🏒 11th Week Fall 2025 SSBHL – Semi-Final Rounds Recap

Good afternoon SSBHL Family!

We are officially through the first round of playoffs! We certainly had no shortage of surprises. Underdog team success stories and unexpected heroes have already risen. What the Finals will have in store for us should be wildly interesting! Let’s waste no time and jump right on in.

🏆 Game Results – Semi-Finals

Mustangs vs. Smokey Joes

Final: Smokey Joes 5–2 Mustangs

All season long, the Mustangs’ name has been synonymous with high offensive pressure, goals scored in droves, and stingy, smart defensive play. With a record of 9-0-1 and a goal differential of +43 (80 goals scored throughout the season), it seemed they were a shoe-in for the Finals.

They faced the Smokey Joes, who limped their way into the playoff picture with a 4-5-1 record and a goal differential of –6. Everything on paper pointed to a mismatch. However, hockey is played by humans with emotion, not by numbers — and the story of this matchup would go down in SSBHL history.

Starting out in the 1st, the Joes came flying out of the gate, sprinting down every loose ball. The effort was evident from the start as the Joes got on the board early, scoring off a missed shot with the rebound crashed in by Forward Bronson, who fed a behind-the-net pass to Ryan “Dragon” Doherty, potting home the first goal.

The Mustangs fought back later in the period with a grinding goal in front, fed by Captain J-Mac to Higgy, tying the game at 1–1. Not long after, when the Mustangs dumped the ball into the Joes’ zone, Defensive Player Kerri Cookson fed a pass up to Captain Matt Swan, who was given a clean look from the point and slapped it home past the glove side to reclaim the lead 2–1.

With only 30 seconds left on the clock, Defensive Player Connolly of the Mustangs tried to feed a pass to his linemate Aiden but missed the mark. The ball ended up back in the Mustangs’ offensive zone right onto Bronson’s stick in the slot, uncontested. He turned around and fired a slap shot blocker-side to increase the lead to 3–1 Joes.

It was an unexpected 1st period for the Mustangs, who had rarely trailed in a game all season long. They were now down by 2 heading into the second period.

To start the 2nd, we saw a tightly contested frame with intense defensive play by the Joes, who clogged the slot all game long and forced only perimeter shots that goaltender Andy Godfrey handled with ease. Eventually, there was a small crack in the armor when Defensive Player Matt Connolly of the Mustangs took a feed from Aiden and buried a backhand goal to narrow the gap to 3–2.

Aside from that, the Joes’ defense continued to hold strong, carrying their 3–2 lead into the 3rd, where both teams played for all the marbles.

Starting the 3rd, the Mustangs came out with good energy and at one point appeared to have a goal lined up to tie the game, only to be denied by a miraculous blocker-side save from Godfrey — a moment that would spell doom for the Mustangs.

After that high-danger chance, the Joes’ defensive play became a wall of frustration for the league’s best offensive team. The Mustangs continued to have shots blocked, open nets missed, and opportunities lost to suffocating defensive play from the Joes’ top guys.

Late in the 3rd, with only four minutes left, the Joes out-hustled the Mustangs to a loose ball in the Mustangs’ zone. Ryan got a breakaway chance and was stopped on the first try by Keeper Harding, but the rebound couldn’t be contained. Ryan collected it, composed himself, and ripped home the dagger — effectively ending the Mustangs’ season.

The Joes added one more empty-net goal to cap off the largest upset in SSBHL history.

➡️ Final: Smokey Joes 5–2 Mustangs
The Joes move on to the Finals.

Stone Hands vs. Stick Figures

Final: Stone Hands 4–3 Stick Figures

In a high-drama, close battle, we had a matchup of Sticks and Stones — and it was an instant classic featuring stellar goaltending on both ends and even play from both squads.

Starting out in the 1st period, the Stick Figures came out as the stronger squad, scoring quickly off a backhand shot in front from Forward Thomas, assisted by Defensive Player Dan Gately, to start off the game 1–0.

Not long after, the Stone Hands pressed hard as Forward Dan Campbell fed a cross-crease pass over to Captain Steve Wilde, who appeared to have an open net — only to be denied at the last second by the goalie stick of Brad Wall, making an incredible save.

Around the 8-minute mark of the 1st, the Sticks struck again, with Thomas feeding Dan Gately, who fired a wicked wrister to increase the lead to 2–0. The Stick Figures looked in complete control.

However, the Stone Hands began finding holes in the Sticks’ defensive play. Kyle Cookson carried the ball into the zone, found Forward Howie wide open in the slot, and Howie patiently waited until the goalie opened the five-hole before slipping a quick wrist shot home to narrow the lead to 2–1.

About two minutes later, Dan Campbell took a shot in front that was blocked by a Stick Figures defender. Steve Wilde of the Stone Hands smartly picked up the loose change and banked a shot off the keeper from a sharp angle, finding a way to tie the game 2–2.

With momentum now shifted in favor of the Stone Hands, and nearing the late stages of the 1st, Defenseman Dan Gately of the Sticks turned over the ball in front to Defensive Player Gianni of the Stone Hands, who flicked a quick wrist shot that was denied by Keeper Wall. However, the relentless Steve Wilde corralled the rebound, found Gianni wide open point-blank, and Gianni buried a one-timer wrist shot to take the lead 3–2 with only 13 seconds left in the 1st.

Starting the 2nd period, both teams struggled to generate offense as the goalies and defenses stood tall, battling for every inch of open space. Eventually, the Stone Hands created a small opening as Forward Howie once again found a soft spot in the Sticks’ defensive scheme and potted a wrist shot fed from Defensive Player Kinger, extending the lead to 4–2.

Near the end of the 2nd, goaltender Jake Deehan was stellar, facing a barrage of shots from different angles. At one point, he made a point-blank one-timer save, only for the rebound to find an open Dan Gately, who fired again — but Jake flashed the glove, getting just enough to keep it out. The intense push by the Sticks was thwarted by Jake and the Stones’ defense.

Entering the 3rd period, we saw much of the same: solid goaltending on both ends, tight defensive play, and little scoring. However, late in the 3rd with about four and a half minutes left, the Stick Figures finally got back on the board with another goal from Thomas, narrowing the gap to 4–3. It was now a one-goal game.

With time winding down, the Sticks pulled their goalie and threw everything they had left at the Stone Hands, but it wasn’t enough. As the clock struck 0:00, the Cinderella story of the Stick Figures came to an end — and the Stone Hands advanced to the Finals.

➡️ Final: Stone Hands 4–3 Stick Figures
The Stone Hands advance to the Finals.

Playoff Picture...

🏆 Finals Matchup

Sunday, November 9, 2025 – 10:00 AM
Smokey Joes at Stone Hands
Key Matchup: Andy vs. Jake

Rather than do a Top Players of the Week, I’ll wait until the Finals are over and release a Top Playoff Performers Recap Overall — so stay tuned for that.

Thank you!
— Dan H