Lakers Fall at Home Opener to Brampton Excelsiors 14-13; Peterborough Raises Fourth-Straight Championship Banner

The winless Brampton Excelsiors bested the undefeated Peterborough Century 21 Lakers home opener and banner-raising ceremony before 3,412 fans with a 14-13 win at the Peterborough Memorial Centre on Thursday night.

Captain Robert Hope leads the Peterborough Lakers put during their home opener ceremonies before facing off against the winless Brampton excelsiors. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The Lakers debuted their new-look jerseys at home with more visible names on the back and the letters ‘S.H.’ in the top left corner. The initials are in memory of equipment manager Steve Hynes who passed away peacefully at 72 in Hospice Peterborough last month. He served the team for over a decade prior to his passing.

Brampton was looking to quiet the crowd early as Robert Hudson got the Excelsiors on the board first 6:09 into the game. The visiting team was winning the possession and shots battle and it paid off. With 4:35 left in the period, James Whiteford extended the Brampton lead, 2-0 and kept Peterborough off the board. The winless Excelsiors kept their foot on the gas pedal as 39 seconds later, Carter Zavitz joined in on the scoring to make it 3-0.

Peterborough finally ended the drought as Taite Cattoni scored his first of the game for the Lakers 30 seconds later for a 3-1 game. The defending champions were not done yet. With sustained offensive pressure and good movement, Thomas Hoggarth threw a low shot that made contact with Brampton goalie Lucas Nagy but it squeaked through the five-hole to cut the deficit to one. Mitch Ogilvie threw one from the point to tie the game just nine seconds later to make it a 3-3 tie.

But as quick as the game was tied, it just as quickly became trouble for Peterborough. Seth Vanschepen restored Brampton’s lead. Things got worse for the Lakers as Eric Shewell had a cross-checking penalty that led to a Tanner Thompson goal just 12 seconds left in the period. The Excelsiors were not done yet as they quickly won the faceoff and Josh Medeiros got on the board to restore Brampton’s three-goal lead in the final six seconds of the period. It was 6-3 for the visiting team as the Lakers were off to a rough start in their home opener.  

Josh Currier made his return to the lineup after being unable to play in the playoffs from an injury. He got things kickstarted for the Lakers as he scored from the point 73 seconds into the second period to cut Brampton’s lead to two, 6-4.

The Excelsiors committed a holding the stick penalty but that proved to be ironically worked in favour of Brampton. Thompson dashed across Lakers goalie Drew Hutchinson (who was already having a rough night in net) and beat him low for a shorthanded goal and a 7-4 lead. Just over six minutes later, Thompson struck again on a low shotfor a hat trick to get Brampton pulling away 8-4.

The woes kept coming for the Lakers as 18 seconds later, Hudson got his second of the night, 9-4. Peterborough’s powerplay continued to be counter productive as Hudson on a fast break, scored on a solo mission for the hat trick shorthanded for a 10-4 Brampton lead.

Peterborough finally broke Brampton’s run and capitalized on the powerplay as Holden Cattoni found himself on the score sheet. Holden found back-to-back goals for Peterborough scoring again, making two goals in 50 seconds to round out the second period. Brampton controlled the game with a 10-6 lead.

The Lakers got off on the right foot in the third period as they controlled the offensive attack which led to a Turner Evans goal and cut Brampton’s deficit by three. Brampton quickly countered with a goal from Zavitz and the four-goal lead was restored.

Holden kept Peterborough within striking distance as he capped off a hat trick with his third goal of the game to make it 11-8 for Brampton. Evans got his second goal of the period and game for the Lakers on their next position shooting low and beating Nagy to trail only by two goals with just under 15 minutes left in regulation.

Brampton retaliated once again as Thompson kept the hot hand going, tacking on his fourth goal of the game. Peterborough would not go away yet as Holden received a great pass into the slot and beat Nagy for his own fourth goal of the game. Lucas Ferreira made his way to the score sheet for Brampton as he lasered one from the point, beating Hutchinson to again make it a three-goal lead, 13-10.

Brampton had a fast break going two on two and won the battle with Medeiros getting his second goal of the game, beginning to put it out of reach for Peterborough with a 14-10 lead. Just under three minutes left, Peterborough kept it interesting as Holden struck again, this time on the powerplay for his fifth goal of the game to put the Lakers within three.

Peterborough pulled their goalie but created dangerous chances for Brampton. The Lakers were able to negate two empty net chances and were rewarded with a goal. This time from Holden’s brother Taite to reduce the gap to two with 1:46 left in the game.

