Lakers Season Ends as Chiefs Capture Fourth Straight MSL Championship

By Scott Arnold

The Peterborough Century 21 Lakers’ season came to an end Sunday night with a 10-3 loss to the Six Nations Chiefs, who captured their fourth straight Everett Coates Trophy as Major Series Lacrosse champions.

The 2026 Peterborough Century 21 Lakers came up one win short of the MSL championship, finishing their season as league finalists. (photo courtesy of peterborough lakers via david pickering)

The Lakers entered Game 6 at the Peterborough Memorial Centre needing a win to force a seventh and deciding game, but the Chiefs built an early lead and held off every attempt to get back into the game.

Dhane Smith opened the scoring for Six Nations before Ian MacKay scored twice to put the Chiefs up 3-0. Chris Cloutier then made it 4-0 before Rob Hellyer got Peterborough on the board, scoring off a Ryan Lanchbury pass with 4:40 left in the opening period. Shayne Jackson restored the Chiefs’ four-goal lead with 48 seconds left, sending Six Nations into the second with a 5-1 advantage.

The Lakers needed a strong start to the second and got it from Braedon Saris, who scored on the power play just under four minutes in to cut the deficit to three. It was over 11 minutes until the games next goal, with Andrew Kew scoring for Six Nations to make it a 6-2 game. The Chiefs would strike again with 29 seconds left in the period but the Lakers would respond shortly after as Brad McCulley scored with just three seconds remaining, cutting the Chiefs’ lead to 7-3 heading into the third.

It was all Chiefs in the third with Kew opening the scoring just 2:03 into the period to restore a four-goal Six Nations lead. Ryan Smith added a power-play goal before Tyson Bell scored into an empty net with 2:50 remaining, putting the game out of reach and securing the championship for the Chiefs with a final score of 10-3.

Doug Jamieson made 38 saves for Six Nations, while Drew Hutchison made 55 saves for Peterborough in the loss. Nick Rose was anticipated to get the start for the Lakers but he was not a hundred percent and as game time neared, the team made the call to go with Hutchison between the pipes while Deacon Knott suited up as his backup.

For Lakers captain Robert Hope, the result was disappointing, but he said the team could still be proud of what it accomplished.

“I'm proud of our group,” Hope said after the game. “But again, coming up short is disappointing.”

Hope also pointed to the mistakes that proved costly against a Six Nations team that was able to capitalize on its opportunities.

“I just thought we made too many mistakes and they capitalized on theirs,” he said.

Despite the disappointment, Hope made sure to recognize the fans who stayed to salute the team following the final buzzer. He called Peterborough’s supporters “the greatest fans in lacrosse in the summer” and said their support remains a huge part of the Lakers’ tradition.

“It’s so important that we have that community support and it continues on,” Hope said.

Six Nations Chiefs goaltender Doug Jamieson is presented with the Johnny “Shooter” Davis Award by Johnny Davis Jr. after being named the MSL playoff MVP. (photo courtesy of MAjor Series Lacrosse via gary groob)

The championship was especially significant for Six Nations goalie Jamieson, who was named the Johnny “Shooter” Davis Award winner as the MSL playoff MVP after helping lead the Chiefs to their fourth consecutive title.

Jamieson, who was in net for all four wins in the series, said he knew Game 6 would require a strong effort after a series in which both teams had protected home floor.

“It was such a tight series,” Jamieson said. “Peterborough played great. Each team was winning at home, so we knew it was going to take a good effort tonight to come here and get it done.”

The Chiefs had been rotating Jamieson and Warren Hill every game but decided to put Jamieson in net on Sunday for his second straight start. Jamieson said he didn’t find out he would be starting until he arrived at the arena. “Usually I like to get a little more heads up” Jamieson joked after the game.

When asked about the goaltending rotation, Jamieson said he appreciated the approach and the trust between him and Hill. “Warren's been great all year. I just appreciate the dynamic we have and getting to only play every other game”.

