First-Ever Little Lakers Night Set for July 27 With During Lakers Final Home Game

The welcome mat is being rolled out by the Peterborough Lakers for their Little Lakers Lacrosse Night and Five Counties families for July 27.

Five Counties Children’s Centre (FCCC) is teaming up with the Peterborough Lakers for the first-ever Little Lakers Night on the team’s final regular season home game on July 27 at the Peterborough Memorial Centre against the Brooklin L.C.

“Five Counties has played a big role throughout the years in our family,” says Len Powers, a FCCC ambassador and Lakers’ board member. “We are really grateful for the work the Centre does to support kids and their families in our community and were excited to find a fun way to give back.”

Little Lakers Night features the following:

• Pre-game festivities starting at 7 p.m. – an hour before game time. Five Counties is holding a silent auction that lets people bid on items that include: a golf package for four at Wildfire Golf Club, a baby gift basket and tickets to Canada’s Wonderland.

• Facepainting for kids by donation, sale of freezies and the chance to buy commemorative Little Lakers Night T-shirts in support of Five Counties.

• A ceremonial ball drop before the game, featuring Five Counties family and representatives.

The proceeds support the Building Abilities for Life campaign, allowing more kids to get the essential treatment like occupational and speech therapies they need to be their best according to a press release.

“Community events like Little Lakers Night are integral to helping us get more kids into treatment, reducing wait times and allowing more families to get the care when they need it,” says Scott Pepin, FCCC CEO. “We could not do what we do without the support of organizations like the Peterborough Lakers.”

Game tickets to Little Lakers Night are available through the Memorial Centre box office.

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Curve Lake First Nation Sends 10 Athletes to North American Indigenous Games In Halifax

Curve Lake is sending ten young athletes to represent Team Ontario in the 2023 North American Indigenous Games (NAIG) in Halifax, N.S. in five days of competition beginning Monday.

Photo courtesy of NAIG 2023.

Representing Curve Lake for Team Ontario are Louis Jacobs, Carter Jacobs, Rivor Taylor, Tristin Williams and Josh Knott who are all teammates for U19 Male Softball. Abagail Jacobs and Danika Jacobs are entered for U19 Female Soccer. McKenzie Taylor is the lone athlete for U16 Female Softball while Quinn Jacons and Grady Taylor are in U16 Male Softball.

The event started on Saturday and runs until July 24 with opening ceremonies that began on Sunday. There are 756 Indigenous Nations with over 5,000 athletes competing in 15 different events in this year’s games according to the official NAIG website.

The following is the schedule for Team Ontario with Curve Lake athletes:

U19 Male Softball

• Monday, vs. Manitoba at 10:15 a.m.

• Tuesday, vs. Nova Scotia at 8 a.m.

• Tuesday, vs. Alberta at noon

• Wednesday vs. Eastern Door and the North at 8:15 a.m.

• Thursday vs. British Columbia at 1 p.m.

• Thursday vs. Saskatchewan at 5 p.m.

U19 Female Soccer

• Monday, vs. Nova Scotia at 8 a.m.

• Tuesday, vs. Wisconsin at 8 a.m.

• Wednesday vs. Saskatchewan at 8 a.m.

U16 Male Softball

• Monday, vs. Saskatchewan at 4:15 p.m.

• Tuesday, vs. Nova Scotia at 10:15 a.m.

• Wednesday vs. Manitoba at 10:15 a.m.

• Wednesday vs. British Columbia at 5 p.m.

U16 Female Softball

• Monday, vs. Alberta at 7:30 a.m.

• Monday, vs Nova Scotia at 3:30 p.m.

• Tuesday, vs. Manitoba at 11:30 a.m.

• Wednesday, vs. British Columbia at 9:30 a.m.

• Thursday, vs. Saskatchewan at 8:15 a.m.

• Thursday, vs. Wisconsin at 12:30 p.m.

All games can be streamed via Youtube on NAIG’s official channel.

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Peterborough Lakers Break In New Turf With 15-10 Win Over Brooklin Lacrosse Club

The Peterborough Lakers snag their first victory with their brand new turf installed after handily defeating the Brooklin Lacrosse Club 15-10 at the Peterborough Memorial Centre on Thursday night.

Peterborough remains in second place with a 9-3-0 record, while Brooklin remains in third place with a record of 6-5-0. The Lakers have four games remaining in the regular season. Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Lakers.

The first period was a low-scoring affair but saw the Lakers take a 3-1 lead with goals from Austin Hasen, Mike Robinson and Josh Currier for Peterborough. Tanner Cook scored the lone goal for Brooklin.

