Knights Pull Away Late to Defeat Rivermen 9–5 in Presidents Cup Consolation Round

By Gary Groob 

The Six Nations Rivermen (2-3) faced the Rockyview Knights (2-3) in the consolation round of the Presidents Cup Thursday night at the Silent Ice Centre in Edmonton, Alberta. 

The goaltending match-up had Elan Henhawk in net for the Rivermen facing Thomas Wood in net for the Knights. 

The Rockyview Knights closed out a tightly contested first two periods before pulling away late for a 9–5 victory over the Six Nations Rivermen in consolation-round action at the Presidents Cup. Rockyview built an early 2–0 advantage and carried leads of 3–2 after the first period and 5–3 after two, with Max Janousek scoring twice and Sebastian Simonson contributing at both ends of the scoresheet. Despite being outscored, Six Nations held a 25–22 advantage in shots through the opening 20 minutes.

The Rivermen showed some life in the third period behind Mitch VanEvery, who scored twice—including a shorthanded marker at 9:08—to erase the deficit and tie the game 5–5. Rockyview responded emphatically, however, scoring four unanswered goals over the final 6:02. Nathan Lam's power-play marker proved to be the game-winner before Carson Trimble, James McIntosh and Simonson put the game away. Rockyview finished with a 59–48 advantage in shots, while VanEvery and Simonson were named Players of the Game for their respective teams.

To The Game:

Rockyview opened the scoring at 2:41 when Nolan Oakey buried a bounced shot off a behind-the-back pass from Lukas Olsson. Max Janousek followed just 41 seconds later, finishing an Elias Cross feed to give the Knights an early two-goal lead.

Mitch VanEvery got the Rivermen on the board at 8:25, going across the crease off a Greg Elijah-Brown pass. Rockyview answered at 14:11 when Owen MacCarthy blasted an outside shot home off a Nolan Oakey feed.

With just five seconds remaining in the period, Dalton Kane brought Six Nations back within one, going coast to coast and finishing with a bounced shot unassisted.

After one period, Rockyview 3, Six Nations 2.

Shots on goal favored the Rivermen 25–22.

Second Period:

The Knights opened the second-period scoring at 4:44 when Sebastian Simonson jumped at the crease and fired a five-hole shot off a Lukas Olsson pass. Greg Elijah-Brown answered for the Rivermen at 10:21, finishing a spin-o-rama move off a Marshall Powless feed.

Rockyview restored its two-goal advantage at 18:09 when Max Janousek cut through the middle and banked a shot off the post and in off a Sebastian Simonson pass.

After two periods, Rockyview 5, Six Nations 3.

Shots on goal favored the Knights 17–13.

Third Period:

Six Nations opened the third-period scoring at 1:12 when Mitch VanEvery jumped across the crease to bring the Rivermen within one. VanEvery struck again at 9:08, burying a shorthanded marker to the far side off a Thunder Hill pass to tie the game.

Nathan Lam regained the lead for Rockyview at 13:58, firing a rope home on the power play. Just 29 seconds later, Carson Trimble added to the Knights' lead with a great individual effort, before James McIntosh connected on a bounced shot at 15:06.

With the game winding down, Sam Forbes replaced the Six Nations starting goaltender, while Mac Southgate took over in the Rockyview net for the final few minutes.

Sebastian Simonson capped the scoring at 17:29, blasting a high-to-high shot into the top corner off a Max Janousek pass.

Final score, Rockyview 9, Six Nations 5.

Shots on goal favored the Knights 20-10, for a game total of 59-48 in favor of Rockyview. 

Players of the Game:

Six Nations Rivermen  - Mitch VanEvery 

Rockyview Knights  - Sebastian Simonson