Peterborough kept up pressure and got exactly what they needed as Taite struck again for back-to-back goals with 86 seconds left. Peterborough won the draw and went back on the attack again but was stopped by Nagy and the ball was turned over. Hutchinson made the point stop and Peterborough had a chance in the dying half minute of the game.

Peterborough cycled the ball, looking for a lane to shoot, they took it to the middle but bounced wide and time expired as Brampton held on for the 14-13 win.

The Excelsiors get their first win of the season in their fourth game and move to 1-3-0 while the Lakers take their first loss, falling to 2-1-0.

The Lakers hit the road to play the Cobourg Kodiaks for their next game on Sunday night. Opening faceoff is scheduled for 8 p.m.

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Last-Second Invite Yields An OFSAA Silver Medal For Holy Cross Girls' Rugby

The returning-champion A/AA Holy Cross Hurricanes almost successfully defended their title with a last-second invite and earned a silver medal at the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations (OFSAA) Girls Rugby Championships on Wednesday.

Front row (left to right): Audrey McDonald, Audrey stone, Logan jolley, Jenna whynot, Katie Belk, Emma Belk, Olivia gaebel, Jordyn Scott, Macy Harper, Shannon Elliott

Back row (left to right): Jake Fowler, Marielle Collins, Mariah Maybee, Charley Wade, Kassidy buott, Iza Buott, Payton cough, Jordan bankes, Riley Stone, Sophie McLean, ruby Briand, kyrsten white, Chloe ward, alara Rourke, Brian Greer, Chris Paige Photo courtesy of Holy Cross Secondary School.

The Hurricanes originally were not qualified for OFSAA after suffering a defeat at the hands of the Cobourg’s St. Mary Thunder in the Central Ontario Secondary Schools Association (COSSA) championships, 7-5. The team received an invite from OFSAA organizers last Thursday after a last-second vacancy was made.

Holy Cross took another loss from them again in the OFSAA finals, 14-5 at Mary Ann Sills Park in Belleville in a three-day event from Monday to Wednesday.

Head coach Jake Fowler said that he’s proud of the drive, determination and team’s character which resulted in second place, considering the short window of opportunity to prepare for OFSAA.

“It speaks tremendously to the girls and their hearts and the pride they take in our program,” he explained. “Many of them were members of the gold-medal team last year so they went back to their experience and that was what propelled them.”

Holy Cross opened their day with a 60-7 rout of Toronto’s Ursula Franklin Academy Flames on day one to advance them into the quarterfinals.

They continued their run, playing their first of two games on the second day. Holy Cross advanced to the semifinals, defeating the Cairine Wilson Secondary School Wildcats out of Orleans in a close 15-12 win.

The Hurricanes kept their winning streak going with a tight win over Shelburne’s Centre Dufferin District High School Royals, 14-12. That win gave them the rematch against St. Mary’s, resulting in a loss.

“It's been quite a season,” said Fowler. “To go from not getting an invite to pulling it off just speaks to the group of girls.”

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Peterborough Lakers Tailgate Party Cancelled Due to Air Quality Conditions; Home Opener Still A Go

The Peterborough Lakers tailgate party for Thursday’s home opener has been cancelled due to the air quality conditions according to their Facebook post made on Wednesday afternoon.

Photo courtesy of David Pickering and the Peterborough Lakers.

The game against the Brampton Excelsiors is still scheduled to happen with a banner-raising of the team’s fourth-straight Mann Cup. The opening faceoff is set for 8 p.m.

The tailgate party was scheduled in the PMC parking lot for two hours prior to the home opener. Fans are asked to bring non-perishable goods as the Lakers are collecting in support of Kawartha Food Share.

Peterborough’s air quality reached a high of nine on the Air Quality Health Index Readings from 4 to 6 p.m. on Tuesday which is considered a high risk according to Air Quality Ontario. Conditions have peaked at seven from 6 to 8 a.m. Wednesday morning but have declined to four which is a low-end moderate risk by mid-afternoon.

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New Partnership From Peterborough Lakers Provides Free Game Tickets to Five Counties Children

The Peterborough Lakers have partnered with Five Counties Children’s Centre (FCCC) to provide kids who receive treatment within the organization free tickets to each home game this season, announced on Wednesday.

Photo courtesy of David Pickering and the Peterborough Lakers.

The initiative is part of the Five Counties Ticket Assist Program according to a press release.

There is also the first-ever Little Lakers Night planned for the team’s final regular season home game on July 27. Five Counties staff, volunteers and families will be present at the game, holding a raffle, organizing face painting and other activities and taking part in the ceremonial pre-game ball drop.