Jamieson said the Tyson Bell empty net goal gave the team some breathing room late in the game and that’s when he started to taste the smell of victory. “I think when Tyson got that empty netter, it’s kind of like, okay, maybe we got it.”

For the Chiefs, the fourth straight Everett Coates Trophy, and 10th all-time, adds another chapter to what has become one of the league’s most familiar championship rivalries. Six Nations will now turn its attention to the Mann Cup, where the Chiefs will host the WLA champion Coquitlam Adanacs beginning September 11th for the Canadian championship.

The Six Nations Chiefs celebrate their fourth straight Everett Coates Trophy after defeating the Lakers in Game 6 of the MSL final. (photo coutesy of major series lacrosse via gary groob)

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

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Sunday's Game Now a Must-Win for Lakers After Falling to Chiefs in Game 5 of MSL Final

By Scott Arnold

The Peterborough Century 21 Lakers dropped an 11-5 decision to the Six Nations Chiefs Thursday night at the Iroquois Lacrosse Arena, putting the Chiefs one win away from claiming the MSL championship.

The Lakers will look to even the MSL final when they return home for Game 6 on Sunday night at the Peterborough Memorial Centre, with the Six Nations Chiefs holding a 3-2 series lead (photo courtesy of peterborough lakers via david pickering)

The Chiefs took control early, scoring four times in the opening period while keeping the Lakers off the scoreboard. Lyle Thompson scored twice, with Chris Cloutier and Dhane Smith also finding the net as Six Nations took a 4-0 lead into the second.

The Chiefs added four more goals in the second period before the Lakers got on the board, with Cloutier scoring his second of the night just 42 seconds in, Thompson completing his hat trick on a shorthanded goal and Andrew Kew scoring his first of the game. Dhane Smith then added his second of the night later in the period to give Six Nations an 8-0 lead.

The Lakers finally broke through with 7:43 left in the second when Ryan Lanchbury scored to get Peterborough on the board. Braedon Saris followed with a power-play goal, and Brad McCulley made it three straight for the Lakers to cut the deficit to four.

Dhane Smith stopped the Peterborough run before Rob Hellyer scored with 2:29 left in the period, sending the Chiefs into the third with an 8-4 lead.

Lanchbury scored his second of the night early in the third to pull the Lakers within three, but Chris Cloutier completed his hat trick to restore the Chiefs’ four-goal cushion. Ian MacKay then scored his first of the night before Andrew Kew added his second of the game to make it 11-5.

Lanchbury led the Lakers with two goals and an assist, while Hellyer, Saris and McCulley each scored once. Justin Sykes, Frank Coyle and Colton Armitage each recorded an assist.

Thompson finished with three goals and two assists for Six Nations, and Cloutier had three goals and an assist. Kew had two goals and three assists, Dhane Smith added two goals and an assist, and Ryan Smith had three assists. MacKay finished with a goal and an assist, while Matt Hossack, Brendan Bomberry and Cody Jamieson each had an assist.

Drew Hutchison played all 60 minutes in net for Peterborough, while Doug Jamieson earned the win for Six Nations.

The Chiefs now lead the best-of-seven series 3-2. Game 6 is 7pm Sunday night at the Peterborough Memorial Centre, with the Lakers needing a win to force a seventh and deciding game. Tickets for that game went on sale Thursday morning.

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Tickets on Sale Now for Game 6 Between Lakers and Chiefs on Sunday

By Scott Arnold

Tickets are now on sale for Game 6 of the MSL final, with the Peterborough Century 21 Lakers set to host the Six Nations Chiefs Sunday night at the Peterborough Memorial Centre.

honorary laker Dylan hawken (right) smiles after getting the news from jake withers that tickets are now on sale for game 6 between the lakers and chiefs, set for sunday at 7pm at the peterborough memorial centre (photo courtesy of the peterborough lakers, via david pickering)

The best-of-seven series is tied 2-2 heading into Game 5 tonight in Six Nations.

So far, the home team has won all four games in the series. The Lakers opened the final with an 11-5 loss in Six Nations before winning Game 2 at the PMC 9-8. The Chiefs took Game 3 at home 12-9, while Peterborough answered with a 12-8 victory in Game 4 on Tuesday.

