Mike Fisher Coming Home to Peterborough for Battle of Ontario Alumni Game

By Scott Arnold

Peterborough’s own Mike Fisher is coming home to take part in Rivalry Night: The Battle of Ontario at the Peterborough Memorial Centre on November 6th.

Mike Fisher will return to peterborough when he suits up with the ottawa senators on November 6th for the battle of ontario against the toronto maple leafs (photo courtesy of the greater peterborough health services foundation)

Fisher has been added to the Ottawa Senators Alumni roster for the special fundraiser, where the Senators alumni will take on a Toronto Maple Leafs Alumni team.

For Fisher, the game brings him back to the community where his hockey career began.

Born and raised in the Peterborough area, in Bridgenorth, Fisher played his minor hockey with the Peterborough Minor Hockey Association before being selected by the Sudbury Wolves in the second round of the 1997 OHL Priority Draft.

before making it big in the national lacrosse league, Mike fisher grow up playing in the peterborough minor hockey system

After two seasons in Sudbury, Fisher was selected by the Senators in the second round of the 1998 NHL Draft. He made his NHL debut with Ottawa in 1999 and spent nearly 11 seasons with the organization, becoming a key part of the Senators teams involved in the Battle of Ontario rivalry in the early 2000s.

Fisher recorded several 20-plus-goal seasons during his time in Ottawa and played a major role in the Senators' run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2007.

He finished his NHL career with the Nashville Predators, where he eventually served as captain before retiring in 2018.

Now, Fisher will return to the Memorial Centre as part of the Senators alumni team, joining previously announced alumni including Chris Neil and Chris Phillips.

Rivalry Night: The Battle of Ontario takes place November 6th at the Peterborough Memorial Centre.

Tickets are available now, including Meet and Greet packages with Fisher and the Senators Alumni or the Maple Leafs Alumni team, through the Peterborough Memorial Centre website.

Scott Arnold is a Journalist and Content Creator at PTBOCanada Media Inc

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Adam Novotný Set to Give Petes a Big Boost After Being Assigned Back to Peterborough by the Canucks

By Scott Arnold

Peterborough Petes fans will get to see Adam Novotný back in the lineup after the Vancouver Canucks assigned the 18-year-old forward to Peterborough on Wednesday.

after gaining some preseason nhl experience, the vancouver canucks have assigned Adam Novotný back to the peterborough petes (photo via X, formerly twitter, @canucks)

Novotný spent the last two weeks in Vancouver, appearing in two Canucks preseason games against the Calgary Flames and Seattle Kraken. He was held off the scoresheet in both games but looked impressive against some of the league’s top players.

The 2026 first-round pick was selected 24th overall by Vancouver after an impressive rookie season with the Petes, recording 34 goals and 31 assists for 65 points in 58 games.

Novotný finished second on the Petes in scoring last season, behind Kieran Walton, and his return will be a welcome addition to the 0-2 Petes lineup.

During media day a couple of weeks ago, Novotný expressed his excitement and love of Peterborough, emphasizing how much it means to him to be a Pete.

The Petes are back in action on Thursday, September 24th, when they host the Sarnia Sting at 7pm from the PMC.

Scott Arnold is a Journalist and Content Creator at PTBOCanada Media Inc

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Peterborough Petes Bringing Back Indigenous Heritage Night to the PMC Thursday

By Scott Arnold

The Peterborough Petes will recognize Indigenous heritage and culture Thursday night when they host the Sarnia Sting at the Peterborough Memorial Centre.

The Peterborough Petes will host their annual Indigenous Heritage Night at the Peterborough Memorial Centre on Thursday, September 24th. (logo created by Kory Parkin)

The Petes’ annual Indigenous Heritage Night takes place on September 24th, with puck drop at 7:05pm.

Fans arriving at the game will have a chance to experience performances from the Smoke Trail Drum and Dance Group from Alderville First Nation, who will perform in the lobby before the game before taking to the ice during the first intermission.

