The Oakville Blades and King Rebellion clashed at Sixteen Mile on Friday night in Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL) action, with the Blades securing a 4-1 victory in convincing fashion.
The Blades entered the contest fresh off a thrilling 4-3 win on Tuesday night over the Burlington Cougars and looked to carry that momentum into Friday night’s game.
The matchup marked a historic moment at Sixteen Mile, as it featured the first junior hockey game officiated by an all-female crew.
The Blades initiated the game with full force, generating numerous scoring opportunities in the first minute. Oakville capitalized on their early momentum when forward Tavio Kauzlaric buried a net-front rebound just 48 seconds into the game. Kauzlaric’s third goal of the season gave Oakville an early 1-0 lead.
The Rebellion didn’t back down after the early goal and tested Blades netminder Mikkel Christensen with sustained offensive zone pressure. Christensen, making his fourth start of the season, was sharp, turning away all 12 shots he faced in the frame.
With two minutes remaining in the period, a bench minor against the Rebellion for too many men on the ice gave Oakville a prime opportunity to extend their lead and provide Christensen with some insurance. The Blades generated several high-danger chances but were thwarted by Rebellion netminder Tre Altiman, leaving Oakville with a one-goal lead heading into the first intermission.
The homeside came out of the break with force, pinning the Rebellion in their own end. Oakville’s strong forecheck created a handful of chances, including the crucial insurance marker.
A botched breakout by the Rebellion resulted in forward Jack Mackenzie finding himself alone in front of Altiman. While the netminder made the initial save on a clever dangle, forward Evan Le Conte was poised to bury the rebound, doubling the Blades lead.
Le Conte’s sixth goal of the season energized Oakville, forcing King into three penalties during the frame. A roughing minor at 8:44 by the Rebellion’s Jake Anderson sent Oakville to their second power play of the game.
Despite not being able to capitalize on their initial opportunity, the Blades consistently applied offensive zone pressure during their second-man advantage, eventually scoring a goal. Forward Marcus Hookong directed a puck on goal from the blue line, which was tipped in front by Lucas Tye, extending Oakville’s lead to 3-0 heading into the final 20 minutes.
Down three goals, King came out strong to start the third period. Just 49 seconds in, forward Owen Bruining got behind the Blades’ defence and scored the Rebellion’s lone goal of the game, reducing Oakville’s lead to 3-1.
Christensen continued his strong performance in goal, resisting King’s comeback efforts and turning aside the remaining 11 shots he faced in the period.
The Blades responded quickly to the Rebellion’s push. Tye and forward Matteo Gauthier broke in on a two-on-one, with Tye toe-dragging around a sliding King defender and sliding the puck across to Gauthier for an easy tap-in. Gauthier’s seventh goal of the season sealed the victory.
Oakville didn’t look back, cruising to their second consecutive win.
By Sam Beaudoin