Game 5 goes tonight in Six Nations, with Game 6 returning to Peterborough regardless of the result.

Game 6 is set for 7pm Sunday at the Peterborough Memorial Centre.

Tickets are on sale now online.

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Lakers Take Game 4 to Even MSL Final with Chiefs at Two Games Apiece

By Scott Arnold

The Peterborough Century 21 Lakers built a nine-goal lead and then held off a furious Six Nations comeback Tuesday night, defeating the Chiefs 12-8 at the Peterborough Memorial Centre to even the MSL final at two games apiece.

Fresh off his gold medal win with Canada at the Pan-am games in jamaica, Peterborough native Owen Hiltz presents Lakers goalie nick rose with the first star of the game. the pair won a national lacrosse league championship together with the toronto rock this past may. (Photo by Scott Arnold)

The Lakers came out flying, scoring six times in the opening period while keeping the Chiefs off the scoreboard. Taite Cattoni scored twice in the first, while Ryan Lanchbury, Thomas Hoggarth, Brad McCulley and Justin Sykes also found the net as Peterborough took a 6-0 lead into the second.

Peterborough continued to pour it on early in the second, with Saris and Cattoni adding to the lead. Cattoni's second goal of the period made it 9-0 with 7:25 remaining. Six Nations finally broke through 33 minutes and 24 seconds into the game when Lyle Thompson scored shorthanded with 6:36 left in the second. Matt Gilray answered with a shorthanded goal for Peterborough, then Dawson Theede scored for Six Nations before Braedon Saris added his second of the night with 43 seconds left in the period, sending the Lakers into the third with an 11-2 lead.

Six Nations came out strong in the final period, scoring six times to cut the deficit to three, with four of those coming in a span of 2:12. Dhane Smith struck first, followed by one from Theede and then a pair from Andrew Kew. Ryan Smith added a pair in the final 1:27, 43 seconds apart, before Matt Gilray stopped the six-goal run with an empty-netter with just 32 seconds remaining.

The Chiefs scored twice shorthanded and added three power-play goals during their third-period push.

Cattoni led the Lakers with four goals, while Lanchbury finished with a goal and five assists. Saris had two goals and four assists, while Rob Hellyer added four assists. Hoggarth and McCulley each had a goal and two assists.

Despite the Lakers being outshot 64-50, Nick Rose stood tall in net and was named the game’s first star with 56 saves.

The series now heads back to Six Nations for Game 5 on Thursday. Regardless of the result, the series will return to Peterborough for Game 6 on Sunday night at the Peterborough Memorial Centre.

The winner of this series will host the Western Lacrosse Association’s Coquitlam Adanacs in the Mann Cup beginning on September 11th. Coquitlam won the WLA championship last night, finishing off the Victoria Shamrocks in six games.

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

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Former Laker Matt Vinc Hanging Up his Pads After Legendary Career that Spanned Two Decades

By Scott Arnold

After 20 seasons in the National Lacrosse League, Matt Vinc is stepping away from the game with a résumé that puts him among the greatest goaltenders in lacrosse history, and Peterborough was a significant part of that remarkable journey.

Matt Vinc hoists the Mann Cup after helping the Peterborough Lakers capture one of four national championships during his time with the club. (Photo via Instagram @ptbolakerslax)

Vinc announced his NLL retirement last week, closing the book on a career that included six championships, eight Goaltender of the Year awards and a collection of league records that may stand for a very long time.

For lacrosse fans in Peterborough, though, Vinc’s legacy is about more than what he accomplished between the pipes in the NLL.

It is also about seven seasons wearing Lakers colours.

The St. Catharines native joined the Peterborough Lakers in 2014 and remained with the club through 2022, appearing in the MSL Final in every season he played. Those years produced four Mann Cup championships, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2022, including a historic run of three consecutive national titles before the Lakers returned in 2022 to complete the four-peat.

