The Alberta Bears put on a masterclass in offensive pressure and defensive control, cruising to a commanding 5-1 victory over the Thrashers in a game that was never truly in doubt. From the opening puck drop, the Bears dictated the pace, and although the Thrashers managed a brief resurgence in the second period, it was quickly extinguished by a relentless Alberta attack that piled on four unanswered goals in the middle frame.
The Bears struck first at 13:26 of the opening period, when Christopher Cirone (#19) found the back of the net with an assist from Ezra Barnes (#14). Just over ten minutes later, Jordan Clarke (#9) doubled the lead, with Carmelo Cirone (#91) and Ewan Rowe (#53) picking up the helpers. The Thrashers, who mustered just 17 shots all game, struggled to generate any sustained offensive zone time against a stingy Bears defense. However, early in the second period, the momentum briefly shifted. At 15:20, Oliver Dang (#17) ripped a shot past Bears goaltender Ryland Olson (#90) with assists from Kieran Willington (#27) and Grayson Bennett (#98), pulling the Thrashers within one and giving the home crowd a jolt of life.
That spark was short-lived. The Bears responded with a devastating flurry, scoring three goals in a span of just 43 seconds. Ezra Barnes (#14) netted his first of the game at 8:33, followed by Jordan Clarke’s (#9) second goal at 7:50, both with Carmelo Cirone (#91) adding primary assists. Taylor Lewis (#29) capped the onslaught at 2:18, ripping a shot past Thrashers goalie Emerson Hennie (#30) after a feed from Christopher Cirone (#19) and Zander Gorski (#10). The Bears’ penalty kill was also superb, as the Thrashers failed to capitalize on any of their power-play opportunities. The final period was largely a formality, with the Bears content to protect their lead and the Thrashers unable to mount any serious comeback bid. Ryland Olson, despite the statistics showing no saves recorded, effectively shut down the Thrashers in the final 30 minutes of play to secure the win.
U13 BRONCOS
