It is only fitting that the deciding game of the Lo-Ellen Park Knights - St Charles College Cardinals SDSSAA Boys hockey final should require overtime.

And after a few cracks at the title that saw them fall just short, the Knights managed to prevail this time around - and do so in dramatic fashion as captain Lincoln Lachance buried the series-winning goal on a short-handed breakaway with the teams playing four (SCC) on three (LEP).

Taking the series three games to one, Lo-Ellen set the tone early, jumping out to a 3-0 first period lead on goals from Nicho Labrecque, with a pair, and Noah Lafrance.

Ashton Pitawanakwat got one back for the Cards before the end of the first and Vincent Gilbert made it a one goal game with the only tally of period two.

A five on three in the final two minutes of regulation time opened the door for St Charles as Reegan Billard knotted the contest at three, with SCC still on the PP to begin the overtime session.

Standing tall from start to finish of this series was Lo-Ellen netminder William Ford, a 17 year-old grade 12 senior in his third year with the team. At least as interesting is the fact that Ford has played almost exclusively house-league hockey over the years - and yet still found a way to earn Playoff MVP honours in a league that is home to a good number of former "AA" and "AAA" players.

"I remember my first tournament with the high-school team," Ford recalled. "Before that, I was a little shaky, thinking I had to prove myself just because of my background, not having the same experience as (goaltending partner) McKinley (Sobush).

A game against a powerful St Thomas More side changed everything.

"I really pulled through and showed myself well against a very solid team," said Ford. In fact, it wasn't so much that his play changed - but more the fact that the talent which has always been there was now getting a chance to shine.

"I felt that my reactionary skills and my hand-eye coordination were really solid from the start, so I had a good base to work with."

Even in the most stressful of moments, William Ford could draw on prior opportunities where he had more than risen to the challenge at hand.

"In my first year with the team, we went to overtime in four of our five games," said Ford, who was between the pipes in games one and five in 2024. "I had a relative idea of what I could look for based on the past couple of years of experience - and I trusted my guys."

Lo-Ellen will head to Sault Ste Marie on Sunday, with NOSSA playdowns set to begin on Monday (March 9th).

Earlier in the series, the SDSSAA Individual Awards were doled out, with recipients as follows:

Division 1 - Awards
League MVP: Hudson Goulet (Horizon)
Leading Scorer: Jackson Noble (St Charles College)
Best Defenceman: Matthew Trottier (Lo-Ellen Park)
Most Sportsmanlike Player: Liam Judd (St Charles College)
Best Goaltender: William Ford (Lo-Ellen Park)
Lowest Goals Against Average: Rowan McCann & Kesler Koosees (St Charles College)
Least Penalized Team: St. Charles College
Coaches of the Year: Bishop Carter - Nick Brouillard, Nick Rivais, Logan Comber, Judey Roberts

Division 2 - Awards
League MVP: Ryder Coe (Lockerby Composite)
Best Defenceman: Maks Beljo (Lockerby Composite)
Best Goaltender: Miko Toivenen (Collège Notre Dame)
Most Sportsmanlike Player: Ryder Coe (Lockerby Composite)

Division 2 - All Star Team
Forwards: Jordy Giroux (Confederation), Ryder Coe (Lockerby), Leighton Pelletier (CND)
Defence: Maks Beljo (Lockerby), Cohen Allair (CND)
Goalie: Miko Toivenan (CND)

Division 1 - All Star Team
Forwards: Liam Judd (SCC), Jackson Noble (SCC), Hudson Goulet (Horizon)
Defence: Carter Rideout (BAC), Daniel Crossthwaite (SCC)
Goalie: Rowan McCann (SCC)