Goals by Gregory Trudeau-Paquet and Jacob Leore 38 seconds apart early in period three broke open a 2-2 tie and propelled the Ball Hogs to the 2025 Greater Sudbury Ball Hockey League title, doubling the Flying Elbows 4-2 in Division A play Monday at the Carmichael Arena.
Earlier in the contest, Ryan Liinamaa & Oliver Smith (Ball Hogs) had traded snipes with Noah Schiewek & Karsen Deschenes as game two of the best of three final remained tight from start to finish.
"You've got to give them a lot of credit; they're a really good team," noted Smith, a former captain of the Greater Sudbury Cubs who was playing in the summer league for the first time this year.
"They run hard and close really fast, so it feels like you don't have any time with the ball."
The series was an interesting contrast in style, with the Elbows, who upset two-time defending champion Zambronis in the semis clearly less experienced but loaded with an abundance of youthful energy while the Ball Hogs featured a number of league stalwarts who understand the move from ice hockey to pavement exceptionally well.
"I find that I am not the fastest runner but I can take away little tricks from ice hockey," said Smith, the third leading scorer in the NOJHL in 2023-2024 with more than 100 points to his credit.
"I know the guys I am playing with which makes it easier to make plays and stuff. I find that you can kind of separate from people a little quicker here. Ice hockey is less lateral; there's more turns."
"This is a little more like football where you can fake someone out (juke them) and get a fast break around the net."
And for as much as on-ice skill does not guarantee stardom in this variation of the game, there is something to be said for the lessons learned at higher levels of hockey.
"There's still jostling along the boards so if you can put your back into a guy and protect the ball, that goes a long way too," said Smith. "Billy Moskal (London Knights / University of Toronto Blues) is really good at that - and he's the same way in ice hockey."
"Just because there is no body checking doesn't mean there is no physical play."
Rounding out the Ball Hogs championship roster are Ryan Allick, Matthew Bell, Parker Camirand, Ryan Mooney, Riley Lavallee, Tom Crowther, Cameron Lizotte, Tanner Webkamigad, Marc-André Quevillon, Calvin McAnish and goaltender Frank Vizza.
The Division "B" final will go to a third and deciding game after the Knuckle Ducks bounced back from a lopsided game on loss to rout the Misfits 6-0 in game two.
A very balanced attack for the Ducks would see J-P Prevost, Richard Savard, Steph Frappier, Dennis Hurley, Josh Piché and Troy Teddy all find the back of the net on Monday, with Daanish Haq registering the shutout between the pipes.
Game three is set for Wednesday evening (August 13th) at 7:00 p.m. at Carmichael.
