October 16, 2025

GMHL Game of the Week: October 5th to 12th 2025

The second Game of the Week of the young 2025–26 GMHL season featured a tightly contested battle between two South Division contenders — the #2 Niagara Predators and the #5 Toronto Flyers. Both teams entered the matchup looking to solidify their footing in the early standings, and the 65-shot performance from Niagara was just enough to secure a 3–2 shootout victory in front of a lively crowd at Meridian Credit Union Arena in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

Game Summary

First Period

Niagara wasted no time setting the tone, bombarding the Flyers’ net early and often. At 4:42, Alex Ness opened the scoring for the Predators, finishing off a setup from Nick Savoie and Shane Kaplan. The Predators outshot Toronto 24–11 in the period, but Flyers netminder Gerard Melchionna stood tall, turning aside 23 shots to keep his team within striking distance.

Second Period

Special teams became the difference-maker as both clubs traded penalties and power-play chances. Niagara doubled their lead at 14:01 when Isaiah More capitalized on the man advantage, converting on a feed from Kaplan and Savoie to make it 2–0. The Flyers responded late in the frame, as Ryan Baxter buried one from Keegan Elson and Giovanni Arangio at 18:53 to cut the deficit in half heading into the third.

Third Period

Toronto clawed their way back, equalizing at 14:42 when Julian Spina found the back of the net on a setup from Baxter, knotting the game at 2–2. Despite another barrage of Niagara shots, Melchionna remained composed, stopping all 18 he faced in the frame to force overtime.

Overtime & Shootout

After a scoreless overtime period that saw both goalies trade highlight-reel saves, the game went to a shootout — and fittingly, it was Nick Savoie who sealed the win for the Predators, capping off a three-point night (1G, 2A) with the shootout winner to give Niagara the extra point and the home crowd reason to celebrate.

Goaltending Battle

Goaltending was the story of the night. Gerard Melchionna of Toronto was nothing short of spectacular, facing an incredible 60 shots and stopping 57 of them for a .950 save percentage — a performance that earned him First Star of the Game honors despite the loss. At the other end, Niagara’s Nicolas Guy was steady and composed, making 33 saves on 35 shots (.943 SV%) and shutting the door when it mattered most in overtime and the shootout.

Key Performances

Nick Savoie (Niagara): 1G, 2A, shootout winner — led the Predators’ offense and came up clutch in the extra frame.
Gerard Melchionna (Toronto): 57 saves, .950 SV% — an outstanding effort that kept the Flyers in the game from start to finish.
Shane Kaplan (Niagara): 2A — played a key role on both of Niagara’s regulation goals.
Ryan Baxter (Toronto): 1G, 1A — provided the spark offensively for the Flyers’ comeback bid.

Implications

For Niagara, this win solidifies their spot near the top of the South Division standings, showing the depth and poise that make them an early-season favorite. Toronto, meanwhile, proved that they can hang with the division’s best despite the loss — and with performances like Melchionna’s, the Flyers are quickly gaining a reputation as one of the hardest teams to beat in tight games.

What’s Next

The Niagara Predators (now 5–4–0) will look to prove they are among the class of the South when they travel to face the undefeated South Division leading Northumberland Stars next Friday after a very long 12 day break, while the Toronto Flyers (2–4–1) aim to regroup and build on the positives from this effort as they move deeper into the South Division schedule with a matchup with the St.George Ravens, who are directly ahead of them in the standings, at home on Saturday.