In the much anticipated rematch of last season’s MAPHL championship game, the #2-ranked Gonzaga Eagles, led by Connor Tait’s hat trick, got the best of the #10-ranked Landon Bears, 5-2, in front of a raucous crowd at Rockville Ice Arena on Friday night.

Gonzaga’s Ian Kilcullen opened the scoring with a goal at 15:21 of the first period with an assist from Luca Docking. The Eagles picked up right where they left off when Cole Vallese fed Tait for his first goal of the game 35 seconds into the second period.

The Bears got to within one goal 3:51 into the second period when Spencer Davis scored on the power play. Nico Kenary picked up the only assist. Gonzaga regained the two-goal lead at 9:53 of the second as Docking and Matthew Massaro assisted on a goal by Jack Massey.

Tait completed his hat trick with two goals in the third period, including his third of game with only 22 seconds left in the final period and just after the Eagles had killed off a nearly two-minute, five-on-three advantage for the Bears.

Sandwiched between Tait’s goals in the third period, Kenary struck for Landon, giving the Bears a short-lived boost.

The teams combined for 63 shots on goal. Gonzaga put 32 shots on goal with Landon’s Ty Morton making 27 saves. The Eagles’ Dominic Basse faced 31 shots and made 29 saves.