“The Peterborough Century 21 Lakers and Five Counties Children’s Centre are a winning combination, and we’re very pleased to be partnering with the team on some wonderful initiatives for our kids and families,” said Scott Pepin, FCCC CEO. “Five Counties is honoured to be part of the Lakers’ ‘drive for five’ this season.”

“The Peterborough Century 21 Lakers believe in giving back to the community – on and off the floor – so we are thrilled to work with Five Counties to spotlight its services and welcome kids and families who use the Centre’s services to enjoy thrilling lacrosse action live and in person,” said Jordan Winch, Lakers’ coordinator.

The Lakers kick off their home opener against the Brampton Excelsiors at the Peterborough Memorial Centre on Thursday. Peterborough opened their season on the road and beat Brampton 11-8 last Friday.

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Saints Edge Griffins In Fifth-Place Match 7-6 In OFSAA Boys Field Lacrosse Championships

The St. Peter’s Saints (SPSS) led once all game but it was enough for a comeback 7-6 win and fifth place over the host Thomas A. Stewart Griffins (TASSS) in the OFSAA Boys Field Lacrosse Championships on Tuesday.

Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The Griffins came out to a 3-0 start in the first quarter, getting an early lead over the COSSA Champion Saints. They battled back to cut the deficit by one to make it a Griffins 3-2 lead but TASSS pulled away with a goal to make it 4-2 into the first half. Jeff Ralph, Griffins’ head coach knew that any lead against the Saints having played them before is never safe.

“We’ve been up against them before. We knew it was going to be a full 60 minutes to get the win against these guys,” he explained.

The Griffins kept their foot on the gas pedal, quickly scoring in the third quarter to restore their three-goal lead, 5-2. At this point, TASSS had dominated in time of possession and shots on goal.

St. Peter’s displayed their resilience and battled back with three goals to make it a 5-5 game.

“Lacrosse is a game of runs, “ explained Rod Willis, Saints head coach. “You might go on a three or four-goal run so we had to be patient, wait until it came and really take advantage of the situation.”

Both teams had traded goals halfway through the fourth quarter with a 6-6 tie, including a game-tying score from Hayden Addison for the Saints.

With just 6:30 left, Addison scored again to give St. Peter’s the first lead of the game. TASSS pressured hard to try and tie the game. With under a minute left in the game, they had a chance to tie it from a high-scoring chance but Saints goaltender Geordy Addison made a clutch save and St. Peter’s was able to run out the clock for a 7-6 win.

Photo by David Tuan Bui.

Both coaches had respect for their respective Peterborough school counterparts.

“All the credit to them, they have a great team,” said Ralph. “They're very well-coached with Rod McGillis in his last high school game.”

“They're very well-coached,” said McGillis. “They have a couple very, very good players and on offense, a good offense. It's hard to stop. It takes a lot of character and a lot of patience and skill to get back into that game.”

McGills has announced his retirement from coaching following the game.

Both teams had won their first game on championship day in order to play each other for fifth place. The Saints beat the Denis Morris Reds based out of St. Catherines 11-9. The Griffins took down the Neil McNeil Maroons from Scarborough, 8-6.

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Peterborough Legion Branch 52 Finishes Second In Provincial Darts Tournament

Members of Peterborough Legion Branch 52 hit the mark and took home silver in mixed darts at Branch 498 in Grand Bend, Ont. held on Saturday.

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Legion.

Teams from all over the province were invited to attend and compete in the annual The Royal Canadian Legion Darts tournament.

Peterborough’s Terry Ainsworth, Holly Lucy, Melody Nauta and Shane Scanlan were representing Branch 52.

June 1 is the next scheduled for next year’s event.

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Peterborough Teams Split Games In OFSAA Field Lacrosse Championship, Teams Aim for Consolation Championship Tuesday

St. Peter’s Secondary School Saints (SPSS) and Thomas A. Stewart Secondary School Griffins (TASSS) will have to compete for the consolation championship as both teams had a split record of 1-1 during the round-robin portion of the OFSAA Field Lacrosse AAA Championship on Monday.

Photo by David Tuan Bui.

Both teams had great starts to the championship.

COSSA champions SPSS defeated the Mayfield Mavericks 14-2 in the tournament’s opening contest at TASSS’s field.

“We came lights-out ready and we were a stronger team,” said Rod McGillis, Saints head coach. “We played well, it was a good game for us to work on our plays and get ready for game two.”

Host school TASSS had coasted their way to a win in this first game against Sacred Heart Crusaders with a 14-7 win. The Griffins had let in the first two goals before going on a six-point streak to run away with the contest.

Roughly over 250 students were in attendance at this game during school time to watch and cheer on the Griffins.

