Photo Credit Freeze Frame Photos
After opening their final weekend of GNU18HL regular-season play with a dominant 5–0 shutout win over the Cubs in New Liskeard on February 20, the Soo U18 Greyhounds carried that momentum north to Timmins for back-to-back matchups against the Timmins Majors on February 21 and 22. The Greyhounds delivered a pair of strong performances at McIntyre Arena, sweeping the weekend and closing the 2025–2026 regular season in style.
Game one on Saturday, February 21, the Greyhounds struck early in Saturday night’s contest. At 3:13 of the first period, Espen Escasa opened the scoring with his 41st goal of the season, assisted by Hunter Thorkilson and Dreyon Boissoneau, giving Soo a 1–0 lead.
Timmins responded at 8:14, as Hayden Roy tied the game with his 12th of the season, assisted by Gerald Southwind. Soo regained the lead late in the period when Nico Bossio buried his 25th of the season at 17:58, with assists from Frankie Reda and Dreyon Boissoneau, sending the Greyhounds into the intermission up 2–1.
The second period belonged to Soo. At 6:47, Espen Escasa struck again, scoring his 42nd of the season (second of the game), assisted by Makks Demidovich. Just over a minute later, on the power play at 7:54, Frankie Reda added his 10th of the season, with assists from Dreyon Boissoneau and Nico Bossio, extending the lead to 4–1.
Timmins found the back of the net in the third at 5:48, as Zachary Robinson scored his 14th of the season, assisted by Noah Chamberland, but that would be as close as the Majors would get. The Greyhounds held on for the 4–2 victory.
Goaltenders: Soo: Tanner Carriere, Timmins: Rydder O’Quinn
Game two of the weekend in Sunday morning’s finale saw the Majors open the scoring early. At 2:03 of the first period, Kieran Cox netted his 7th of the season, assisted by Jordan Martineau and Wade House-Sam, giving Timmins a brief 1–0 lead.
The Greyhounds answered quickly. At 2:48, Hunter Thorkilson tied the game with his 20th of the season, assisted by Nathan Dupuis and Nico Bossio. Soo then took control, as Espen Escasa scored his 43rd of the season at 5:24, assisted by Hunter Thorkilson and Nico Bossio, followed by another Escasa marker at 13:14—his 44th of the season—with assists from Anthony Spironello and Anthony Carbone.
Before the period ended, Hunter Thorkilson struck again at 15:05, scoring his 21st of the season (second of the game), assisted by Liam Clark and Myka Venneri, sending Soo into the first intermission up 4–1.
The Greyhounds continued to pour it on in the second. At 2:57, Nico Bossio scored his 26th of the season, assisted by Espen Escasa and Frankie Reda. At 10:06, Finlay Escasa added his 17th of the season, with assists from Dreyon Boissoneau and Hunter Thorkilson, pushing the lead to 6–1.
Timmins opened the third-period scoring just 12 seconds in, as Hayden Roy recorded his 13th of the season, assisted by Gerald Southwind. The Greyhounds closed out the scoring on the power play at 18:31, when Dreyon Boissoneau netted his 14th of the season, assisted by Espen Escasa and Makks Demidovich, sealing a 7–2 win and the weekend sweep.
Goaltenders: Soo: Sebastien Brassard, Timmins: Jaret Fenton-Chypyha and Rydder O’Quinn (shared duties)
With the regular season complete, the Greyhounds now turn their focus to the GNU18HL Post Season Tournament, set for March 17–19 in New Liskeard. The tournament champion will earn a berth at the U18 AAA Central Region Championships, hosted by the Markham Waxers from March 30 to April 5, where a regional title and further postseason success will be on the line.
