The Beached Whales stormed back from an early two-goal deficit to snatch a 3-2 victory over the Beverly Bullies in a game that was far closer than the final score suggests. For the first half of the contest, it appeared the Bullies were cruising. They mounted a ferocious offensive assault in the opening period, firing 29 shots on net. This pressure paid off quickly, with Kevin Goulding (#67) burying an even-strength chance at 7:01 with helpers from Patrick Yuzyk (#8) and Ryan Gregory (#6). The Bullies doubled their lead just minutes later when Brandon Vogel (#71) found the back of the net, again assisted by Yuzyk and Gregory, cementing a 2-0 lead that looked insurmountable given their early barrage.
But the Whales, despite being outshot 29-43 overall, never panicked. Goaltender Nathan Patrick (#81), who stopped all 29 shots he faced to post a perfect save percentage, kept his team in the game long enough for the offense to find its legs. The tide turned dramatically in the second period. Owen Berge (#37) electrified the Beached Whales bench, scoring twice in quick succession—first at 6:12 with help from Owen Goertzen (#10) and Mack Schmidt (#17), then again at 2:04, this time assisted by Alex Grono (#20) and Goertzen. Suddenly, the game was tied, and the Bullies’ early momentum had completely evaporated.
The third period saw a tense, back-and-forth battle, but the Whales struck the decisive blow with just 1:45 remaining. Owen Goertzen (#10) capped off his outstanding playmaking night by scoring the game-winner himself, with assists from Alex Grono and Brady Ness (#31). The Bullies’ Tyson Parker (#32) was left to lament the 43 shots he faced in the losing effort, as his team fell despite a valiant offensive push. A late slashing minor to the Whales’ Tristan Thompson (#21) in the final four minutes gave the Bullies a power-play chance, but they could not solve Patrick again. The Beached Whales skated off with a hard-fought 3-2 win, thanks to a stunning second-period rally and a third-period dagger.