In a tense and tightly contested battle, the Langley Leafs - Minor escaped with a narrow 3-2 victory over the Angels Pro Hockey in a game defined by special teams and a dramatic finish. The Angels controlled the shot clock, firing 27 pucks on net compared to Langley's 16, but Langley's goaltender Aleena Mertin (#1) stood tall to earn the win, turning aside every shot she faced. The game's opening goal came from Langley's Ella-Jane Viveiros (#10), assisted by Ekam Pandher (#17), midway through the first period to put the visitors ahead early.
The second period was a wild back-and-forth affair that saw three goals and a parade to the penalty box. The Angels roared back to take the lead with two quick strikes. First, Addison Dupuis (#121) found the net, assisted by Bella Bartel (#26) and Gabrielle Abrams (#79). Just over a minute later, on the power play, Taisyn Hofmann (#16) put the Angels ahead, with helpers from Chloe Hicks (#13) and Gracie Macdonald (#77). The lead was short-lived, however, as Langley's Charlotte Gilby (#11) responded just over a minute later to tie the game at 2-2. The period ended with a flurry of penalties, including minors to Langley's Abella Pero-Tomlin (#37) and the Angels' Bella Bartel (#26), setting a physical tone for the final frame.
The third period was a defensive struggle punctuated by penalties, with the Angels' Katie Lui (#22) taking two minors and Langley's Keili Driussi (#12) also serving time. Despite continued pressure from the Angels, who outshot Langley 9-6 in the period, neither team could break the deadlock in regulation. The game required overtime, and it was there that Langley's Arya Thom (#55) became the hero, scoring the game-winning goal at the very end of the extra session to secure the 3-2 victory for the Leafs. The Angels' Jordan Fillenberg (#31) was strong in net with 13 saves, but the late heroics from Thom handed her a tough-luck loss in a game her team largely dominated territorially.
