ST. MARY’S, ON — In a spirited showdown between the U13 Host St. Mary’s Rock Blue and the visiting Dorchester Dragons, fans were treated to a high-energy, tightly contested game that saw the Dragons emerge victorious with a 3–2 win to move to 2-0 on the season.
Photo: Sprawling St. Mary's defense and a focused goalie as The Dragons charge in with the puck Saturday in St. Mary's. The win was especially satisfying for Dorchester, who avenged a 3–2 preseason loss to St. Mary’s earlier in the year.
Dorchester wasted no time setting the tone. Just 49 seconds into the opening period, defenseman Rowan Kusters rifled a shot from the top of the slot past the St. Mary’s goalie after a clean faceoff win by Ben Pink, giving the Dragons an early 1–0 lead.
St. Mary’s battled back in the second. At 2:11, Tristian Fraser found himself alone at the side of the net and left along to dig away at the goalies pad he was able to get the puck past a sprawling Trent Pietarinen, tying the game 1–1 and energizing the home crowd.
Dorchester ran into penalty trouble late in the second period when Cameron Gardner was sent to the box after a St. Mary’s player stepped on his stick and fell. Despite the call, the Dragons’ penalty kill stood strong, keeping the game tied heading into the third.
Just 1:06 into the third, Dorchester’s Ben Pink stripped the puck along the right-side boards and sent a perfect pass to Xavier Papel, who snapped it past the St. Mary’s goalie Franklin Anderson to restore the Dragons’ lead at 2–1.
Shortly after, St. Mary’s went down a man, but their penalty kill unit successfully held the line.
Dorchester added what proved to be the game-winning goal with 4:17 remaining. After a strong cycle, Ethan fed the puck deep to Gardner, who then sent a crisp pass out front to Dexter Hacche. Hacche made no mistake, extending the lead to 3–1 with a quick finish past Anderson. Hacche is earning a reputation as the kind of winger you want parked in front of the net.
St. Mary’s showed resilience, pulling their goalie with just over two minutes remaining. Their push paid off when Sheamus Ross capitalized on a rare blue line turnover by a Dorchester winger, cutting the lead to 3–2. But time was on the Dragons’ side as they controlled much of the late play and held on for the win.
Stars of the Game
There were several strong performances on both sides of the ice.
Dorchester's Jacob Hutchison stood out for his tenacious play on the right wing, battling hard every shift.
Defensively, Rowan Kusters and Ben Evans anchored the Dorchester blue line, both finishing the game an impressive +3.
But the night belonged to Ben Pink, who was named Player of the Game. Pink played a complete game, notching two crucial assists, finishing +2, and contributing significantly on both sides of the puck.
Goaltender Trent Pietarinen earned the Hardest Worker award for Dorchester, making timely saves and staying composed under pressure to keep his team in the game.
This exciting matchup showcased the heart, skill, and sportsmanship of both teams. While Dorchester walked away with the win, both squads showed why U13 hockey is always worth the price of admission (which is free, but it's still worth it).
Next up for the Dragons: a tough test against the unbeaten North Middlesex Jr. Stars on October 18th. Fans are encouraged to come out and support the team in what promises to be another thrilling contest.