With high-school hockey playoffs set to commence next week, it's getting down to crunch time in both divisions of SDSSAA boys play.
The St Charles College Cardinals and Lo-Ellen Park Knights appear to be on a collision course to possibly offer a sequel to one of the most memorable Division I finals in league history last year.
Both teams recorded victories Monday night at Carmichael Arena, with the tandem now ten points clear of the third place Confederation Chargers.
Things are definitely more tightly bunch in the Division II ranks as the Lockerby Vikings racked up a key 5-4 win over the first place Bishop Carter Gators, also on Monday.
At Carmichael, the Cards improved to 14-0-0 in the opening encounter, jumping out to a 4-0 lead and cruising to a 6-0 whitewashing of the St Benedict Bears (6-6-2).
Daniel Crossthwaite scored three times to lead St Charles, with Keynan Kydd, Hayden Myre and Carter Danyluk chipping in with solo tallies while Rowan McCann registered the shutout.
The nightcap also featured a quick start for the favourites as Lo-Ellen (13-2-0) were up 3-0 by the end of the first period, doubling the Horizon Aigles (6-4-3) 4-2 to remain comfortably in second place.
A pair of goals from Corey Lacroix got the Knights off and running, with Ethan Burton and Riley Graffi adding one marker apiece with Karsen Deschenes and Nolan Schwiewek answering in a losing cause for Horizon.
Lo-Ellen bounced Horizon 8-2 back at the end of November but shot themselves in the foot, a little, in terms of giving themselves more breathing room in this latest affair.
"It's mainly about staying disciplined and staying out of the box," noted Ty Campeau after the game, the 17 year-old defenceman now in his second year with the team. "As you can see tonight, we probably had about 30 penalty minutes."
"That's what kept them in the game," added the grade 12 senior who played one year of "AAA" hockey and a bunch of "AA" campaigns with the Copper Cliff Reds. "Last time we played them, we stayed out of the box and we had them by seven or so."
"If we stay disciplined, I think we have a pretty good chance of taking it this year."
Last February, the Knights came awfully close - and for as much as a game five loss in a shootout was a heartbreaker for Campeau and company, the experience itself was clearly one that he will always remember.
"I've never played in anything like that," beamed Campeau. "It was a great series and a lot of fun. The only regret is that it was decided in a shootout. That takes away from the team aspect of hockey, I think."
"But other than that, it was so much fun."
Perhaps it will be the Division II pool that will offer the drama this post-season.
A goal by Ryder Coe with under four minutes to play pulled Lockerby (4-8-1) to within two points of Bishop Carter (5-7-1), with the Lively Hawks squeezed in between the two at 3-6-4 (10 pts) as all Division II teams carry their first half full round robin records with them into the second half-season of play.
Evan Hulisz enjoyed a two-goal performance to lead the Vikes as Elliot Lees and Masa Innis joined their teammate on the scoresheet while Lucas Lessard, Connor Therrien, Isaac Jeanveau and Jack Landry handled the offense for the Gators.
Action this week includes a pair of games Wednesday and Thursday with a Saturday night double-header at the George Armstrong Community Centre & Arena wrapping up regular season play.
