The Sudbury Nickel Capital Wolves and Nickel City Sons might have both been eliminated from the Great North Midget League playoffs over the weekend, but that doesn't mean there are not still a handful of local AAA teams alive and kicking in the post-season hunt.

In fact, four of these rivals are in the process of waging war on a local basis, as representatives of the Sudbury Minor Hockey Association and Nickel City Hockey Association go head-to-head in a pair of Northern Ontario bantam semifinal showdowns.

The Major Bantam AAA Wolves earned a weekend split in their series with the Major Bantam Sons. Ryan Mooney netted the game-winning goal on a power play during the March 3 afternoon 4-3 win at Centennial Arena in Hanmer.

The Sons had edged the Wolves 3-2 in the series opener Saturday in Coniston, with the teams back in action for games 3 and 4 this coming weekend.

On Sunday, Wolves' forwards Ward Kyle and Anthony Guido traded goals with Sons' snipers Makenzie MacMillan and Broedy Bertrand, sending the teams to the third deadlocked at 2.

Tallies from Guido, his second, and Mooney, provided Sudbury with a 4-2 cushion, but Joel Grandbois replied for Nickel City with under four minutes to play.

The rivals face off again March 9 at 2:30 p.m. and Sunday at 11 a.m. at Carmichael Arena.

In more of a surprise outcome, the Minor Bantam AAA Wolves also managed to halve their series with Nickel City over the weekend, bouncing back from a 7-3 first-game loss to slip past the Sons 3-2 in the second game of the series.

The Sons' Bradley Chenier scored twice in the first game, before being tossed for checking from behind in the third period.

Devon St. Pierre, Ryan Boudreau, Alex Rodrigue, Laliberte and Chokan added one goal apiece. Affiliated call-up Noah Stargratt picked up two goals for the Wolves, while Tanner Webkamigad picked up the single.

In that second game, Sudbury built up a 3-0 lead on the strength of two first-period goals from Jacob Burton and a third-period snipe from Justin Lefrancois.

But Nickel City rallied and scored twice in the final seven minutes, courtesy of Nicholas Chokan and Alex Laliberte.

The Wolves host the Sons on Saturday at 7:15 p.m. and Sunday at 11:15 a.m., at Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex.

Meanwhile, the Sudbury Minor Peewee AAA Wolves gave the fourth-place North Bay Trappers everything they could handle in their opening-round mini-series, despite finishing 11 points back after regular-season play.

North Bay looked every bit the favourite in Game 1, beating Sudbury 6-2. Gage King led the way with a hat trick while Alexander Fowke and Riley Bridge answered with one goal apiece.

The Wolves staved off elimination March 3 in Powassan as Fowke snapped a 2-2 tie, drilling home his second goal of the game with just 51 seconds to play, as Sudbury trimmed North Bay 3-2.

Matti Allen rounded out the attack for the locals.

The underdogs could not complete the upset later Sunday afternoon as the Trappers netted four unanswered goals, battling back from a 3-2 deficit and sending Sudbury to the sidelines with a 6-3 win.

Fowke, Jordan Pincivero and Parker Anderson scored for the Wolves.

Taking to the ice in Peewee AAA action for the first time in almost a month, the Sudbury Major Peewee Wolves kick off their semifinal series against North Bay with a pair of games on the road this weekend.

Coach Michel Brunette and his troops are back in town on March 16 and March 17 for a pair of games at the Carmichael Arena.