Good afternoon SSBHL World! 

With the 11th week wrapped up, we now have our champion match determined. It was an exciting week with some intense games with lots of great scoring, Defensive plays, and goaltending! Ill get into the games recap in a bit, but 1st just wanted to remind everyone that Finals are this week at 10am! We will be grilling some excellent food! so please even if your team didn't make it in, I would love to see a great turnout This Sunday! Only $5 bucks if you wanna eay any of the food, wont go to me but whoever supplies the food which i think will be Gianni, Ruzzo, and Ronnie. So maybe throw a couple of bucks towards them! We also will have the awards handed out so you may have won an award! so show up and see what happens! Karri Cookson WIll also be bringing some homemade sweets! Please be sure to thank her as this is wildly kind of her! maybe show up to her Bakery and give some support for our local business Owner Karri! In case you need the name its Sweetness And Honey Bakery, Located in Foxborough MA 02035!

With all that now said, Lets do some recap

Game #1 Hooligans (1st seed) Vs Stone Hands (4th seed) 

Playoff Semi-Final Recap (1st Period): Hooligans (1st Seed) vs. Stone Hands (4th Seed)
Winner Takes All Showdown – 1st Period Fireworks

The semi-final playoff clash between the top-seeded Hooligans and the underdog Stone Hands kicked off with intensity and playoff grit, delivering a back-and-forth first period that set the tone for a thrilling contest.

The Hooligans came out flying, drawing first blood early in the frame. Captain B-Mack got things going with a hard shot that bounced off Manny’s chest protector, but he stayed with the play and pounced on the rebound. With quick vision, B-Mack dished a perfect feed to the high slot where Ryan Gurly was waiting. Gurly wound up and unleashed a blistering slap shot that beat Manny clean, giving the Hooligans a 1-0 lead.

Moments later, the Hooligans doubled their lead. After a scramble in front, Cam Mackenzie found a loose ball and calmly slid it to J-Mac, who was stationed between the dots. J-Mac made no mistake, snapping a wrister top shelf to make it 2-0, and the first seed looked in full control.

But the Stone Hands weren’t going down quietly.

Aidan Lovett turned the momentum with a dazzling solo effort, slicing through defenders B-Mack and Buck with a slick deke before wiring a wrist shot past the glove side to cut the deficit in half.

Lovett wasn't done. With time winding down in the period, Matt Connolly chipped a dump-in that Lovett tracked down with speed. From a sharp angle, he snuck one five-hole on the surprised keeper, knotting the game at 2-2.

After one period of high-tempo, hard-hitting playoff hockey, this do-or-die matchup is all tied up at 2-2. The crowd is on edge, and with the stakes this high, the next two periods promise to be electric.

Playoff Semi-Final Recap (2nd Period): Hooligans vs. Stone Hands
Momentum Swings and Magic — Hooligans Lead 5-4 After Two

The second period of this semi-final showdown picked up right where the first left off — fast, furious, and full of fireworks. With the game tied 2-2, both teams came out with urgency, trading goals in a thrilling stretch that kept fans on the edge of their seats.

The Hooligans struck first in the middle frame, reclaiming the lead thanks to their leader once again. Captain B-Mack found the net with a clean finish off a slick feed from J-Mac, giving the top seed a 3-2 advantage and firing up their bench.

But the Stone Hands responded with grit. On a crucial power play opportunity, they capitalized. Captain Steve Wilde showed veteran awareness, crashing the net and banging in a rebound from close range to tie the game at 3-3.

That tie didn’t last long.

Just a minute later, Michael Ashe made a highlight-reel play. With the goalie caught out of position behind the net, Ashe fired a sharp-angled wrist shot that somehow banked in off the goalie and trickled across the line — an unbelievable goal to put the Hooligans back on top, 4-3.

Then came the dagger — or so it seemed.

Right off the ensuing faceoff, Captain B-Mack won the draw cleanly back to Ritz, who let a bomb go from his own blue line. The slap shot screamed through a sea of players and found twine, stunning the Stone Hands and giving the Hooligans a two-goal cushion at 5-3.

But the Stone Hands refused to fold.

With under two minutes to play in the period, Steve Wilde sprung Aidan Lovett with a gorgeous breakout pass. Lovett, who had already lit the lamp twice, was in alone and made no mistake, finishing a beautiful breakaway to complete his hat trick and pull his team back within one at 5-4.

As the horn sounded to end the second, the Hooligans held a slim 5-4 lead — but with both teams trading blows and captains leading by example, this one is shaping up to go down to the wire. Buckle up for the third.