The evening will also include a ceremonial puck drop featuring representatives from Crowe’s Gas, Alderville First Nation, Curve Lake First Nation and Hiawatha First Nation.

The national anthem will take on a special meaning as well, with Curve Lake School performing it in Anishinaabemowin before the game.

The Petes will also once again feature a logo created for Indigenous Heritage Night by Kory Parkin, an Indigenous painter and digital creator from Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory.

The design uses the traditional name for Peterborough, Nogojiwanong, meaning “place at the foot of the rapids,” and incorporates imagery of a canoe and water.

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Schedule Released For Fleming Phoenix's Inaugural Season of Lacrosse Sixes

It is the first year the Fleming Phoenix take the lacrosse field as its Sixes team has released its schedule for its inaugural season starting this Saturday.

Photo courtesy of the Fleming Phoenix.

The Phoenix, led by Head Coach Dustin Dunn, face three other college teams in this fall's campaign.

The team plays two games on each of the four game-day dates. The first homestand is on Oct. 25 against the Humber Hawks and Durham Lords. The final day is on Nov. 1 at Mohawk College with semifinals followed by the third-place and first-place games.

The following is the 2026 season schedule:

Sept. 27 at Humber (Centennial Park Stadium)

• Durham vs Fleming - noon

• Fleming vs Mohawk - 1:30 p.m.

Oct. 18 at Durham (Vaso's Field)

• Fleming vs Humber - noon

• Durham vs Fleming - 2:30 p.m.

Oct. 25 at Fleming (Fleming Phoenix Sports Field)

• Fleming vs Mohawk - noon

• Fleming vs Humber - 1:30 p.m.

Nov. 1 at Mohawk 

• Semifinal #1 - 11 a.m.

• Semifinal #2 - noon

• Third-place game - 1:30 p.m.

• First-place game - 2:30 p.m.

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Peterborough Player/Coach Helps Bring Awareness and Pioneer Women's Lacrosse For France

France Lacrosse is putting a bigger stamp on the map thanks to Peterborough’s Lou Warner, who has helped make that mark since May of 2023.

Warner (left) coaching France goaltender Chelsea Breault (right) during warm-ups before a game at the North American Invitational (LAXNAI) at the Utica University Nexus Center in downtown Utica, N.Y. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

She began working with France Lacrosse after her husband, Justin Warner— who is also a lacrosse coach — referred her during his job search with the club when he learned they needed someone to help build the women’s program.

“There was a posting (from France Lacrosse) looking for help; he applied for that, and a week later, he got an interview with our vice president, Dylan,” explained Lou. “He mentioned that I have been playing lacrosse for 20 years and am fluent in French. They flew us to France next week.”

Although she has no biological connection to France, Warner is fluent in French, having grown up in an immersion program throughout school and studied it at Laurentian University in Sudbury.

Warner has worked in multiple roles as a coach for France Lacrosse. She has served as an assistant coach for the men’s and women’s sixes teams.

She recently head-coached the women’s team for box lacrosse when they made their debut at the North American Invitational (LAXNAI) in Utica, N.Y. France had a hot start, winning its first two games against the Valkyries and Poland Heritage. They finished 3-2 and fell short of a bronze medal, losing 3-1 to Poland Heritage in a rematch.

“I thought they (France) did fantastic. I wanted to get that France jersey out there,” explained Warner. “I wanted people to be aware of our program.”

Lou (second from left) with Team France after placing fourth in the LAXNAI 2026 Women’s Division. Photo courtesy of Lou Warner.

Lou was no stranger to LAXNAI as she won the inaugural women’s tournament in 2023 for the Toronto-based BP Lawyers team as their goaltender alongside other Peterborough natives including Erica Evans and Payton Crough. While BP Lawyers did not register a team in this year’s tournament, it gave Lou the opportunity to focus on raising awareness for the French women’s national team at LAXNAI.

“Typically, the BP Lawyers put in a team and this year they did not,” she said. “If they had, I probably would have played and coached. My priority would be coaching because I’m trying to build this program.”

