Photo Credit: Freeze Frame Photos
After opening the tournament with back-to-back wins, the (2–0) Soo U18 Greyhounds faced their toughest test yet on Thursday evening as they met the also undefeated (2–0) North Bay U18 Trappers in round robin action at the 2026 GNU18HL Playoff Tournament in New Liskeard, Ontario.
The Greyhounds entered the matchup following a 4–1 win over the Sudbury U18 Wolves on Wednesday, March 11th and a narrow 2–1 victory against the Sudbury U16 Wolves earlier in the day on Thursday. Meanwhile, the Trappers were coming off a strong 2–0 shutout victory over the host New Liskeard Cubs on March 12th.
The Greyhounds opened the scoring midway through the first period. At 11:49, Andrew Aikens recorded his first goal of the postseason to give Soo a 1–0 lead, finishing a play set up by Cam Kontulainen.
North Bay answered late in the frame. At 18:38, Scott Szczygiel tied the game 1–1 with his first goal of the playoffs, with assists going to Cedar Montreuil and Kobe Gravelle.
The Trappers took their first lead early in the second period while enjoying a two-man advantage. At 5:27, Cedar Montreuil scored his fourth goal of the postseason on a five-on-three power play to give North Bay a 2–1 edge. Scott Szczygiel picked up the assist.
The Greyhounds responded less than a minute later. At 6:11, Espen Escasa scored his first goal of the playoffs to tie the game 2–2, with assists coming from Finlay Escasa and Nico Bossio.
North Bay regained the lead late in the period. At 19:20, Francis Popkie capitalized from the top of the crease in front of Soo netminder Gavin Zuccato, scoring his second goal of the postseason to make it 3–2. William Fournier and Kobe Gravelle recorded the assists.
Soo once again battled back to even the game in the third period. At 12:39, Espen Escasa scored his second goal of the night and second of the postseason to tie the game 3–3, with Finlay Carlson and Hunter Thorkilson assisting on the play.
The tie was short-lived as North Bay answered just 33 seconds later. At 13:12, Jayson Synnott restored the Trappers’ lead with his second goal of the postseason, assisted by Scott Szczygiel and William Fournier to make it 4–3.
North Bay sealed the win in the final minute. With the Greyhounds pressing and their net empty, Cedar Montreuil scored his second goal of the game and fifth of the postseason at 19:20 to make it 5–3. The empty-net marker was unassisted.
In goal for the Greyhounds, Gavin Zuccato handled the bulk of the work against a persistent Trappers attack, while Carson Ruddy earned the win between the pipes for North Bay.
The Greyhounds will wrap up their GNU18HL Playoff Tournament round robin schedule on March 13th at 12:00 p.m when they face the host New Liskeard Cubs in their final preliminary game.