Playoff Semi-Final Recap (3rd Period): Hooligans vs. Stone Hands
Final Score: Hooligans 7 – Stone Hands 5
B-Mack Leads the Charge as Hooligans Punch Ticket to the Finals

The third and final period of this playoff slugfest brought drama, desperation, and a captain’s performance for the ages. With just one period left to decide who would move on to the championship, both teams emptied the tank — but it was the Hooligans who stood tall in the end.

The period began with Captain B-Mack once again putting his stamp on the game. Charging through the Stone Hands defense, he appeared poised to take the shot himself, but with sharp awareness and selflessness, he dropped a perfect pass back to his brother and linemate J-Mac, who buried the one-timer with ease. The lead grew to 6-4, and the Hooligans looked in control.

But the Stone Hands weren’t done yet.

With just under two minutes left and their season on the line, the Stone Hands mounted one final push. Once again, it was Aidan Lovett, the offensive hero all game, who delivered. Off a crisp feed from Matt Connolly near the right faceoff dot, Lovett unleashed a wicked wrister that beat Panda, the Hooligans’ goalie, high glove side. The score narrowed to 6-5, and the comeback hopes were alive.

Desperate, the Stone Hands pulled their goalie for the extra attacker and poured on the pressure. They fired everything they had toward the net, but Panda stood tall between the pipes, turning away each chance with poise.

With the clock ticking under 30 seconds, a loose ball squirted free, and who else but B-Mack chased it down. Hustling past defenders, he sealed the game with an empty-net goal, his third point of the period, and closed the door on the Stone Hands’ valiant effort.

Final: Hooligans 7 – Stone Hands 5

The Hooligans, led by a monster performance from their captain, are heading to the finals. The Stone Hands gave everything they had — especially a four-goal effort from Aidan Lovett — but it just wasn’t enough against the first seed's firepower and leadership. One game remains for the Hooligans… the cup is now within reach.

Game #2 Smokey Joes (2nd seed) Vs Beavers (3rd seed) 

SEMI-FINAL THRILLER: Smokey Joes and Beavers Trade Blows in First Period of Playoff Showdown

In a heated "win or go home" semi-final clash between the 2nd seed Smokey Joes and 3rd seed Beavers, the opening period delivered all the drama fans could ask for—goals, grit, and a few wild bounces to keep everyone on edge.

The Beavers struck first blood, thanks to an unexpected source. Matt Noyes, newly reassigned to defense in a late lineup change, made an immediate impact. Positioned at the point, Noyes received a clean feed from Nick Provenzano, who won a battle off the faceoff dot. Noyes let go of a seemingly harmless wrister, but the deceptive pace and perfect placement fooled Nick Bonofiglio, sneaking past his left pad to open the scoring, 1-0 Beavers.

But the Smokey Joes wouldn’t stay down for long. Their leader, Captain Matt Swan, answered back in emphatic fashion. After a pinpoint stretch pass from veteran blueliner Aaron Gerstel, Swan found himself in a foot race with Beavers defender Steve O’Brien. Swan used his savvy and experience to pull away, then adjusted his angle from the left circle and fired a lethal wrist shot glove side—top shelf, water bottle pop—to tie the game at 1-1.

The Beavers regained the lead in one of the most bizarre goals of the postseason. Another dump-in from Provenzano bounced toward the Smokey Joes' crease. Bonofiglio came out to play it but misread the spin. The ball hit his stick awkwardly, bounced over, and trickled into the net in an awkward, jaw-dropping sequence. 2-1 Beavers on a goal that’ll surely live in blooper reel lore.

Just when it looked like the Beavers would hold their one-goal advantage into the intermission, the Joes capitalized on a late power play. Despite strong defensive coverage and multiple key saves from goalie Dan Harding, fate took a cruel turn. A Matt Swan wrister from the right dot was initially stopped, but a fortuitous bounce off a Beaver defenseman placed the ball perfectly for Thomas Schindler, who made no mistake tapping it in. 2-2.

The first period ends deadlocked, with momentum swinging wildly between two teams unwilling to blink. If this electric opening frame is any indication, the second half promises to be an absolute war.

SECOND PERIOD SHOWS DEFENSIVE GRIT, LATE BEAVERS BREAKAWAY SNATCHES LEAD

The intensity didn’t wane as the semi-final battle rolled into the second period. Both teams dug deep into their defensive arsenals, making scoring chances hard to come by with relentless pressure and impeccable goaltending on full display.

Smokey Joes netminder Nick Bonofiglio and Beavers’ keeper Dan Harding stood tall, turning aside waves of shots and frustrating offensive attempts. The period was defined by blocked shots, timely stick work, and tight positional play that kept the puck away from prime scoring areas.

The Joes earned a power play early in the period, cycling the puck with patience and looking for cracks in the Beavers’ defensive shell. However, the Beavers’ grit shone through as their penalty kill unit, backed by Harding’s clutch saves, smothered every attempt to tie the game.

