From the opening puck drop, Team Pending made it abundantly clear that they were not here to play games, unleashing a relentless offensive barrage that ultimately left the Ninjas gasping for air. The final score of 10-3 barely captures the sheer dominance displayed by the home side, who posted a staggering 33 shots in the first period alone. While the goalie statistics show a zero save percentage for both netminders, the narrative tells a different story: Team Pending’s Corey Webb faced minimal danger, allowing just three goals on ten total shots, a performance that was more than enough to secure the win. On the opposite end, Ninjas netminder Owen Van Dyk was hung out to dry, facing a non-stop onslaught that left him with no chance to stem the tide.
The first period was a tornado of offense. Team Pending struck first at the 10:22 mark when Daniel Cordeiro, assisted by Liam OCallaghan, opened the floodgates. The Ninjas briefly answered back less than a minute later, with Sam McPeak finding the back of the net, but that would be the last time the visitors had any semblance of control. Team Pending then erupted for four unanswered goals in a blistering span, capped by a highlight-reel tally from Liam OCallaghan with just eight seconds left in the period. The period ended 6-1, and the Ninjas were already in survival mode.
If the first period was a storm, the second was a steady downpour. Emery Neilson took over, scoring twice in a 32-second span to push the lead to 8-1. Daniel Cordeiro added his second of the game shortly after, and by the time the horn sounded for the second intermission, the game was well out of reach. The Ninjas showed some fight in the third period, with Shea Spofford and Bradley Gallo scoring to make it 9-3, but any hopes of a miraculous comeback were dashed when Brennan Evans, playing as an AP, buried the final nail in the coffin at 1:47 of the final frame. Emery Neilson was the offensive star of the game, finishing with three goals and an assist, while Kieran Raivio and Brennan Evans each chipped in with multiple helpers. For the Ninjas, it was a night to forget, as they were outmatched from start to finish in a game that was never truly competitive.