Tearall's overtime winner caps dramatic 4-3 victory over Milton Keynes

The Cardiff Canucks opened 2026 in style, defeating the Milton Keynes Thunder 4-3 in overtime in front of a packed-out 'Nuck House on Saturday evening. In a game that featured end-to-end action, dramatic late penalties, and heroic penalty killing, the Canucks delivered a New Year's night to remember.

Milton Keynes struck early, with Callum Worthington-Evans beating John Dibble just 62 seconds into the contest. The visitors took that 1-0 advantage into the first intermission despite Cardiff's sustained pressure.

The second period saw the game burst into life. Zak Shanahan leveled the score on the power play, assisted by Steve Osman and Sam Davies. Milton Keynes responded through Marks Kanins to retake the lead at 2-1, setting up a dramatic final frame.

The third period delivered everything high-stakes hockey promises. Osman tied the game early on, with Shanahan and Jaydon Ford providing the assists. Just three minutes later, Osman struck again—this time assisted by Harvey Rose and Shanahan—to give Cardiff their first lead of the night at 3-2. The 'Nuck House erupted.

Milton Keynes refused to fold, however, with Harry Macgarvey equalizing to make it 3-3 and force overtime. But the drama was only beginning.

With just over two minutes remaining in regulation, Sam Davies received a five-minute slashing penalty and a game misconduct, forcing Cardiff to face a lengthy power play that would extend into overtime. The Canucks' penalty kill rose to the occasion magnificently, with Milton Keynes never looking settled on the puck despite the man advantage.

As soon as Cardiff returned to even strength in overtime, Joe Tearall ended proceedings, finishing off excellent work from Osman and Viktor Langseth to send the home crowd into raptures.

It was a massive team effort throughout the roster. Osman's four-point night earned him Player of the Match honors, while Shanahan contributed three points. U19 players Ford and Rose impressed with crucial assists. Defenseman Stefan Joseph's solid performance earned him the team's Cowboy Hat award.

The victory lifts Cardiff to 4th in the table, and they now sit just one win away from overtaking the Invicta Mustangs for 3rd place. Crucially, the Canucks hold two games in hand over Invicta as they continue their push toward the top of the standings.

The team now enjoys a well-earned two-week break before traveling to Lee Valley on January 24th. The Canucks will look to carry this momentum and resilience into the second half of the season.