Erica Evans (left), Lou Warner (middle) and Payton Crough (right) celebrating the first-ever LAXNAI Women's tournament championship held in 2023. photo By David Tuan Bui.

With LAXNAI 2026 in the books, Lou has to look ahead to the future for France Lacrosse.

“When I started, we only just started the national team. We had a new president, and he's been amazing at growing it domestically, so he's been great in helping us. We brought LAXNAI to the men’s championship,” she explained. “This year, I’m trying to mirror that with the women’s. We’ll be back in January for the Traditions Cup. We’re going to see if She-Box in January and I’m an assistant coach for the women’s sixes team. I’ll also be working on recruiting as well.”

Lacrosse’s motto throughout social media has been, ‘Grow the Game.’ Lou’s efforts mirror that and aim to keep putting France on a global stage.

“I’ve been playing this game since I was eight and that was the Ontario Lacrosse Association’s mantra was to ‘Grow the Game.’” she said. “That was always in the back of my head. I didn’t know that when I was 10 years old that it would lead to this. Now, my goal is to make Worlds in 2028.”

Trent Excalibur Men’s Lacrosse Team Improves to 3-1 With Win Over Ottawa

By Scott Arnold

The Trent Excalibur men’s lacrosse team picked up another win on Sunday, beating the Ottawa Gee-Gees 8-6 to improve their record to 3-1.

the trent excalibur handed the ottawa gee gees their first loss of the season with an 8-6 win on home field sunday, improving their record to 3-1 in the process (photo courtesy of trent excalibur, via david pickering)

Trent got on the board first and never trailed, taking a 1-0 lead after the opening quarter before adding four more goals in the second to take a 5-2 lead into halftime.

Jaiden Maseko scored twice in the second quarter, while Jordan Dool and Nick Fournier also found the back of the net for the Excalibur.

Ottawa cut into the lead in the third quarter, but Trent answered with goals from Mason Tardiff and Maseko to take a 7-4 advantage into the final 15 minutes.

The Gee-Gees scored twice early in the fourth to make it a one-goal game, but Dallyn Rai scored with 6:45 remaining to give Trent some breathing room and seal the 8-6 victory.

Tardiff led Trent with two goals and two assists, while Maseko finished with two goals and one assist. Fournier added a goal and three assists, with Dool recording a goal and four assists.

Goaltender Geordy Addison played all 60 minutes for Trent, making 16 saves on 22 shots.

The Excalibur return to action on Saturday, September 26th, when they travel to Ottawa to take on the Carleton Ravens.

Scott Arnold is a Journalist and Content Creator at PTBOCanada Media Inc

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From Petes Forward to NHL Referee: Nick Isaacson’s Hockey Journey Takes Another Turn

By Scott Arnold

Former Peterborough Pete Nick Isaacson is heading to the NHL officiating system after just one season as an OHL referee.

Caption 1: Nick Isaacson during his time with the Peterborough Petes, where he played 137 regular season games over parts of four seasons. (photo courtesy of peterborough petes)

For Nick Isaacson, the road to the NHL has taken a few unexpected turns.

The Oakville native first arrived in Peterborough as a fifth-round pick in the 2015 OHL Priority Selection, joining the Petes 86th overall. Over the next four seasons, Isaacson became a regular part of the lineup, appearing in 137 regular season games and recording 15 goals and 28 assists for 43 points.

He also suited up in 13 playoff games during the Petes’ 2017 playoff run, adding a goal and two assists.

After his time in Peterborough and a brief stint with the Mississauga Steelheads to finish his OHL career, Isaacson continued playing at the University of Guelph before moving into the professional ranks. He spent four seasons in the ECHL, with his playing career also including time in the American Hockey League.

Then came another change.

Isaacson returned to the OHL last season, but this time he wasn't wearing a jersey.

He became a referee for the 2025-26 season.

Just one year later, Isaacson is taking another step up the hockey ladder.

The OHL announced on August 25th that Isaacson has been hired by the NHL on a minor-league officiating contract for the 2026-27 season, officially putting him into the league's officiating system.

