With triplets Kenna, Kian and Kole Lam all part of the Lo-Ellen Park Lighting novice crew that claimed one of four SPHL (Sudbury Playground Hockey League) Police Cup banners up for grabs Sunday at the Gerry McCrory Sports Complex, one would think that “Special K” might be the breakfast of choice for the gold medal winning team.

Not so, according to Kenna – a 10 year-old third year defenceman with the squad, blessed with a propensity to join the rush.

“A key for our team is to eat bagels,” Lam blurted with a smile, not all that long after the Lightning posted a 4-1 win over the Algonquin Hawks. “Whenever we eat bagels, it gives us power – and we always seem to win. I like my bagels with cream cheese but my brothers like it with peanut butter.”

The Lam triplets definitely had some jump in this encounter as Kole Lam scored twice, with Kian Lam and Anthony Lupini rounding out the offense. Jaxson Nault countered with the only goal of the game for Algonquin.

The blueliner within the Lam troika has really taken to the sport since jumping aboard in time for the 2023-2024 SPHL season. “I just love to play,” said the 5th grader at Hélène-Gravel. “It’s a team sport, so I get to cheer on my teammates – and I love scoring. I am a defenseman, but I still score goals.”

While she did not bulge the twine in this particular contest, Kenna Lam had no trouble recalling a memorable recent goal – one which it appears came about largely due to her focus on the game at hand.

“For my last goal, the goalie thought he had it (the puck) in his trapper, but it was right beside him – and he didn’t know,” Lam explained. “I saw it but no one else did so I took it and I scored. Everyone thought that he had it covered.”

The two games that followed the novice final were drama-filled affairs, the tournament coming to a close only after the Westmount Wolverines scored with just 28 seconds to play to snatch a 4-3 win in the senior final away from Kivi Park.

Ben Managhan netted a pair of markers for the winners, joined on the scoresheet by Cameron Young and Parker Dutrisac while Lukas Ng, Ellis Carlyle and Nicholas Morin answered in a losing cause.

While Managhan is a life-long SPHLer, all of his experience prior to this year has been with the Lo-Ellen Park Lightning. But in an effort to equalize talent distribution throughout the division that sees players graduating from the playground rinks, he and a small handful of teammates would make their way over to Westmount – with the desire effect achieved, it would seem.

“So far, I’ve noticed the teams have actually been a lot more even – especially during the Police Cup,” said Managhan, a 16 year-old grade 11 student at Lockerby Composite who has also partaken in both gymnastics and volleyball as well over the year.

“I’ve noticed that the games have been a lot closer. There’s no real outlier team – and everyone is having a lot of fun.”

Given the turnover in rosters this year, it only stands to reason that a tournament that sees a handful of games condensed into a single weekend would create an environment where team bonding can occur – something that did not go unnoticed for Managhan.

“The Police Cup is a great way to get to know our teammates and come together and really work hard for a certain goal.”

The payoff would come in the third period of the final for Westmount, who scored three times, incuding sniping the game-winning goal in the final minute of play, thanks in part to the chemistry that had developed.

“We had some great passing this game,” said Managhan. “Those last three goals were team goals, completely. There were so many things that different players contributed to get that final goal.”

For as much as it’s always nice to come out on the winning side of a tooth and nail battle, Managhan had no issue stepping back to take in the big picture that the SPHL has to offer.

“I really like the whole aspect that it’s a more chilled-out version of hockey,” he said. “The sportsmanship is great – and I really like seeing new players coming in.”

Rounding out the Lo-Ellen Park roster are Matthew Bisaillon, Grace Chen, Conor Léveillé, Jaydon Sun, Josh Stacknik, Brayden Watson, Cruz Tyson, Gage Tyson, Zack Leger-Lefebvre and Everett Lupini.

The day started nicely for Lo-Ellen as the Lightning tykes bounced Westmount 7-2, with a hat trick fom Michael Skakoon showing the way. Arthur Taylor, Leonardo Rocca, Abbey Taylor and Rory Pitawanakwat also found the back of the net for LEP, with Blake Simon and Easton Martin doing likewise for the Wolverines.

Finally, the junior final would be decided in a shootout after strikes from Ibrahima Dia (1st period for Cedar Park Red Wings) and Austin Bailey (2nd period for Algonquin Hawks) saw the matchup heading to overtime knotted at 1-1.

No overtime scoring, which meant a shootout was required, with Callum Duncan and Kurtis Benoit converting for Cedar Park, just enough to offset an Algonquin tally from Liam Rochon.

The SPHL were not the only local minor hockey association hosting tournament play this past weekend. Late Sunday afternoon, the WMHA Winter Classic wrapped up with an all hometown U18 final as Walden Futurescape edged Walden All-Mac Tree Service 3-2 on the strength of a pair goals from Riley Kirwan and a solo tally from Jackson Bentley.

Brayden Gerrior and Max Landry tallied for the runner-up squad. The U16 final was also a one goal affair as Walden Futurescape edged the Capreol Hawks 2-1, with Dean Vildis and Kamden Tario providing just enough offense to offset a first period ice-breaker from Liam Roberts.

The U15 Walden Major Drilling kids were in shutdown mode from start to finish, posting a 3-0 whitewashing of Valley East Kore Havoc as Jeffrey Cheechoo, Carter MacLennan and Cooper Hayes all lit the lamp.

A similar story for Walden Matt’s Plumbing as Jaxon Armstrong and Keewhetn Cheechoo lifted the WMHA reps to a 2-0 triumph over the Sudbury U13 Blaze. In the only final that did not feature WMHA representation, the Onaping Falls Huskies doubled the Rayside-Balfour Wildcats 4-2 in the U11 showdown.

C.J. Cunningham (2), Hudson Tylko and William Legault scored for the Huskies, with Hudson Dubois netting both goals for the Cats.