<div align="center"> Kelowna Knights: 2 at Colorado Mammoths: 4

Starting lineups:
Kelowna
Dieter Dominique - Anatoly Yanovich - Geronimo Otto
Ty Justice - Cara Hohenberg
Jason Aittokallio

Colorado
Steven Stamkos Jr. - Sim Browski - Frontdoor McGraw
Ben Dover - Maverick O'Dooley
Ekaterina Rudnikova

Game link</div>

Turning the corner into the third day of the SMJHL season, two undefeated teams met at the Pepsi Center to face off for the first time. Western Conference rivals, Kelowna and Colorado duked it out in an impressive showcase of skill, strength, and star power. All eyes were back on rookie goaltender Jason Aittokallio, taken first overall in this year’s SMJHL draft, after his superb start to the week, but those looking for a repeat performance were disappointed. The Colorado crowd, though, certainly wasn’t. The minute the puck dropped, the crowd was on its feet, and it seemed like the noise level never went down from there.

First Period
The first period started with a bang - literally - as Kelowna forward Ty Justice dropped the gloves with Mammoths forward Martin Svensson. Only seconds before, Svensson had laid a big hit on Kelowna’s Dieter Dominique, and although Dominique got up and continued the play, Justice had no hesitation in sticking up for his teammate. The linesmen dragged them apart before a clear winner emerged, but it definitely added some energy to an already excited rink.

Svensson lays a heavy hit on Dominique
The game continued in this manner, as Colorado’s Tord Yvel got sent off for interference only seconds later. On the powerplay, Kelowna found their best chance of the game:

Quote:Yanovich with a shot off a feed from Kasparek - oh! And he just barely misses the net! Kasparek is back for it, though, and dodges around Goddard before ripping it on goal! Rudnikova is there, though, with an absolutely spectacular kick save. The puck bounces back out to Hohenberg, and she’s winding up - and it’s gloved by Rudnikova! The whistle blows, and it looks like the Mammoths might make it out of this penalty kill unscathed.

Shots were traded back and forth, but for a while, it looked like neither team was going to break through - until a little over midway through the period.

Quote:The Mammoths are in the middle of a change as Light moves the puck through the neutral zone, saucering it to Wilson just in time to stay onside. Wilson shoots from the point - puck goes wide. Beau Bent skates around the net to retrieve it, taking a shot from a low angle, and Goddard is there to block it! It rebounds directly to Bent, and he’s alone in the slot, and he SCORES! Beau Bent rips it home and gives the Knights the lead.

Bent’s goal would stand alone as the only goal of the period, and the teams would return to their locker rooms with the score at 1-0.
Shots: 8-6

Second Period
Colorado came out hard at the start of the second, but both teams looked evenly matched, with both goalies standing on their heads as the second period progressed. The tension from the opening period continued, with Horvat tripping Yakikov 5 minutes into the second. Yakikov retaliated, and was sent off for roughing. The teams took the ice even at 4 players a side, and as Colorado laid the pressure on even harder, the payoff became inevitable.

Quote:Stamkos Jr. wins it off the faceoff, and he finds O’Dooley still in Colorado’s zone, and it’s a quick pass up to Dover, who’s looking for McGraw but his pass is picked off by Hohenberg! She takes it behind the net before trying to find Justice, but now her pass is taken by O’Dooley, and he finds Dover, and Dover SCORES! Colorado’s right back in this, folks, and this game is tied!

Dover’s goal to even the score at 1 all
2 minutes later, Kasparek went off for holding, and Colorado went on the powerplay. Already dangerous, they spent almost the entire penalty in Kelowna’s zone, although they didn’t capitalize until the man advantage was winding down.

Quote:Shirobokov dumps the puck into the Mammoth’s zone before heading off for a change, and the next penalty kill unit hits the ice as Eichelele fishes the puck out of his own end. He passes to Goddard, who finds Maguku in the neutral zone. Oh, and watch Maguku move with that puck! He’s around Starosta in an instant, and Aittokallio barely even gets his glove up! The Mammoths SCORE! That’s a power play goal for you there, Colorado, make some noise!

The Knights pushed hard after losing their lead, but the period would finish with the Mammoths up 2-1.
Shots: 15-24

Third period
It was another quick start to the third period, as Kelowna fought desperately to make up the one-goal deficit. Colorado was quicker, though, and only two minutes into the period, managed to extend their lead to 2.

Quote:The Knights win the faceoff, but Sirmais’ pass is picked off by Goddard right as they enter Colorado’s zone. He find Svensson, and Svensson is off! He’s through the neutral zone, and what a move to get around Shirobokov! He loses the puck as he tries to move around Bergfalk, but Goddard is right behind him to pick it up, and he finds Svensson in the slot, who SCORES! He hammers it home for his first regular-season goal in the SMJHL, and that’s a hell of a way to get it done, kid!

Kasparek would get his second minor of the game 5 minutes into the period, but Kelowna killed the penalty off successfully, due in large part to the play of Aittokallio. The kill seemed to give the Knights more of the momentum they so desperately needed, because they continued to push hard into the Colorado zone.

Quote:Rudnikova fishes the puck out from behind the net and sends it up ice to Svensson, who’s looking for Maguku. Maguku has it, but looses it to Dominique in Colorado’s zone. Dominique find Yanovich, all alone in the slot, and he fires off a quick slap shot and SCORES! This game isn’t over yet, as the Knights shrink their deficit back to one!

Sadly for the Knights, it wasn’t to be, as Colorado found a goal late in the period.

Quote: Leetch dumps the puck into the Knights’ zone before heading off for a chance, and Hohenberg picks it up at the red line. She sends it straight back to Legend, though, just coming off the bench, and he sees Renninger behind him, who shoots just wide! Legend catches the bounce off the boards, though, and he’s right on top of Aittokallio, and he SCORES! The Mammoths pot a sweet insurance goal, and it looks like this game is going to Colorado.

Indeed, the game ended with the Mammoths still holding a 2 goal lead as they landed their second straight win of the season.

The Mammoths celebrate after their win
Shots: 27-34

<div align="center">Stats Faceoff:


Final Records: 2-1-0 || 2-0-0</div>