It's a pretty quick progression for someone who had only just made the transition from player to official.

Former Peterborough Pete Nick Isaacson has made a quick transition from player to official, earning a spot in the NHL officiating system after his first season as an OHL referee. (photo courtesy of the ontario hockey league)

Isaacson and former OHL players Hayden Verbeek and Chris Martenet were also selected for the 2025 CHL/NHL Officials’ Development Camp in St-Hyacinthe, Quebec, during their first season back in the OHL as officials. The camp gave them an opportunity to work with NHL officiating supervisors through classroom sessions, video review and on-ice game assignments.

For Isaacson, the move into officiating adds another chapter to a hockey career that has already included plenty of different experiences.

During his Petes career, he scored his first OHL goal and point on October 2nd, 2016 against the Niagara IceDogs and recorded his first multi-goal game against Kingston in September 2018.

He also attended the Vancouver Canucks' 2017 Development Camp.

Away from the rink, Isaacson has a few interesting skills of his own. He plays guitar, he’s a former competitive snowboarder and can also fly a plane.

Now he'll be adding NHL official to the list.

Isaacson will begin the 2026-27 season in the NHL officiating system, marking the latest step in a hockey career that has taken him from the Petes lineup to the other side of the whistle.

Scott Arnold is a Journalist and Content Creator at PTBOCanada Media Inc

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Peterborough's Shawn Evans Officially Inducted Into NLL Hall of Fame

By Scott Arnold

A remarkable professional lacrosse career has earned Peterborough native Shawn Evans a place among the National Lacrosse League's greatest players.

peterborough native shawn evans, who was officially entered the nll hall of fame on saturday, is pictured on stage at the ceremony with his brother scott (left) and league commissioner brett frood (photo via instagram @nll)

After being named to the NLL Hall of Fame Class of 2026 in July, Evans officially received the honour on Saturday night at Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino in Niagara Falls, New York.

The former Laker is now one of the newest members of the National Lacrosse League Hall of Fame, capping a 17-season career that included a championship, two league MVP awards and some of the most impressive offensive numbers in NLL history.

Evans finished his NLL career with 1,358 regular-season points, 879 assists and 479 goals, placing him among the league's all-time leaders in each category.

He also made history during his time with the Calgary Roughnecks, winning league MVP honours in 2013 and 2015. His 130-point season in 2015 set a new NLL single-season record at the time.

The 2007 championship with Rochester remains another highlight of a career that saw Evans play for six different franchises.

the plaque that will forever immortalize peterborough’s shawn evans into national lacrosse league history (photo via instagram @nll)

A Local Connection Beyond Evans

Evans isn't the only member of this year's Hall of Fame class with ties to Peterborough lacrosse.

Mike Accursi, Gavin Prout and Mark Steenhuis also spent time playing for the Peterborough Lakers during their careers.

The three former Lakers join Evans in a class that includes four players, three veterans and one builder from the media category.

The other members of the Class of 2026 are Dan Dawson, Sandy Chapman, Jake Bergey and longtime broadcaster John Gurtler.

Evans is now the third Peterborough native to be inducted into the NLL Hall of Fame, joining Tracey Kelusky and John Grant Jr.

shawn evans was all smiles as he celebrated his national lacrosse league hall of fame induction with several family members who were in attendance at the ceremony on saturday night (photo via instagram @rockhurstwomenslax)

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Erica Evans Set to Represent Canada Again as Pan American Sixes Championship Comes to Oshawa

By Scott Arnold

Following her silver medal performance at the World Lacrosse Women’s Championship in Tokyo, Japan last month, Peterborough’s Erica Evans will be back in a Team Canada uniform later this month. This time she’ll be closer to home though.

peterborough native erica evans was a fan favourite at the world lacrosse women’s championship in tokyo japan, notching 17 points in six games for canada (photo via instagram @lacrossecanada)

Lacrosse Canada has named Evans to its 12-player women’s roster for the 2026 Pan American Sixes Lacrosse Championship, taking place from September 29th to October 4th at the Civic Centre in Oshawa.

