The Raging Bulls stormed into the Reapers' barn and left no doubt about who was the superior squad, cruising to a 5-1 victory in a game that was far more lopsided than even the final score suggests. From the opening puck drop, the Bulls imposed their will, peppering the Reapers' net with a relentless 25-shot barrage in the first period alone. While the shot clock heavily favored the visitors all night, the game's first blow belonged to the home side. Reapers' #63 Brent Vigneau silenced the early Bulls momentum at 7:50 of the first period, burying an even-strength chance with assists from #24 Shawn Alexander and #34 Noah Okken to give the Reapers a surprising 1-0 lead.
That lead, however, was a fleeting moment of hope for the Reapers. The Bulls responded with surgical precision in the second period, capitalizing on a power-play opportunity when #16 Ben Hall found the back of the net at 11:32, with helpers from #31 Kevin Robbins and #10 Jason Cormier. The game’s complexion shifted entirely in the third period, where the Bulls unleashed a devastating four-goal onslaught. #16 Ben Hall completed a hat trick with two more even-strength tallies, at 8:03 and 5:13, the first assisted by #38 Liam Skitch and #14 Dallas Merkler. In between Hall's strikes, #31 Kevin Robbins scored at 8:30, and #95 James Patterson added the exclamation point at 1:17 to cap the rout.
Discipline was a major factor, as the Reapers' frustration boiled over. A parade to the penalty box included a slashing and an unsportsmanlike conduct call on #64 Ehtan Okken just 51 seconds apart in the first period, while #15 Amaan Siddiqui took two minors, including a trip in the third. Despite the lopsided score, the Reapers’ netminder, #51 Coire McLaughlin, faced a heavy workload but couldn't stem the tide, while Bulls goalie #1 Ethan Bell turned aside all but one of the 19 shots he faced to earn the win. The Raging Bulls’ firepower and disciplined structure proved too much for the Reapers, who will need to regroup quickly after a humbling defeat.