That stretch helped cement one of the greatest eras in Lakers history, and Vinc was there for every one of those championship seasons.

His final Mann Cup with Peterborough was particularly memorable. The Lakers fell behind Langley 2-0 before storming back to win four of the next five games and capture the championship.

Matt Vinc celebrates a Mann Cup championship with his family during his time with the Peterborough Lakers. (Photo via Instagram @ptbolakerslax)

While Peterborough fans will remember the saves, championships and imposing presence in the crease, Vinc's NLL career was on an entirely different scale.

He finishes as the league's all-time leader in regular-season wins by a goaltender, with 182, while also holding the career records for saves and minutes played. The NLL credits him with 11,824 regular-season saves and 17,836:49 between the pipes.

He was named NLL Goaltender of the Year eight times and won three consecutive championships twice, first with the Rochester Knighthawks from 2012 through 2014, then with the Buffalo Bandits from 2023 through 2025. That makes Vinc the goaltender behind both three-peats in NLL history.

And somehow, even after all of that, Vinc's final NLL chapter ended with another championship.

At 43, he helped Buffalo complete its own three-peat in 2025 before returning for one more season. Now, after two decades in the league, he has decided it is time to step away.

Vinc's farewell message was fittingly less about the records than the people who shared the journey with him.

He thanked his coaches, front-office and medical staffs, teammates and fans, while saving his deepest gratitude for his family, who he said had been by his side throughout it all.

“I love this sport and look forward to supporting the next generation of players,” Vinc wrote.

For Peterborough, that next generation will always have a pretty special example to look back on.

The Lakers years were only one chapter in Matt Vinc's extraordinary career. But for those who watched him patrol the crease at the Memorial Centre, they were seven seasons, and four Mann Cups, worth remembering.

And now, after 20 seasons, six NLL championships and enough saves to fill a record book, lacrosse's most accomplished goaltenders is finally hanging up his pads.

via instagram @nllbandits

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

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Lakers Fall on the Road to Chiefs in Game 3 of MSL Final

By Scott Arnold

The Peterborough Century 21 Lakers dropped a 12-9 decision to the Six Nations Chiefs Sunday night, giving the Chiefs a 2-1 lead in the MSL final.

The Peterborough Century 21 Lakers battle the Six Nations Chiefs during Game 1 of the MSL Final on Wednesday night at the Iroquois Lacrosse Arena. The series shifts to the Peterborough Memorial Centre for Game 2 on Thursday. (Photo courtesy of peterborough lakers, via anna taylor)

Peterborough came out strong, scoring four times in the opening period to take a 4-2 lead into the second. Rob Hellyer and Justin Sykes led the offence in the opening 20 minutes, each picking up two goals.

The Chiefs turned the game around in the second, scoring seven times while holding the Lakers to two goals. Thomas Hoggarth and Braedon Saris scored for Peterborough, but Six Nations took a 9-6 lead into the final period.

Peterborough pushed back in the third, with Hellyer scoring his third of the night, followed by Ryan Lanchbury and Brad McCulley. The Lakers pulled within two on McCulley’s goal with 59 seconds remaining, but Graeme Hossack answered with an empty-netter 28 seconds later to put the game out of reach.

Hellyer finished with three goals and one assist, while Sykes had two goals and two assists. Hoggarth added a goal and two assists, and Brad McCulley finished with a goal and an assist. Taite Cattoni also had two assists.

Josh Byrne led Six Nations with two goals and three assists, while Shayne Jackson had a goal and four assists.

Nick Rose was in net for the Lakers, while Doug Jamieson picked up the win for Six Nations.

Game 4 is set for 8pm on Tuesday at the PMC.

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Birkhof’s Game-Winner Lifts Lakers to Even MSL Final Series

By Scott Arnold

Dustyn Birkhof scored the biggest goal of his lacrosse career Thursday night, giving the Peterborough Century 21 Lakers a 9-8 win over the Six Nations Chiefs and tying the MSL final at one game apiece.

