The Oakville Blades faced off against the Mississauga Chargers on October 25, 2024, at Sixteen Mile, with the visiting Chargers securing a 6-3 victory. Oakville, despite a hard-fought game, struggled to contain Mississauga’s relentless offence and could not recover from an early deficit. Power plays, penalties, and physical altercations punctuated the game’s intense action throughout all three periods.
First Period:
The Chargers came out firing, taking the lead early in the first period. At just 2:28, Massimo Neri netted the opening goal with assists from Nick Ellis and Anthony Figliomeni. Mississauga persisted in their efforts, and it paid off when Mason Kim scored at 10:24 with help from Ethan Holt and Nicholas Wlodarczyk, increasing their lead to 2-0. Oakville was handed a blow when Mississauga capitalized on a power-play opportunity at 16:21. Jonathan Herrington, assisted by Zach Pereira and Gianfranco Rosella, took advantage of Oakville’s high-sticking penalty, pushing the score to 3-0 in favour of the Chargers.
Oakville fought back late in the period to regain some momentum. Logan Yovetich scored the Blades’ first goal with just 46 seconds remaining on the clock with help from James Paul and Teddy Low. The period ended with Mississauga leading 3-1 and the Blades carrying a bit of renewed energy into the next period.
Second Period:
The Blades took advantage of a power play early in the second period. At 1:12, Matthew Indovina found the back of the net, narrowing the score to 3-2 with assists from Evan Le Conte and Jack Dean. The power-play goal ignited Oakville’s offence, and they applied heavy pressure on Mississauga’s defence, looking to equalize. However, Oakville’s comeback was short-lived as the Chargers responded with their own goal at 1:50, restoring their two-goal lead with a score of 4-2. Kim, once again instrumental for Mississauga, set up Wyatt Jinman for the goal alongside Neri.
Despite Oakville’s best efforts, the Chargers’ penalty kills stymied several Blade opportunities. Mississauga accumulated 14 minutes in penalties in the second period alone, but Oakville could only capitalize on one power play. Finally, as the period wound down, Le Conte cut the deficit once more, scoring at 18:13 with assists from Brady Charlton and Dean, bringing the Blades back within a goal at 4-3.
Third Period:
The Blades started the third period just one goal behind, but Mississauga quickly dampened their momentum. At 1:54, Jinman scored his second goal of the night, set up by Kim and Colin Crowley, giving the Chargers a 5-3 lead. Mississauga’s persistence on offence kept Oakville’s defence scrambling, and the Chargers continued to find ways to capitalize on turnovers. Another goal came at 5:22 from Anthony Tarsitano, who scored with assistance from Kim and Egor Kozlov, securing the Chargers’ lead at 6-3.
The period became more physical as frustrations boiled over for Oakville. A series of penalties marred the final minutes, as Oakville’s Philip Roberto and Mississauga’s Wlodarczyk and Anthony Figliomeni each received fighting majors and misconducts at the 16:53 mark. The final minutes saw another round of penalties, with additional roughing calls. Mississauga’s strong penalty kill allowed them to hold off Oakville’s last-ditch efforts, and the game concluded with Mississauga claiming a decisive 6-3 victory.
Power Plays and Penalties:
Mississauga’s power play went 1-for-9, while Oakville converted only one of their six opportunities. Oakville’s penalty struggles were evident, with 52 minutes racked up across 16 infractions, compared to Mississauga’s 46 minutes on 12 penalties. The penalties ultimately hampered Oakville’s ability to maintain pressure, as several key players were off the ice at critical moments.
Goaltending:
Oakville goaltender Alex Armellin faced an onslaught of 42 shots, making 36 saves in the process. Although Armellin held strong for much of the game, Mississauga’s constant offensive pressure eventually broke through. For Mississauga, Liam Conway held his ground, stopping 29 of 32 shots and effectively shutting down Oakville’s offensive surges in the third period.
Conclusion:
Oakville battled hard but could not overcome Mississauga’s fast start and consistent pressure, resulting in a 6-3 loss at Sixteen Mile. Despite the loss, the Blades displayed moments of resilience, particularly during their second-period surge. However, the high number of penalties and missed opportunities on the power play proved costly. Oakville will look to regroup and address these issues as they prepare for their next matchup.
