Game Updates: Anaheim Jr Ducks Defeat St. Louis AAA Blues in 18U Championship Pool A Matchup
BLAINE, MN – The Anaheim Jr Ducks secured a hard-fought 3-1 victory over the St. Louis AAA Blues in their Tier 1 Elite Hockey League 18U Championship Pool A matchup on February 14 at NSC Rink 1. With a strong third-period push, the Jr Ducks took control late to seal the win.
First Period – A Quick Response
The Blues struck first at 15:06 when Noah Stutzer (#13) found the back of the net, assisted by Robert Gassoff (#33) and Luke Watson (#3). St. Louis carried the early momentum, but Anaheim responded swiftly. Just 17 seconds later, at 14:49, Luka Zoretic (#27) capitalized on a setup from Jude Tiki Martinez (#2) and Jeremy Nash (#3) to tie the game at 1-1.
A Battle of Special Teams in the Second
The second period saw penalties ramp up, with both teams exchanging roughing and cross-checking calls. St. Louis’ Miles Acree (#6) and Cole Heffington (#22) were sent to the box for roughing, while Anaheim’s Logan Fessenden (#7) and Dillan Rud (#13) took penalties for roughing and cross-checking, respectively. Despite the power-play opportunities, neither team could capitalize, and the game remained tied heading into the final frame.
Anaheim Pulls Away in the Third
Anaheim broke the deadlock at 8:02 of the third period when Maxime Rentmeester (#14) fired one past the Blues’ netminder, with assists from Tyler Rush (#74) and Brendan O’Brien (#92). The Jr Ducks continued to apply pressure and put the game out of reach in the final seconds. At 00:20, Adan Kostanian (#10) delivered the dagger with an unassisted goal, sealing the 3-1 victory.
Key Takeaways
The Jr Ducks edged out the Blues in shots on goal, 19-23, with goaltender Kasen Mainberger (#1) standing tall for Anaheim. St. Louis’ Marcus Johnson (#29) kept his team in the game with key saves but couldn’t stop Anaheim’s late push.
With the win, Anaheim secures an important Pool A victory, while St. Louis will need to bounce back in their next matchup to stay in the playoff race.