Late in the period, the Beavers struck a decisive blow. Captain Gianni orchestrated a textbook breakout from behind his own net. Spotting his teammate and top forward Nick Provenzano with some rare open ice, Gianni fired a sharp pass up the boards. Provenzano picked it up cleanly and charged in alone on a breakaway.

In a smooth, calculated move, Provenzano faked a forehand shot before swiftly switching to his backhand, slipping the ball neatly over Bonofiglio’s pad. The Beavers reclaimed the lead, 3-2, sending a clear message heading into the final frame.

With the period ending at 3-2 Beavers, both teams now face a high-stakes third period where every possession could decide who advances to the finals.

THIRD PERIOD DELIVERS NON-STOP GRIT AND DRAMA — SCHINDLER TIES IT UP IN FINAL MINUTE

The final frame of this semi-final playoff thriller was a relentless display of determination, defensive grit, and top-tier goaltending from both sides.

Smokey Joes’ Nick Bonofiglio stood tall with several jaw-dropping glove saves, snatching away blistering slap shots and keeping his team within striking distance. Meanwhile, Beavers’ Dan Harding was equally spectacular, turning away not one but two breakaway attempts from the Joes’ captain, Matt Swan, showcasing why he’s the backbone of the Beavers’ defense.

The period was a back-and-forth battle of sandpaper effort — hard hits, blocked shots, and fierce puck battles dominated the ice. Both teams refused to give an inch, knowing a single goal could decide their fate.

With the clock winding down and the Joes’ season hanging by a thread, defenseman Josh Charmatz forced a critical turnover. He quickly dumped the ball off the boards, where it bounced right to Thomas Schindler. Charging into the zone, Schindler was chased down by the relentless forward Timmy “Moth” Shyshpar.

But Shyshpar’s eagerness worked against him — running a bit too fast, he overshot his mark. Patient and poised, Schindler slipped past, found the perfect shooting lane, and unleashed a precise wrist shot from the slot. The puck sneaked by Harding’s blocker side, sending the net bulging and the Smokey Joes faithful into a frenzy.

3-3 with just one minute remaining — a stunning tie that set the stage for a heart-stopping finish and an electrifying conclusion to this fierce playoff duel.

OVERTIME CONTROVERSY: SMOKEY JOES EDGE BEAVERS IN DRAMATIC FINISH TO ADVANCE TO THE FINALS

Sudden death. Winner goes to the finals. Loser goes home. That was the stage set as the Smokey Joes and Beavers entered overtime tied at 3-3 after three hard-fought periods of playoff warfare.

Momentum was clearly in the Smokey Joes’ favor following their dramatic game-tying goal in the dying minute of regulation. From the drop of the puck in OT, they came out flying. Shift after shift, the Joes peppered Dan Harding with shots, hemming the Beavers deep in their own zone. The Beavers’ defense, visibly worn down, showed remarkable resolve — blocking shots, clearing loose balls, and giving everything they had left.

Harding stood on his head, turning away scoring chances with glove saves, pad stacks, and pure desperation. The Beavers bent, bent, and bent — but they refused to break.

Until they did.

The game’s decisive moment came off a cycle on the right side, where Joes defenseman Josh Charmatz chipped a soft pass across the slot to Captain Matt Swan. In one fluid motion, Swan spun and fired a blistering shot. The ball clanged off the right post, skidded across the goal line, struck the left post, and appeared to roll between Harding’s pads.

The officials immediately signaled goal — the Joes erupted in celebration as the Beavers protested in disbelief.

Postgame video footage would reveal the cruel twist: the ball never fully crossed the goal line. But in ball hockey, without the benefit of in-game video review, the call stood. Final score: 4-3 Smokey Joes (OT).

It was a heartbreaker for the Beavers, whose gritty performance and valiant effort came up just short — not from a lack of heart, or effort. 

The Smokey Joes now advance to the Finals, where they’ll clash with the top-seeded Hooligans in what’s sure to be another war on the rink.

As for the Beavers, their season ends not with a whimper, but with the fight of a team that left it all out there — and deserved a better ending.

Playoff Stats (Top 5)

Brendan Mackenzie (B-Mack): 2 Goals / 3 assists / 5 Points

Aiden Lovett: 4 Goals / 4 Points

Matt Swan: 1 Goal / 2 Assists / 3 Points

Nick Provenzano: 2 Goals / 1 Assist 3 Points

Thomas Schindler: 2 Goals / 2 Points

upcoming Finals Matchup

(1) Hooligans Vs (2) Smokey Joes 10am Marshfield Key Matchup: B-mack Vs Matt Swan

Bmack will look to aquire his 1st cup in his SSBHL carrer, while Matt Swan looks to add to his riches with 4 rinks alrady, hunting for his 5th. This match will be the battle of the ages! 

-Dan H