Cavalry FC’s inaugural CPL regular season might stand the test of time as the greatest the league has ever seen. Through 28 combined games between the Spring and Fall seasons, they collected 19 wins and 62 points, both league records. Cavalry scored 51 goals and conceded just 19 — no team has ever scored more or conceded fewer.

The lasting image from that first CPL season, however, will be Forge’s ‘forever first’ moment, lifting the trophy on Cavalry’s ATCO Field pitch after winning the 2019 CPL Finals.

The next year, at the Island Games, Cavalry again topped the table during the first round. When they reached the Group Stage, which served as the qualifier for the 2020 Final, however, they were eliminated by a 1-0 loss to Forge in their final match of the round. Forge would go on to lift the shield again that year.

Year three saw a controversial loss to Pacific FC, and the establishment of the mantra ‘play to the whistle’ after the Tridents’ extra-time winner which may have crossed the end line. When that final whistle did blow on their season the next year, however, it was again Forge who were celebrating, having defeated Cavalry in the semifinals. Once again, Forge went on to win what would be their third title.

So in year five, despite the best regular season record in CPL history, Cavalry FC are still looking for not only their first postseason victory against Forge, but first playoff-round victory in general. Tommy Wheeldon Jr. has often referred to his side as the ‘contenders’ and Forge as the ‘holders’ any time they play a major match.

Unsurprisingly, Cavalry’s road to the 2023 CPL Final goes once again through the holders, who they host in the historic inaugural 1st vs. 2nd match in the league’s new playoff format. The two sides face off for the 25th time in all competitions on Saturday, Oct. 14 (3 p.m. MT/5 p.m. ET).

Given how this season has gone, however, this is a challenge that this Cavalry group will embrace. After lifting their first ever trophy they will be motivated to follow that up with another first and finally overcome Forge in the playoffs. Win that, and they would host the final at ATCO Field.

This year feels like their best chance to finally beat Forge when it matters. It is the only time over a full 28-match CPL season that one side has gone undefeated against the other, as Cavalry did against Forge this year with three draws and an emphatic 3-0 victory in the most recent meeting at ATCO Field. That was the first time they have defeated their Hamilton rivals by more than a single goal in a match.

Despite Forge finishing second in the table, Cavalry had a stunning 13 more points and five more victories this season. Cavalry scored seven more goals, and conceded five fewer, and haven’t lost in over two months. They could also potentially get two cracks at beating Forge, as should they lose on Saturday, they will host the winner of Pacific and Halifax in a match that would qualify them for the final if they win, albeit one that would be played in Hamilton.

As Cavalry have learned far too many times, however, playoffs are a completely clean slate, and Forge will be heavily motivated and confident that they can once again spoil the party in Calgary on Saturday. The Hamilton side’s knockout match experience, and ability to deal with the chaotic moments that such fixtures can throw out, has always given them the edge on Cavalry in elimination matches.

For as monumental of a season as this has been for Cavalry, with the CPL Shield and the Concacaf Champions Cup qualification, it will always feel like a bit of a missed opportunity if they can’t parlay that into a monumental victory over Forge.

“Honestly, we’ve been thinking about that as soon as we secured first place I think, it was about what’s next,” said Cavalry FC goalkeeper Marco Carducci after their regular season finale against Pacific. “As much as we’re enjoying this moment, it obviously means a lot, it’s an incredible achievement for the club and for all of us and again to be able to celebrate with the fans. Now our focus is going to shift really quickly to the playoffs, and hopefully be able to go for the double.”

No team in CPL history has ever topped the league table and then gone on to win the playoffs. Cavalry FC have all the quality to do the historic double, but as always seems to be the case Forge FC stand in their way. Is this finally the year that they well and truly get out from under the Hamilton side’s shadow, and make the lasting image of 2023 a picture of them hoisting a trophy?