Homestead’s Aiden Byler made his name known on the scoresheet, notching a goal and two assists as well as going to the Sin Bin twice. Connor Gould tended for the Spartans and Ben Marques started for the Vipers.

1st period

Aiden Byler opened up on the scoresheet with a two-minute minor for roughing. The Fort Wayne Vipers opened up the scoring as Logan Orsmby picked up the puck and shot it in the far right at the top of the crease. Homestead retaliated quickly from a flick of the wrist top shelf right by Ben Marques’ ear by none other than Aiden Byler. Homestead would finish out the period, taking the lead from a rebound that was tapped in by the senior, Drew Brimner.

2nd period

Cole Strick for the Spartans would head to the box for a roughing call. He would then score Homestead’s third goal of the contest and his third goal of the FWAHA regular season. Vipers’ Jack Backstrom would sit in the penalty box for the third consecutive roughing call of the game. Homestead would get a power-play goal, and Gavin Elkins scored off the winning faceoff and in front of the blue line. Byler would get his third point of the competition. Evan Arnold would get a 10 and 2 for boarding towards the end of the period.

3rd period

Homestead would garner four penalties as the Vipers were called for two infractions before another goal was scored. At 9:38, Carson Whitaker for the Spartans would head off for tripping. At 8:16, Logan Orsmby would get called for slashing. Homestead would take another penalty, Byler getting his second call of the night for a rough. Fort Wayne and Homestead would trade penalties, Vipers’ Micheal Scully for a trip at 4:57 and Litwinko for a slash at 4:25. The Vipers were trying to claw their way back from the 3-goal deficit, even pulling their goaltender, but they only managed to capitalize on the final penalty of the game. Andrew Litwinko made his second consecutive trip to the box for the same call, a slash when Jackson Bertels profited off of a Darcy Koch and Robert Gross feed. Gould thought he had the puck in his mitt, but it bounced in front so Bertels could hit it home.

Ben Marques had 17 saves in the loss. Connor Gould made 32 saves in the win for Homestead.

This article was writen by Fiona Quinn.