The second period was the complete opposite as the ball found the back of the net 12 times split between both teams. Brooklin was able to snare their first lead of the game, scoring five of the period’s first seven goals for a 6-5 lead. Peterborough got hot and went on a 4-1 run shortly afterwards for a 9-7 lead after two.

Peterborough kept their foot on the gas pedal scoring another six goals in the third period while limiting Brooklin to three. Currier and Holden Cattoni capped off their night in the final frame, each scoring a hat trick and two assists to earn five-point nights.

Landon Kells earned the win in net for Peterborough with 39 saves. The win was the Lakers’s largest offensive showing of the season.

“We’re getting more comfortable with each other,” said Mike Hasen, Lakers head coach. “We had a lot of opportunities. They played well but we also got a lot too with 68 shots on goal. It was a great offensive output. Tonight was a good night.” 

The Lakers can rest until next Thursday when they host the first-place Six Nations Chiefs. The game will honour the 1973 Mann Cup-winning Lakers team.

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Peterborough Facing Baseball Umpire Shortage With Immediate Work Available

Peterborough youth baseball is facing a shortage of umpires and the Kawartha Baseball Umpires Association (KBUA) is looking for help for immediate work reported Wednesday.

Several youth games are runnign without umpires according to a report from the KBUA.

The organization is seeking both new and experienced umpires for immediate work.

Fees range from $35 to $75 per game, across all age groups from 8 to 18. This includes house league and rep teams.

For more information or to apply to be a KBUA umpire, email Jamie Graham at graham.jamie15@gmail.com.

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Hometown PTBO: Shawn Dunbar With His Success With the Lakefield Chiefs and In Professional Boat Racing

This week on Hometown PTBO, Pete Dalliday talks with Shawn Dunbar about his boat-racing career, the Lakefield Chiefs and living the lakeside life.

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Two-Time Stanley Cup Champion Mitchell Stephens Re-Signs One-Year Deal With Montréal Canadiens

Two-time Stanley Cup champion and Peterborough’s Mitchell Stephens is remaining in Quebec as he signed a one-year two-way contract with the Montréal Canadiens on Monday.

Photo courtesy of the Montréal Canadiens.

The 26-year-old forward played 68 games with the Laval Rocket in 2022-23, scoring 20 goals and 21 assists.

Stephens has played 72 career NHL games with the Tampa Bay Lightning (winning back-to-back Stanley Cups) and Detroit Red Wings. He tallied three goals and 10 assists for 13 points.

The Peterborough forward also played 203 career AHL games with the Syracuse Crunch and the Laval Rocket, netting 57 goals and 68 assists.

Stephens was selected in the second round, 33rd overall by the Lightning in 2015.

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Peterborough Petes's Derrick Walser Hired As Red Deer Rebels Head Coach

Peterborough Petes assistant coach Derrick Walser is headed out west as he has been hired as the Western Hockey League’s (WHL) Red Deer Rebels head coach, announced on Wednesday.

The Walser family has been active members of the Peterborough community since joining the Petes in 2017. Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Petes.

The New Glasgow, N.S.-born coach joined the Petes in August of 2017 as an assistant coach. He spent the last six years with the Petes and capped off his tenure with an OHL Championship and coached in this year’s Memorial Cup. Prior to joining the Petes, Walser served as a player/head coach of the UK’s Belfast Giants in the Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL) for two seasons.

“On behalf of the Peterborough Petes, we’d like to congratulate Derrick as he takes this exciting step in his coaching career,” said Michael Oke, Petes general manager. “Over the last six years, Derrick has been a staple on the Petes bench and has earned the opportunity to become a head coach at this level. We wish Derrick, his wife Sara and their sons Camden and Hudson nothing but the best in this transition.”

“I’m thankful to Mike Oke for bringing me into this organization six years ago,” said Walser. “Peterborough will always feel like home to me and my family. We’ve loved our time here with the Petes organization.”

Before his coaching career, Walser played nineteen seasons of professional hockey between the NHL (Columbus), AHL (Syracuse, Saint John, Albany, Toronto), ECHL (Johnstown), KHL (Chekhov), Swiss-A (Rapperswil-Jona), DEL (Berlin), and EIHL.

“I’ve learned a lot being here,” said Walser. “Working with this group, particularly with Rob Wilson, has helped shape me into the coach I am today. We had a great, close-knit crew and I will always have fond memories of my time with the Petes. Not just our OHL win and the support from our epic fans but the time behind the scenes working together towards a championship. The hardest part will be leaving the community we’ve created here.”

Walser was a defenseman for five seasons in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League with the Beauport Harfangs and Rimouski Oceanic. He tallied 82 goals, 173 assists, 255 points and 293 penalty minutes in 255 career games. He was named QMJHL and CHL Defenceman of the Year in 1997-98.

