Pioneers Pull Away Late to Eliminate Rivermen in Presidents Cup Quarterfinal

By Gary Groob 

The Six Nations Rivermen (2-2) faced the Ladner Pioneers (2-2) in Quarter Final action at the Presidents Cup at the Silent Ice Centre in Edmonton, Alberta. 

The goaltending match-up had Cam Dunkerley in net for the Rivermen facing Keegan Okino in net for Ladner. 

The Ladner Pioneers punched their ticket to the Presidents Cup semifinals with a 16–12 victory over the Six Nations Rivermen in a hard-fought quarterfinal at the Silent Ice Centre in Edmonton. The teams traded momentum throughout a back-and-forth opening 40 minutes, with Ladner holding leads of 7–5 after the first period and 10–9 after two. Haiden Dickson powered the Pioneers' attack with several spectacular individual efforts, while Marshall Powless led the Six Nations response as the Rivermen repeatedly battled back.

The intensity reached another level in a very chippy and physical third period. Six Nations twice erased Ladner leads, with Powless tying the game 11–11 with just over six minutes remaining, but the Pioneers took control down the stretch. Jaxon Dillon restored the Ladner lead before Spencer Bromley, Mitch Jones and Aidan Solomon helped fuel a decisive five-goal run that put the game away. Jackson Webster added a late goal for Six Nations, but the Pioneers prevailed 16–12 despite being outshot 55–49, ending the Rivermen's run at the 2026 Presidents Cup.

To The Game:

Mitch Jones opened the scoring for Ladner on the power play, blasting home a Haiden Dickson pass at 3:52. The Rivermen responded quickly when Marshall Powless fired an unassisted low-to-low bouncer at 5:15.

Dickson dove across the crease to restore the Pioneers’ lead at 5:55, but Powless answered with his second of the period on the power play at 6:43.

Jackson Webster gave Six Nations its first lead, finishing from in close with a high-to-low shot during a two-man advantage at 10:25. Ben McDonald tied the game again at 12:11, unleashing an outside howitzer while shorthanded off a Logan Schuss pass.

Jones converted another Dickson feed with a bouncer to the far corner at 14:03, but Thunder Hill replied just 46 seconds later, diving across the crease to even the score once again.

After intercepting a pass, Liam Phillips went coast to coast and scored with a bouncer at 16:39. Dickson followed with his second of the period at 17:13, giving Ladner a two-goal advantage.

Powless completed his hat trick with an underhand bouncer off a Thunder Hill pass at 18:52, but Dickson responded with his third of the period, firing a high-to-high shot into the top corner off a Mitch Jones feed at 19:55.

After one period, Ladner 7, Six Nations 5.

Shots on goal were tied 16–16.

Second Period:

Six Nations struck first when Thunder Hill scored from in tight off a Braedon Saris pass at 1:34. Saris followed with a quick-stick finish off a Jackson Webster feed at 4:40 to once again tie the game.

Haiden Dickson restored the Pioneers’ lead with a dive from behind the net at 5:45. Ben McDonald extended the advantage with a shot from in close off a Mitch Jones pass at 6:40, then added a bounced-shot blast off a Logan Schuss feed at 7:38.

Saris brought the Rivermen back into the game with an outside rip off a Hill pass at 8:29. David Anderson pulled Six Nations within one, scoring on a bounced shot from beside the net off a Greg Elijah-Brown feed at 18:53.

After two periods, Ladner 10, Six Nations 9.

Shots on goal favoured the Rivermen 26–20.

Third Period:

The Rivermen tied the game on the power play at 3:27 when Greg Elijah-Brown converted a quick-stick from the side of the net off a Marshall Powless pass. However, Haiden Dickson restored the Pioneers' lead at 7:12, poking a loose ball free in the crease and finishing a great individual effort.

Marshall Powless tied the game once again at 13:48, firing an outside laser off a Thunder Hill pass, but Jaxon Dillon answered just over a minute later with a great individual effort to regain the Ladner lead at 14:57.

Spencer Bromley gave the Pioneers some insurance late in the game, firing a low-to-low laser at 16:29. Mitch Jones followed just 12 seconds later, squeezing a shot past the goal line off a Rhys Porteous feed to give Ladner some breathing room.

Aidan Solomon added an empty-net goal at 18:24 before Jones struck again on the power play at 19:04.

Jackson Webster scored with 40 seconds remaining, but it was too little, too late for the Rivermen.

Final score: Ladner Pioneers 16, Six Nations Rivermen 12.

Shots on goal were tied 13–13 in the third period, with Six Nations holding a 55–49 advantage for the game.

Players of the Game:

Ladner Pioneers — Ben McDonald

Six Nations Rivermen — Marshall Powless