The tournament will bring national teams from across the Americas to the region as they compete in the fast-paced sixes format, which is part of the qualification pathway toward the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

peterborough native erica evans was the featured player on the roster release image that lacrosse canada put out to announce the team for the upcoming pan america sixes championship in oshawa (image courtesy of lacrosse canada)

Evans will be joined on the Canadian roster by Maddy Baxter and Nicole Perroni, who were members of the WMSL Lakers team that captured its first-ever provincial championship this summer.

With three players with local connections named to Canada’s roster, the upcoming tournament offers another opportunity to watch some of the region’s top lacrosse talent compete on the international stage.

Scott Arnold is a Journalist and Content Creator at PTBOCanada Media Inc

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Petes Outshoot Kingston 47-25 But Fall 6-3 In Season Opener

By Scott Arnold

The Peterborough Petes couldn't turn a strong offensive night into a win Thursday, dropping their 2026-27 season opener 6-3 to the Kingston Frontenacs at the Memorial Centre.

Peterborough petes first round pick Landon Roulston celebrates after scoring his first career ohl goal in his debut against Kingston. (Photo courtesy of peterborough petes, via david pickering)

The Petes generated plenty of chances, putting 47 shots on Kingston's net, but Frontenacs goaltender Royden Smith turned aside 44 of them to earn first-star honours.

For Peterborough, the night included a memorable moment for first-round pick Landon Roulston, who scored his first career OHL goal just 8:37 into his first game.

Roulston wasted little time making an impression in his first regular-season game.

The Petes' first-round selection opened the scoring at 8:37 of the first period, converting a setup from Leon Kolarik and Yanis Lutz.

It was the first career OHL goal for Roulston, giving the home crowd an early reason to celebrate.

Peterborough outshot Kingston 15-4 in the opening period but carried a 1-0 lead into the intermission.

After going 16:30 without a shot on net, the Frontenacs found their offence late in the second period, scoring three times to take a 3-1 lead.

Nolan Snyder tied the game at 12:22 before Alex McLean and Dante D'Andrea scored in the final two minutes of the period, 52 seconds apart, with D'Andrea's goal coming with just 1:04 remaining.

Despite putting 18 shots on goal in the period, the Petes couldn't find a way past Smith.

Kingston extended its lead just 46 seconds into the third period when Aleks Kulemin scored on the power play.

Peterborough responded at 8:45, with Adam Levac scoring his first of the season on a power play, assisted by Lutz and Cooper Dennis.

The Frontenacs answered just 45 seconds later through Landon Wright, restoring their three-goal advantage.

Kolarik brought the Petes back within two at 11:47, scoring with Dennis and Matthew Perreault earning assists.

But McLean added his second goal of the night at 14:37 to complete the scoring.

Kingston goaltender Royden Smith makes one of his 44 saves against the Petes during Thursday night’s season opener at the Memorial Centre. (Photo courtesy of peterborough petes, via kenneth anderson)

The Petes finished the night with 47 shots on goal, including 14 in the third period, but Smith's performance between the pipes kept Kingston ahead.

Smith was the difference-maker for Kingston, stopping 44 of Peterborough's 47 shots.

The Frontenacs entered the game without Gavin Betts, who was injured, and Matthew Minchak, who is attending Vegas Golden Knights training camp. Smith, signed by Kingston earlier this month, stepped into the crease and delivered a 44-save performance.

Masen Johnston made 19 saves for Peterborough.

The Petes also went 2-for-7 on the power play, while Kingston converted once on four opportunities.

Peterborough won't have long to dwell on the season-opening loss as they’re back in action tomorrow night, Friday, September 18th, when they travel to Sudbury to take on the former Petes captain Scott Barney and his Wolves.

After generating 47 shots in their opener, the Petes will look to turn that offensive pressure into their first win of the season.

Scott Arnold is a Journalist and Content Creator at PTBOCanada Media Inc

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