The Horsemen galloped to a decisive 3-1 victory over the Silver Kings in a game that was effectively decided in a frantic opening frame. From the opening puck drop, the Horsemen’s offense was relentless, peppering the Silver Kings’ net with an astonishing 31 shots in the first period alone. The home team’s pressure paid off early when Devan Thandi (#77) lit the lamp at the 9:58 mark, with assists from Nick Trefanenko (#9) and Inder Minhas (#88). Just over a minute later, Cameron Harding (#20) doubled the lead, finishing a feed from Jett Hemmerling (#11) and Lucas Finch (#4).
The Silver Kings refused to fold, showing life at the 6:45 mark when Mike Symes (#88), assisted by Jarrett Tomlinson (#83), cut the deficit in half. However, any hopes of a comeback were quickly extinguished by the relentless Horsemen attack. Cameron Harding, who was a force all night, struck again just one minute into the second period, this time with help from Caden Blixa (#55), to restore the two-goal cushion. The Silver Kings’ Sean McFaul faced a barrage, stopping zero of 31 shots, but the sheer volume of chances suggested the Horsemen’s dominance was less about the goalie and more about suffocating puck control.
Discipline was a slight issue for the Horsemen, with Caden Blixa sitting for hooking late in the third period, but the Silver Kings’ power play failed to capitalize on their only man advantage. The Silver Kings’ own penalty, a holding call on Chris Ireland right at the end of the second period, also went unpunished. Goaltender Alex Tanasychuk for the Horsemen faced a much lighter workload, stopping all 18 shots he faced to preserve a strong victory. The final score of 3-1 didn't fully reflect the Horsemen’s territorial dominance, as they controlled the pace from the opening whistle and never let the Silver Kings find their footing.