The Soo Greyhounds delivered a statement performance when it mattered most, overpowering the Brantford 99ers 11–1 on Saturday, April 18th to secure a spot in the semifinals at the 2026 OHF U18AA Championships in Kitchener.
Entering the must-win matchup with a 0-2-1 record, the Greyhounds erupted offensively in their final round-robin game, showcasing depth, speed, and finishing ability from start to finish.
The Greyhounds opened the scoring at 13:40 of the first period, as Tye Turco found the back of the net with assists from Brett Archambault and Logan Herrington. Soo doubled their lead at 10:46 when Brett Archambault scored, set up by Turco and Devon Clarida.
Brantford responded at 9:46, with Cole Schmutz scoring off assists from Noah Bullock and Kayden Gardner to cut the lead to 2–1. However, that would be as close as the game would get. Kyle Crack restored the two-goal cushion at 6:25 with an unassisted marker, giving Soo a 3–1 lead after one.
The Greyhounds took complete control in the second period. Archambault struck again at 6:55 for his second of the game, assisted by Herrington and Turco. Just over a minute later at 5:21, Ashton Edwards extended the lead to 5–1 with helpers from Turco and Crack. Blake Edwards added another at 4:23, scoring his first of the game off an assist from Jaxson Zelonko, making it 6–1 heading into the third.
Soo showed no signs of slowing down in the final frame. Blake Edwards scored his second of the game at 9:29, assisted by Clarida and Ashton Edwards. Less than a minute later at 8:57, Jayden Lumsden added to the tally with assists from Jayden Cranston and Kingston Kellar.
Turco continued his standout performance at 6:37, netting his second goal of the game with assists from Crack and Herrington. Jakson Carroll followed at 4:49, scoring off a feed from Logan Nakani.
Blake Edwards capped off the night in style at 4:24, completing his hat trick with assists from Carroll and Nakani to make it an 11–1 final.
Tanner Carriere earned the win between the pipes for the Greyhounds, while Elliott Maratos took the loss for the 99ers.
With the decisive victory, the Greyhounds punch their ticket to the semifinals, where their opponent will be determined after the final game of round round between the Kitchener Rangers and Burlington Eagles at 7:00 pm on Saturday evening as they continue their pursuit of a championship at the 2026 OHF U18AA Championships.