“We had the school community out here, the vibes were good and our big dogs stepped up today,” said Jeff Ralph, Griffins head coach. “That's what you need to do in a big tournament like this, you have to rely on your best players.”

Both teams ran into snags in their second and final round-robin games. Wins would propel them into the semifinals but losses would send them down to the consolation championships.

The Saints had lost a close game to the Wellington Falcons after failing to find the back of the net despite multiple scoring chances in the fourth quarter. SPSS fell 11-8 and would have to compete for fifth place on Tuesday.

“You have to give them credit, they're very well-coached, they're disciplined, they play the way we do,” said Gillis. “They did all the things right, they were a really tough opponent and you have to give them credit.”

Photo by David Tuan Bui.

TASSS was the last game of Monday but they fell to the Brooklin Bears 12-9 after falling behind early with a five-goal deficit. They attempted to mount a comeback in the second half getting as close with a three-goal deficit but just fell short.

“I was proud of the boys,” said Ralph. “We played Brooklin earlier in the season in the Trent tournament. We lost by a goal and it was a battle. We knew what were getting into today, the boys looked a little down early, we called a timeout, regrouped, picked their heads back up and we bounced back in the second half.”

Both teams have won their day-two games and will compete against each other for fifth place at TASSS at 2 p.m.

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Peterborough Petes Reflect On Historic Championship Season As Off-Season Begins

After winning the OHL Championship and finishing third at the Memorial Cup, the Peterborough Petes head into the offseason preparing for a title defence while looking back on their historic year.

Photo by Samantha Bianco.

The Petes won the OHL Championship in six games against the London Knights on May 21. The team won their first J. Ross Robertson Cup since 2006 when they ironically swept the Knights.

“That meant the world to me,” explained Shawn Spearing, Petes’ captain. “Five years with this team, it's been unbelievable and I've loved every second of it. There's no better way to cap it off, I can't even explain that feeling, it's surreal.”

“Nobody gave us a shot except for us,” said Rob Wilson, Petes head coach. “We felt about three-four weeks before the end of the season, we were starting to come together. We made a lot of changes and it was quite the battle. The way worked for each other, (I’m) just super proud of them.”

Petes goaltender Michael Simpson was named OHL Playoff MVP for his efforts.

The following was the Petes playoff run:

• Eastern Conference quarterfinals: Peterborough Petes def. Sudbury Wolves, 4-0 series

• Eastern Conference semifinals: Peterborough Petes def. Ottawa 67’s, 4-2

• Eastern Conference finals: Peterborough Petes def. North Bay Battalion, 4-2

• OHL Championship: Peterborough Petes def. London Knights

The OHL Championship win qualified the Petes for Memorial Cup in Kamloops B.C. They were joined by Kamloops Blazers of the Western Hockey League, the Quebec Remparts of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and the Seattle Thunderbirds of the Western Hockey League.

The Petes had a rough start, losing their first two games to Seattle and Kamloops but rebounded with a much-needed win against the Remparts to force a tiebreaker game for a semifinal spot.

Peterborough won two straight, defeating Kamloops in a revenge game to advance to the semifinals but lost out to the Thunderbirds and be eliminated from the tournament.

“A wonderful effort by the boys,” said Dave Pogue, Petes president. “Some lows and some highs but they definitely showed the resilience that they showed time and time again during the playoffs and we couldn't ask any more of them.”

The following were the Memorial Cup results for the Petes:

• Round Robin: Seattle Thunderbirds def. Peterborough Petes, 6-3

• Round Robin: Kamloops Blazers def. Peterborough Petes 10-2

• Round Robin: Peterborough Petes def. Quebec Remparts, 4-2

• Tiebreaker game: Peterborough Petes def. Kamloops Blazers, 5-4 OT

• Semifinals: Seattle Thunderbirds def. Peterborough Petes, 4-1

The Petes roster will need retooling as 10 players are graduating from the team with only three overage (OA) spots available for next season. Gavin White, Avery Hayes and Spearing were the team’s OAs this year and will move on from the Petes. White signed an entry-level contract with the Dallas Stars of the NHL on Mar. 2.

The following are the team’s graduating players becoming or are already OAs and their NHL prospect teams if applicable:

• Samuel Mayer

• Michael Simpson

• J.R. Avon (Philadelphia Flyers)

• Cam Gauvreau

• Brennan Othmann (New York Rangers)

• Connor Lockhart

• Chase Stillman (New Jersey Devils)

• Jax Dubois

• Tucker Robertson (Seattle Kraken)

• Gavin White* (Dallas Stars)

• Avery Hayes*

• Shawn Spearing*

*denotes an overage prior to the season’s start

The Petes added some hometown talent during this year’s OHL Priority Selection in first-round pick defenseman Carson Cameron (Bobcaygeon) and sixth-round pick, goaltender and hometown boy Masen Johnston. The team added 13 players including eight forwards, four defencemen and a goaltender.