Peterborough native Dustyn Birkhof scored the game-winning goal on thursday night with 4:20 remaining in the third period as the Lakers defeated the Six Nations Chiefs 9-8 to even the MSL final at one game apiece (Photo by David Pickering)

Birkhof’s goal came with 4:20 remaining in the third period, breaking an 8-8 tie and sending the Memorial Centre crowd into a frenzy. For the Peterborough defender, the moment carried an added meaning.

Thursday marked the four-year anniversary of the death of his older brother, Steve Stapley, who passed away at the age of 32.

After scoring, Birkhof pointed toward the sky.

“Yeah, today’s my four-year anniversary since my oldest brother passed away, and that was for him,” an emotional Birkhof said after the game.

It was the first goal of the playoffs for Birkhof, who described it as the biggest goal he has ever scored.

“I don’t think so,” he said when asked if he had ever scored a bigger goal. “That’s probably as big as it gets here in our own barn against those guys at a big moment.”

The Lakers had some work to do before Birkhof’s late heroics.

Six Nations scored the first goal of the night and eventually built a 6-3 lead, but Peterborough responded with three goals in the final 6:22 of the first period to make it 6-4 after 20 minutes.

Rob Hellyer scored twice in the period, with Taite Cattoni and Colton Armitage also finding the net for Peterborough.

The Lakers pulled even early in the second when Braedon Saris scored his second of the game, and Saris put Peterborough ahead 7-6 on the power play with 16:17 gone in the period. Six Nations answered with goals from Shayne Jackson and Lyle Thompson before Hellyer scored his second of the night with 3:27 remaining, leaving the teams tied 8-8 heading into the third.

Peterborough shut the Chiefs out in the final 20 minutes.

Ryan Lanchbury put the Lakers ahead early in the third, and Birkhof followed with the eventual winner.

Nick Rose made 39 saves on 47 shots to earn the win, while Warren Hill stopped 39 of 48 shots for Six Nations.

Hellyer led the Lakers with two goals and three assists, while Saris had two goals and one assist. Lanchbury finished with a goal and two assists, and Hoggarth added three assists.

Jackson led the Chiefs with four goals and one assist.

The win evens the best-of-seven series at 1-1 and gives the Lakers a chance to take the lead on the road.

Game 3 is Sunday at 7pm at the Iroquois Lacrosse Arena in Six Nations before shifting back to Peterborough for Game 4 on Tuesday night at 8pm.

Dustyn Birkhof was emotional in his postgame interview after scoring the game-winning goal in the Lakers 9-8 win over Six Nations (Video courtesy of YourTV)

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

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Lakers Drop Game 1 to Chiefs in Major Series Lacrosse Final

By Scott Arnold

The Peterborough Century 21 Lakers fell 11-5 to the Six Nations Chiefs Wednesday night in Game 1 of the MSL final at the Iroquois Lacrosse Arena.

The Peterborough Century 21 Lakers battle the Six Nations Chiefs during Game 1 of the MSL Final on Wednesday night at the Iroquois Lacrosse Arena. The series shifts to the Peterborough Memorial Centre for Game 2 on Thursday. (Photo courtesy of peterborough lakers, via anna taylor)

The Chiefs came out flying, scoring twice in the opening 1:14 before Thomas Hoggarth got Peterborough on the board just past the two minute mark. Six Nations continued to build its lead, but Rob Hellyer’s goal late in the period made it 4-2 before the Chiefs added two more to take a 6-2 lead into the second.

Six Nations added three more in the second period to take a 9-2 advantage into the final 20 minutes.

The Lakers came out with a strong response in the third. Ryan Lanchbury scored shorthanded to get things started, followed by goals from Hellyer and Hoggarth to cut the deficit to 9-5.

The comeback attempt was short-lived, however, as Lyle Thompson and Chris Cloutier scored power-play goals to restore the Chiefs’ six-goal lead.

Lanchbury, Hellyer and Hoggarth each scored twice for Peterborough, while the Lakers also got goals from Hoggarth and Hellyer. Ryan Smith led Six Nations with three goals and three assists, while Dhane Smith and Josh Byrne each finished with five points.

