In their third home game of the 2024-2025 OJHL season, the Oakville Blades faced off against the Niagara Falls Canucks on September 14th at Sixteen Mile Creek Sports Complex. The game, which began with promise for Oakville, ended in a 6-3 defeat, as the Canucks pulled away with a strong third period. Despite the loss, the Blades fought valiantly, with both teams exchanging goals and momentum throughout the contest. The Blades showcased their determination, but Niagara Falls proved too strong, especially in the latter stages of the game.
First Period: Oakville Starts Strong
The Blades came out energized in the first period, eager to set the tone in front of their home crowd. Oakville maintained possession for much of the early going, generating multiple scoring opportunities. However, Niagara Falls goaltender Iain Wintle stood tall, making key saves to keep the game scoreless through the first half of the period.
It wasn’t until the 15:22 mark that Oakville finally broke through. Evan Le Conte and team captain Kyle Kussmann provided assists on Tavio Kauzlaric’s beautiful first OJHL goal, which gave Oakville a 1-0 lead. The Blades’ early lead energized the crowd and put the Canucks on their heels as Oakville continued to pressure. However, despite their strong play, Oakville was unable to extend their lead before the end of the first period.
Niagara Falls didn’t generate much offence in the opening frame, as Oakville’s defence and goaltender Alex Armellin were solid. Armellin stopped all seven shots he faced in the first period, ensuring that Oakville went into the first intermission with a slim 1-0 advantage.
Second Period: Niagara Falls Strikes Back
The second period marked a shift in momentum as Niagara Falls came out with a renewed sense of urgency. Just 52 seconds into the period, the Canucks levelled the score when Ryan Cooper found the back of the net off assists from Parker Forlin and Braeden O’Keefe. This quick strike seemed to unsettle Oakville, and Niagara Falls quickly took control of the game.
Taye Ladislao gave Niagara Falls the lead at the 2:14 mark with a goal that had assists from Kasen Beitz and Adrian Diodati. The Canucks’ aggressive forecheck and fast-paced play made it difficult for Oakville to respond, and the visitors capitalized on their momentum. The Blades were also sent into disarray with penalties, as fighting penalties and roughing calls at 4:20 put them on the back foot.
Despite being down, Oakville managed to claw their way back. Teddy Low scored his first OJHL goal on a power-play goal for the Blades at 5:00, tying the game at 2-2. The goal, which Kauzlaric and Brady Charlton both assisted on, briefly gave the home team new life. But the Canucks weren’t done.
Just 36 seconds later, Oakville regained the lead when Nicolas Maria scored off a crisp pass from Ben Theron making it 3-2 for Oakville. For a moment, it looked like the Blades had weathered the storm. However, their lead was short-lived, as Cooper added his second goal of the night at 8:56, with Ryan O’Dell and Liam Bazner assisting. By the time the second period ended, the Canucks had stormed back to take a 3-3 tie into the third period.
Penalties again became an issue for Oakville, as the team took several costly infractions, including a 5-minute fighting major and a slashing penalty, giving the Canucks additional power-play opportunities. Though Niagara Falls failed to convert on their man advantages, the disruptions affected Oakville’s rhythm, allowing Niagara Falls to control much of the second period.
Third Period: Niagara Falls Takes Over
The third period saw Niagara Falls turn their solid play into a dominant performance. The Canucks’ relentless pressure and puck control resulted in multiple high-quality scoring chances. At 3:26, Diodati scored off assists from Ladislao and Beitz, giving Niagara Falls a 4-3 lead. Oakville, despite trailing, continued to battle and looked for ways to generate offence, but Wintle and the Canucks’ defence were impenetrable.
As the game wore on, the Blades struggled to find answers, and penalties continued to plague their efforts. Niagara Falls capitalized on Oakville’s mistakes, keeping the Blades pinned in their own zone for extended periods. At 17:29, with Bazner’s assistance, Mason Losel added an insurance goal, making it 5-3 in Niagara Falls’ favour.
The Blades pulled goaltender Armellin in the final minutes to try and close the gap, but the Canucks took advantage of the empty net. At 19:36, Forlin scored an empty-net goal with help from O’Dell and Cooper, giving Niagara Falls a 6-3 victory.
Wintle finished the game with 27 saves, standing tall in net and preventing Oakville from finding a late comeback. On the other side, Armellin faced a barrage of shots in the third period, making 10 saves, but the defensive breakdowns and penalties ultimately proved too much for the Blades to overcome.
Special Teams and Penalties Play a Key Role
Penalties were a key storyline throughout the game. Both teams were penalized frequently, but Oakville found themselves in trouble, racking up 13 penalty minutes over the course of the game. Niagara Falls, on the other hand, managed to hold down the fort despite taking 15 minutes in penalties. Oakville’s power play was effective early on, converting on one of three opportunities, but they were unable to find the back of the net again with the man advantage in the later stages of the game.
Niagara Falls’ penalty kill was stellar, shutting down Oakville when it mattered most, while their even-strength play was dominant in the final period. Oakville’s inability to stay out of the penalty box and capitalize on power plays ultimately made the difference in the contest.
Looking Ahead
Despite the tough 6-3 loss, the Oakville Blades will have the opportunity to bounce back next week. The Blades return to the ice on Saturday, September 21st, when they host the Wellington Dukes at 7:00 PM at Sixteen Mile Creek Sports Complex. The team will be looking to regroup and tighten up defensively as they aim to secure their first win of the season in front of their home fans.
With the season still in its early stages, there’s plenty of time for the Blades to make adjustments and turn things around. Their next game against Wellington will be crucial as they seek to regain their form and build momentum moving forward. Fans are eager to see how the Blades will respond to this early season adversity.Get ahead of the line!
Purchase Your Blades Tickets : https://www.showpass.com/o/oakville-blades/
