In a wild contest that saw six goals scored over the final two periods, the Pail Pumpers managed to hold off a furious Hudson Northstars comeback, escaping with a 4-3 victory. The game started quietly, with Austin Sorensen (#13) opening the scoring for the Pumpers late in the first period on an even-strength tally set up by Aaron Randolph (#27) and Nathan Palace (#91). That lone goal would be the only action until the floodgates opened in the second.
The second period was a whirlwind for goaltenders Mike Nightingale (#30) of the Pumpers and Kobe Courtoreille (#31) of the Northstars. The Pumpers exploded for three consecutive goals, taking a commanding 4-0 lead. Aaron Randolph scored the first of his three-point night, assisted by Teegan Hartwell (#5) and Nathan Palace, before Roka Phalen-Baker (#10) made it 3-0. Ben Fernandez (#11) then added to the rout, with a goal set up by Randolph and Sorensen. Facing a seemingly insurmountable deficit, the Northstars finally answered late in the period. Team captain Joseph Wozniak (#0) found the back of the net, with assists from Adam Holik (#98) and Lucas Hazlett (#22), cutting the lead to 4-1 heading into the final frame.
The Northstars came out with renewed energy in the third period and quickly made it a game. Elan Giga scored early, with Ryley Brodeur (#7) and Ashaf Khan (#29) providing the helpers, making the score 4-2. The pressure continued to mount on the Pumpers, and with just over three and a half minutes remaining in regulation, Joseph Wozniak struck again for his second goal of the game, once again assisted by Holik and Hazlett. The goal pulled the Northstars to within a single tally, and they pressed desperately for the equalizer. However, a late tripping penalty on Wozniak with just over two minutes left put the Northstars shorthanded, effectively killing their momentum. The Pumpers held firm in the dying seconds, and Mike Nightingale, despite facing a staggering 23 shots, made the key saves when it mattered most to secure the win for his team, while the combined effort of the Northstars' netminders simply wasn't enough on this night.