The Oakville Blades thrilled the home crowd at Sixteen Mile Sports Complex on Saturday night, battling back from a two-goal deficit to defeat the Collingwood Blues 3–2 in overtime. The victory came on a meaningful evening as the Blades hosted their annual Veterans Appreciation Night in recognition of Remembrance Day, honouring the brave men and women who have served our country. With the win, Oakville improved to 5-10-0-1 on the season and continues to build momentum after a strong team performance.
Collingwood opened the scoring early in the first period when McNamara found the back of the net just over three minutes in. The Blues extended their lead to 2–0 midway through the second on a power-play goal by Palmer, capitalizing on a man advantage after an Oakville penalty. Despite being down by two, the Blades refused to quit. The game’s physicality ramped up in the second period, with several major penalties issued to both sides, including a pair of fights that energized the Oakville bench heading into the final frame.
The third period saw the Blades’ resilience shine through. At 8:26, Ross netted his seventh of the season on the power play, assisted by Hookong and Hobbs, cutting the lead in half. The crowd erupted minutes later when Chiella scored his first of the season, assisted by Le Conte and McMahon, tying the game at 2–2 with just over five minutes remaining. Goaltender Marcus Cruz-D’Annunzio was outstanding between the pipes, turning aside 44 of 46 shots to keep Oakville in the game and give them a chance to win.
It took just over a minute of extra time for the Blades to complete the comeback. Jacob Villa buried his first of the season at 1:02 of overtime, with assists from Hookong and Austin, sealing the 3–2 win and sending the Sixteen Mile crowd into celebration. Oakville finished the night 1-for-7 on the power play, while Collingwood went 1-for-4. The Blues outshot the Blades 46–35, but it was Oakville’s perseverance and timely goaltending that proved to be the difference.
Game MVP honours went to Jacob Villa for his overtime winner, while Marcus Cruz-D’Annunzio earned the Junkyard Dog Award for his gritty 44-save performance. The Blades also took time throughout the evening to recognize local veterans and active service members, with a special pre-game ceremony paying tribute to their courage, sacrifice, and dedication.
The Blades return to action at home on Friday November at Sixteen Mile Sports Complex as they continue their November schedule.
Fans are encouraged to grab their tickets early through Showpass and be part of the excitement as Oakville looks to build on this emotional and hard-fought win.
