Despite flashes of intense activity by the Lions in the Cougars’ defensive zone around the halfway point of the first period and a solid shot by Lions’ forward Reilly Tessier that hit the crossbar near the end of the first period, the Cougars seemed to be in control of the game in the early goings, getting the majority of the better scoring chances. The home team’s offensive efforts paid off when Justin Chaumont scored the Cougars’ first goal with 4:47 remaining in the first period, assisted by Nathan Sauvé and Maxim Rozon.
The Cougars kept applying pressure on the visiting team throughout the game, forcing multiple icing calls against the Lions before the momentum switched sides for a brief time around the halfway point of the second period. As the home team struggled to clear the puck out of its defensive zone, Vankleek Hill goaltender Charles Paré had to make a fast save on a point shot taken by Lions’ defenseman Landen Sinfield, but his teammate Jonah Bennis was able to snatch the rebound and tie the game with 9:22 remaining in the second period. The Lions’ celebration was short-lived as Sauvé scored Vankleek Hill’s second goal, taking the lead back with 8:54 left to play in the second period, assisted by Chaumont and Alexander Perry.
The Cougars continued to dominate the game into the third period, as the Lions were unable to take advantage of a penalty call on Vankleek Hill defenceman Mathieu Lévesque. Joshua Renaud and Simon Levac were effective in killing the penalty, even getting a couple of scoring chances while being down a man. The Cougars’ work ethic was rewarded when Levac scored Vankleek Hill’s third goal as he found his way to the front of the net and took an uncontested shot, doubling the home team’s lead in the process with 9:26 remaining in the third period. Then, a mere 50 seconds later, taking advantage of the chaos in the Lions’ zone, Chaumont’s floating shot somehow found its way to the back of the net, increasing the home team’s lead to 4-1 and securing the Cougars’ first win of the season.
