game when Easton DeBaie, assisted by Michael Tryhuba, found the back of the net to give the Lions a 1-0 lead. Despite being outshot 15-18 in the opening frame, the Lions carried their slim advantage into the intermission, thanks to a strong period from goalie Jackson Loder.
The game's momentum began to shift in the second period. The Phantoms' Jaxson Krueger-Mrzljak, set up by Kayden Christopher, netted the equalizer at the 4:42 mark, knotting the score at 1-1. The third period belonged entirely to the visitors, as they unleashed a relentless offensive onslaught. Krueger-Mrzljak struck again early in the final frame, this time with helpers from Parker Polunkiszlus and Jordynn Krueger-Mrzljak, to give Phantom 309 their first lead. The floodgates then opened, with Chloe Howe adding an unassisted insurance goal before Christopher completed the scoring, assisted by the playmaker Krueger-Mrzljak, to seal a decisive 4-1 victory.
While the Lions' Jackson Loder faced a barrage of 18 shots, the story of the game was the Phantom 309's defensive lockdown after the first ten seconds. Goaltender Bentley Klemola was perfect after the initial goal, shutting the door on the Lions' attack to backstop the comeback. Jaxson Krueger-Mrzljak was the offensive catalyst for the Phantoms, contributing two goals and an assist to spearhead the three-goal third-period outburst that turned a tight contest into a convincing road win.
Raptors
