The Golden Grizzlies kicked off the first of their three round-robin games with a hard-fought 7-4 victory over the Colorado School of Mines in what turned out to be an intense, back-and-forth battle. While the final scoreline may suggest a comfortable win for Oakland, the game was much closer than it appeared, and the Orediggers certainly didn’t make it easy for the Golden Grizzlies. Mines struck first in the opening period when Jordan Larese fired a quick shot past Oakland goalie Tate Potteiger to give the Orediggers an early lead.
The Golden Grizzlies wasted little time in responding, with defenseman Kyle Giza firing a precise shot to level the score. But Mines quickly regained the advantage when Benjamin Lombardi netted a goal to put them back in front. The second period saw a fast-paced and high-energy start as Oakland’s Tommy Davis slipped the puck past Mines’ goalie Gage Oyler to tie the game once again. For the most part, Oakland’s defense held firm and managed to stifle any offensive momentum from the Orediggers.
Photo Cred: Noah Stalker
However, Larese would not be denied, and he found the back of the net once again to give Mines a 3-2 lead heading into the third. But the momentum shifted decisively in Oakland’s favor during the final period. The Golden Grizzlies came out of the gate strong, with Jules Sainte-Marie scoring to tie the game at 3-3. Then, Oakland’s leading scorer Brandon Danou took over, netting two consecutive goals to give the Golden Grizzlies a 5-3 lead and a bit of breathing room.
Mines didn’t go down without a fight, and they pulled within one after a late goal from Nathan Cote, making it 5-4. However, Oakland wasn’t about to let the game slip away. Jake McCatty added an insurance goal to make it 6-4, and Jack Abbo sealed the victory with an empty-netter to make the final score 7-4. This win puts Oakland in a strong position within their group, with their next matchup against Central Maine on the horizon. For the Orediggers, they now face a tough challenge ahead, taking on Colby with much ground to cover after this loss.