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Peterborough Lakers Snap Five-Game Winning Streak With Six Nations Chiefs Third Period Surge, 12-7

The Peterborough Lakers break their winning streak of five games after losing to the league-leading Six Nations Chiefs, 12-7, at the Iroquois Lacrosse Arena in Hagarsville on Tuesday night.

The loss maintains the Lakers at second place in the league with a game in hand to the league-leading Chiefs but are behind by four points. Photo courtesy of Darryl Smart and the Peterborough Lakers.

Both teams were evenly matched throughout the first period. Josh Currier and Colton Armstrong opened the scoring for Peterborough in back-to-back goals. Kevin Hill and Larson Sundown countered with a pair of goals for Six Nations. Shayne Jackson scored a third for the Chiefs for their first lead of the game before Eli McLaughlin tied it at 3-3. Tim Edwards scored a late goal to give Six Nations a 4-3 lead after the first period.

The second period saw both teams go stride for stride with each other. Six Nations continued their run with Cody Jamieson and Dave Brock netting a pair for a 6-3 Chiefs lead. Holden Cattoni and Cam Milligan got Peterborough’s special teams working as they both tacked on powerplay goals to bring the Lakers within one. Six Nations also saw their man advantage pay dividends as Bell scored a powerplay goal of his own. Taite Cattoni took it upon himself to score unassisted for Peterborough to keep it a one-goal game going into the third with a score of 7-6.

The first-place Chiefs showed why they’re at the top of the rankings as they took over the game in the third. They went on a run of five goals and clamped down on Peterborough’s offense. The Lakers mustered only one goal late in the period with McLaughlin’s second but it was too little, too late for Peterborough as they fell to the Chiefs 12-7.

2019 President’s Cup MVP Warren Hill earned the win in net while Drew Hutchinson gets the loss. The Chiefs improve to 10-2-0 while the Lakers fall to 8-3-0.

The Lakers return home to the Peterborough Memorial Centre to take on the Brooklin L.C. in their second matchup of the season on Thursday night. The Lakers will be playing on a new turf that was installed earlier this week.

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Peterborough Laker Alumnus John Grant Jr. Selected As Assistant Coach For Team Canada In 2025 U20 World Championship

Five-time Mann Cup champion and Peterborough Lakers’ alumnus John Grant Jr. has been selected as an assistant coach for Team Canada in the 2025 U20 World Championship.

John Grant Jr. has been granted a key to the city back in 2016. File Photo.

Grant Jr. was hired as an assistant coach of the Redwoods Lacrosse Club of the Premiere Lacrosse League on Dec. 29.

A two-time MLL MVP, Grant Jr. tallied 393 goals and 232 assists during his playing career. He won the Mann Cup five times with the Lakers in 2004, 2006, 2007, 2010 and 2012. He was voted Mann Cup MVP for 2004 and 2007.

Grant Jr. won five MLL Championships during his career with the 2008 Rochester Rattlers, 2009 Toronto Nationals, 2012 and 2013 Chesapeake Bayhawks and the 2014 Denver Outlaws.

Grant Jr. joins Mark Miyashita, Shawn Wilkins and John Gallant as assistant coaches. Gary Gait is serving as the team’s head coach.

A date and location for the tournament has yet to be announced by World Lacrosse.

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Los Angeles Kings Re-Sign Peterborough Petes Alumnus Akil Thomas To One-Year Deal

Peterborough Petes Alumnus Akil Thomas is staying in California as the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings signed him to a one-year two-way contract worth $775,000 on Saturday.

Akil Thomas skating with a young fan prior to a game. Photo courtesy of the PEterborough Petes.

He was acquired by the Petes in a trade from the Niagara IceDogs in Jan. 2020 for Cameron Butler, two second-round picks (2020, 2022), one third-round pick (2022) and a fourth-round pick (2024).

He played 22 games for the Petes, scoring nine goals and 31 assists before the Ontario Hockey League was shut down by the COVID-19 pandemic. Thomas was invited back to the Peterborough Memorial Centre for Game Three of the OHL Championship against the London Knights as part of the pre-game ceremonies to pump up the fans on May 15.

The Toronto native is well-known for his game-winning goal for Team Canada in the gold-medal game against Russia at the 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship in the Czech Republic.

Thomas was drafted by the Kings in 2018 in the second round, 51st overall. Following his OHL career, Thomas spent time with the Kings’ AHL affiliate, the Ontario Reign since the 2020-21 season. He has yet to play a regular-season game with the Kings since being drafted into the NHL.

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