The following are the Petes draft results:

• First round, 13th overall: Carson Cameron, D, Central Ontario Wolves

• Fourth round, 76th overall: Joseph Cadorin, F, Toronto Marlboros

• Fifth round, 88th overall: Liam Ladds, D, Elgin-Middlesex Canucks

• Sixth round, 112th overall: Masen Johnston, G, Peterborough Petes

• Seventh round, 133rd overall: Chase Del Colombo, F, Toronto Nationals

• Eighth round, 153rd overall: Gavin Lock, F, Detroit Little Caesars

• Ninth round, 173rd overall: Easton Lynds, F, Mississauga Senators

• 10th round, 193rd overall: Calum Hartnell, D, Ottawa Jr. Senators

• 10th round, 196th overall: Thanasi Marentette, D, Toronto Nationals

• 11th round, 213th overall: Francis Parish, F, Central Ontario Wolves

• 12th round, 234th overall: Aiden Lee, F, Markham Majors

• 13th round, 253rd overall: Brody Leet, F, Hamilton Jr. Bulldogs

• 14th round, 273rd overall: Joshua Kaufman, F, Kitchener Jr. Rangers

• 15th round, 293rd overall: Kaiden Thatcher, D, Ajax-Pickering Raiders

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Photos: Peterborough Petes Welcomed Home By Fans After Returning From Memorial Cup In Kamloops

Captain Shawn Spearing signing an autograph on a young fan's t-shirt. All photos by Samantha Bianco.

The Peterborough Petes were welcomed home by fans after finishing their Memorial Cup run, returning home from Kamloops after placing third place in the tournament.

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Fans Invited to Peterborough Airport to Welcome Peterborough Petes Home After Memorial Cup Run

It was a little sooner than wanted but the Peterborough Petes are inviting fans and community members to welcome the team at the Peterborough Airport as they arrive home from the Memorial Cup in Kamloops, B.C.

The team is expected to arrive just before 4:00 p.m. announced by the team on Saturday morning.

The Petes had an overall record of 2-3 in the Memorial Cup, finishing in third place. Photo by Samantha Bianco

The team requests fans to park in the main terminal at the Peterborough Airport and enter the terminal building to welcome the team home. The team fell short of reaching the finals after taking a 4-1 loss to the Seattle Thunderbirds Friday night in the semis and finished third.

Dave Pogue, Petes president wrote a letter to Peterborough to thank the fans for the historic season the team had that includes winning an OHL Championship.

To the Petes Fans in Peterborough, across Canada and around the world,

The 2022-23 season was one of historic highs for the Mighty Maroon and White, and on behalf of the Board of Directors, staff, players, and every member of the Peterborough Petes organization, I want to personally thank you for your passionate support during this championship season.

At our annual Season Ticket Member BBQ before the season started, I stood in front of hundreds of our biggest fans and said that we would be satisfied with nothing less than an Ontario Hockey League championship, and I cannot be more proud of our team for delivering that for our community.

Lifting the J. Ross Robertson Cup as OHL champions on home ice on Sunday, May 28 was something that many in our community, myself included, will never forget. To share that moment with our fans and families in our own barn, and then to celebrate with thousands of fans at Quaker Square the next day, was a perfect way to showcase just how much this championship belongs to the entire Petes community. 

In Kamloops, BC, at the Memorial Cup, the team did not disappoint. Our players, coaches, and staff represented our historic franchise, and the Peterborough community, in exemplary fashion, with many in Kamloops embracing Peterborough as their own. Although we fell just short of winning the most elusive trophy in sports, a standard of excellence in Peterborough has been re-established by the performance of the 2022-23 Petes. 

To the hundreds of thousands of fans in our city, across the province, and around the world, thank you! You showed up for our team this season in record numbers at the Peterborough Memorial Centre, at our watch parties and championship celebration event, and out and about in the community every day. Petes pride is at an all-time high, and with season tickets already nearly sold out for the 2023-24 campaign, I know that our fans will continue to serve as the backbone of our storied franchise’s success. 

Thank you, and Go Petes Go!

Dave Pogue

President

Peterborough Petes

Petes Memorial Cup 50/50 tickets are still on sale with a minimum $5,000 jackpot. The draw will take place after the Memorial Cup Final on Sunday.

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