Nick Rose took over in goal for Peterborough late in the first period, replacing Drew Hutchison, and finished the game with 42:22 played. Doug Jamieson made 36 saves to earn the win for Six Nations.

The Chiefs now lead the best-of-seven series 1-0 with Game 2 set for Thursday at 8pm at the Peterborough Memorial Centre,

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John Grant Jr. Adds Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame to Growing List of Honours

By Scott Arnold

Just two months after entering the Peterborough & District Sports Hall of Fame, Peterborough native John Grant Jr. is headed into another Hall of Fame.

Peterborough lacrosse legend John Grant Jr. (centre), pictured with Peterborough Lakers broadcasters Scott Arnold (left) and Pete Dalliday, is adding another Hall of Fame honour to a career that has already seen him recognized among the greatest players in the history of the sport.

Grant Jr. was announced Sunday as one of 12 inductees into the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026, adding another major honour to a career that has already earned him recognition in several of the sport’s most prestigious halls.

The Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame announced its new class on August 16th, with Grant Jr. joining Glenn Clark, Grant Hamilton, Karolyn Karpun and Bruce Murray in the Player category.

The Veteran inductees are Michael John Howard, Jim Weller and Steve Manning. Walt Christianson and Bob McMahon were selected as Builders, Ray Durante was named in the Officials category, and the Team Canada Women’s Sixes 2022 squad was selected for induction.

The formal induction banquet and ceremonies are scheduled for October 24th at the Anvil Centre in New Westminster, British Columbia.

For Grant Jr., the announcement comes remarkably soon after his June induction into the Peterborough & District Sports Hall of Fame, where he joined his father, John Grant Sr., as a member.

After already being inducted into several Halls of Fame in the United States, Grant Jr.'s induction into the Peterborough & District Sports Hall of Fame in June marked his first Hall of Fame induction in Canada.

Now, just a couple of months later, he's about to add another Canadian Hall of Fame to the list.

And this one is specifically dedicated to the sport that has defined his career.

A young John Grant Jr. takes the floor as a Minor Peterborough Laker, long before the Peterborough native would go on to become one of the most decorated players in lacrosse history.

A Career Built in Peterborough

Grant Jr.'s connection to lacrosse began in Peterborough, where he played Junior A with the Lakers from 1991 to 1995 and Major Series Lacrosse with the Peterborough Lakers from 1994 through 2016.

His career eventually took him across North America and onto the international stage, but Peterborough remained a significant part of the story.

He represented Canada in both box and field lacrosse, playing on national teams at multiple World Championships. His championship résumé includes three World Indoor Lacrosse Championship gold medals, a World Field Championship gold medal, five Mann Cup championships and an NLL championship.

He was also a five-time Major League Lacrosse champion.

Individually, the list is just as extensive. Grant Jr. was an OLA Junior A MVP, MSL Rookie of the Year, USILA National Collegiate Player of the Year, NLL Rookie of the Year, a two-time NLL MVP and NLL Championship MVP. He was also a two-time Mann Cup MVP.

Over a playing career spanning more than 25 years, he accumulated more than 3,000 points.

The Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame induction adds to a list of Hall of Fame honours that already includes the NJCAA Hall of Fame in 2010, NLL Hall of Fame in 2021, Professional Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2022 and US Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2024.

His playing career eventually gave way to coaching, where he has continued to contribute to the sport at the professional and collegiate levels in the United States.

Peterborough lacrosse legend John Grant Jr. receives the key to the city from then-Mayor Daryl Bennett, another honour recognizing the impact his remarkable career has had both on the sport and the community he grew up in.

A Class That Spans Lacrosse History

Grant Jr. is the name that will immediately stand out locally, but the 2026 class represents a broad cross-section of Canadian lacrosse.

Glenn Clark is being honoured for a career that included championships with the Brooklin Redmen, Coquitlam Adanacs and Toronto Rock, as well as international success with Canada.

