The Oakville Blades capped off their weekend with a thrilling 3–2 road victory over the Buffalo Jr. Sabres on Sunday, August 24, 2025, at the Lecom Harborcenter. Despite being heavily outshot, Oakville relied on clutch scoring and stellar goaltending to secure the win.
The Blades opened the scoring early in the first period when Matteo Gauthier buried a chance off a setup from Jacob Scarpelli at 6:06. Buffalo pushed back with 21 shots in the frame, but goaltender Marcus Cruz-D’Annunzio stood tall, preserving Oakville’s 1–0 lead heading into intermission.
The second period was action-packed, featuring four goals and a string of penalties. Buffalo equalized at 4:55 when Brady Guolla finished a feed from Joseph Banas and Alex Strachan. Just under four minutes later, Banas added a goal of his own, assisted by Holst and Joy, giving Buffalo its first lead. Oakville responded with resilience. On a power play at 15:55, Aiden Dicaro fired home his second goal of the preseason, set up by Brady Charlton, to knot the game at 2–2. With under a minute left in the period, Jacob Villa delivered the eventual game-winner at 19:35, restoring the Blades’ advantage.
The third period was a defensive grind with tempers flaring on both sides. Buffalo pressed hard, firing 15 shots, but replacement goaltender Ryan Lindow was flawless, stopping every attempt to protect the slim lead. The Blades’ penalty kill continued its strong form, shutting down both of Buffalo’s power plays on the night.
In the end, Oakville was outshot 57–28 but made the most of their opportunities, while the Cruz-D’Annunzio/Lindow tandem combined for 55 saves. With the 3–2 victory, the Blades showcased their ability to weather pressure, capitalize on chances, and close out tight games—an encouraging sign as the regular season approaches.
