NY Islanders Elite 10U Silver – Fortunato and Aviator Hockey 10U Silver – Janss skated to a 1-1 tie Saturday morning at Northwell Health Ice Center. Kimberly Bajada made 25 saves on 26 shots for Islanders Elite against an Aviator team that had beaten them 7-1 on Sept. 13.
Lucia Bianchi gave the hosts the opening goal with 4:34 left in the first period. She one-timed a feed out of the corner from the slot for her first goal of the season. Islanders Elite drew a power play late in the frame but could not add to the lead, and the 1-0 margin held through a scoreless second period.
Aviator pushed the pace for most of the morning and outshot Islanders Elite 26-9. Bajada kept them off the board until the third period, when Kai Anthony scored on a rebound to tie it 1-1. Anthony kept generating chances after the equalizer, including a late two-on-one.
Bajada then preserved the draw with a diving save across the crease on a dangerous Aviator chance, and her teammates cleared the rebound. The play continued a strong early season for Bajada, a converted forward who has earned player of the month recognition in her first year in net. At the other end, Connor Leiper made eight saves on nine shots for Aviator.
With 1:07 remaining, Islanders Elite called a timeout to reset its defensive structure. Its players cleared pucks and held the walls the rest of the way. Islanders Elite won the final faceoff with five seconds left, and time ran out without either team scoring again.
Aviator Hockey 10U Silver – Janss is now 2-0-1-0, and NY Islanders Elite 10U Silver – Fortunato earned its first point of the season to move to 0-3-1-0. Islanders Elite will look to build on this result as it chases its first win.
