Chalk up bragging rights for both the Horizon Aigles and the St Charles College Cardinals, just weeks apart, as the battle at the top of the SDSSAA Boys Hockey League continued both locally and on the road.

The Aigles have closed off the first half of the 2022-2023 schedule with an unblemished record of 11-0-0, a winning streak that included key victories over both the Cardinals (4-1 on November 30th) and the Collège Notre-Dame Alouettes (3-0 on December 6th) only a week apart.

Yves Doiron scored twice to lead Horizon past SCC, with Kyle Perreault and Mark Smith adding solo tallies, while only Jacob Hayes was able to solve Aigles' goalie Aaron Wright.

Wright was right back at it against CND, holding the Als at bay while getting offensive support from Justin Barriault, Mathieu Guillet and Ryan Noel as Horizon opened up a three-point lead over both SCC and CDN, both at 9-1-1.

That said, it would be the Aigles and the Cardinals making their way to the final of the St Michaels Mustangs Boys Hockey Tournament in Niagara Falls a little over a week ago, with Horizon holding a 1-0 lead after two periods of play in the gold medal affair.

A strike by tournament MVP Ethan Morris pulled St Charles even with nine minutes to play, with Cooper Molyneaux pushing the scarlet and grey over the top some five minutes later. Easton Stanley sealed the win with an empty-net goal.

The Niagara event provided a solid test for both of the SDSSAA contenders, with St Charles picking up wins over Greater Fort Erie Secondary School (6-0 - Hayden Myre (2G); Parker Tardif (1G/2A)), Crestwood Secondary School from Peterborough (5-2 - Ethan Morris (2G/2A)) and the St Edward Eagles from Ohio (4-2 - Joseph Gouchie outstanding in net), but falling 3-2 to the host Mustangs.

In the semi-finals, goaltender Carter MacDonald recorded the shutout in a 2-0 win over St Michaels, with Hayden Myre and Ethan Morris handling the scoring.

As for Horizon, the Aigles would eliminate Notre Dame Catholic Secondary School from Burlington in the quarter-finals (6-3) and go to a shootout to dispose of Frank Hayden High, also from Burlington, in the semis.

Of course, the Aigles had reason to celebrate plenty just a few weeks earlier, laying claim to the title at the North Bay High-School Tournament in early December.

After knocking off the Algonquin Barons (5-3), St Joseph Scollard Hall Bears (6-3) and the Chippewa Raiders (3-1), the Aigles earned a berth in the final.

Aaron Wright would record the shutout as Horizon blanked the Confederation Chargers 4-0, as Justin Barriault earned tournament MVP honours.

Action resumes on Tuesday, January 6th, with St Charles and Horizon next slated to meet up on (Thursday) January 19th at 8:30 p.m. in Copper Cliff as the 12-team SDSSAA loop now splits into two divisions of six.