Grant Hamilton is being recognized for a career that included championships with the Victoria Shamrocks and Calgary Roughnecks, along with his contributions as both a player and leader.

Karolyn Karpun is being inducted after an extraordinary career in both box and field lacrosse, including 10 Canadian senior women's field lacrosse championships and appearances at three World Cups.

Bruce Murray is being honoured for a career that saw him evolve from a scoring forward into one of the era's most respected defenders, while also representing Canada internationally.

The Veteran category includes Michael John Howard, who won nine Minto Cups during his career; Jim Weller, a standout at the University of Massachusetts who represented Canada at three World Cups; and Steve Manning, who was part of two Mann Cup-winning New Westminster Salmonbellies teams as a player and later contributed as a coach.

The Builder category recognizes Walt Christianson, whose coaching career has included national and international success, and Bob McMahon, whose decades of coaching have included Team Canada's 2003 World Indoor Championship victory.

Ray Durante, who spent 31 years as an on-floor referee after a 12-year playing career, is being inducted in the Officials category.

And Team Canada Women’s Sixes 2022 is being honoured after winning the first-ever World Games gold medal in women's Sixes lacrosse.

For Grant Jr., though, the announcement brings the focus back home.

Peterborough has been part of his lacrosse story from the beginning, and this latest honour is another recognition of just how significant that story has become.

In June, Grant Jr. could say that the Peterborough & District Sports Hall of Fame was his first Hall of Fame induction in Canada.

By October 24th, he'll have another one to add to the résumé.

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

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Lakers Advance to MSL Final After Finishing Off Oakville in Four Games

By Scott Arnold

The Peterborough Century 21 Lakers are headed back to the MSL final after beating the Oakville Rock 14-8 Tuesday night at the Peterborough Memorial Centre to win their semifinal series in four games.

Thomas Hoggarth comes over to help up teammate Ryan Lanchbury who was knocked down after scoring a goal last night in the lakers 14-8 Game 4 win over the rock (photo courtesy of the peterborough lakers, via David Pickering)

Alex Simmons opened the scoring for Oakville, but Ryan Lanchbury answered for Peterborough less than three minutes later on the power play. Justin Lee then put the Rock back in front before Lanchbury scored again to tie it at 2-2. Thomas Hoggarth and Lanchbury added the next two Lakers goals before Rob Hellyer scored with 4:43 left in the period to make it 5-4 after one.

The Lakers added four more goals in the second. Brad McCulley, Mike Robinson, Alex Pace and Hellyer all scored for Peterborough, while Oakville got goals from Jake Darlison and Alex Simmons to leave the Lakers with a 9-7 lead heading into the third.

Peterborough then put the game away with five goals in the final period. Hellyer scored again, followed by Colton Armitage, Justin Sykes, Thomas Hoggarth and Jordan Stouros. Simmons scored his fourth of the night for Oakville.

Drew Hutchison stopped 48 of 56 shots to earn the win.

Lanchbury led the way offensively with 11 points, scoring twice and adding nine assists. Hellyer had four goals and three assists, while Hoggarth (2g 2a) and Sykes (1g 3a) each finished with four points. Robinson added three points, while Stouros, Pace, McCulley and Armitage also found the net.

The win sends Peterborough into the MSL final against the Six Nations Chiefs, who swept the Cobourg Kodiaks in the other semifinal. The Chiefs are making their sixth straight final appearance and are looking for their fourth straight championship.

The Lakers have been a constant in the MSL championship picture as well. They have appeared in every final since 2014 and have reached 20 finals since 2004, missing only the 2013 final outside of the two COVID-cancelled seasons. Peterborough has won 11 of those championships.

This will be the 11th time the Lakers and Chiefs have met in the MSL final since their first meeting in 2012, with the two teams splitting their previous 10 series. The exceptions in that stretch came in 2013, when the Chiefs faced Brooklin, and 2018, when Peterborough faced Oakville.

Now, the Lakers and Chiefs are set to write another chapter in what has become one of the league’s most familiar championship rivalries.

The championship series schedule has not yet been announced.

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

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