Two More NHL Alumni Join Peterborough’s Battle of Ontario Rivalry Night

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By Scott Arnold

Two more familiar names from the Battle of Ontario era are coming to Peterborough, with Nik Antropov and Chris Phillips joining the alumni lineup for Rivalry Night on November 6th.

Two more familiar names from the Battle of Ontario era are coming to Peterborough, with Nik Antropov and Chris Phillips joining the alumni lineup for Rivalry Night on November 6th.

fan favourites Nik Antropov and Chris Phillips will join the Leafs and Senators Alumni teams respectively for The Battle of Ontario on November 6th at the peterborough memorial centre (photo courtesy of the greater peterborough health services foundation)

Antropov will join the Toronto Maple Leafs Alumni team, while Phillips will suit up with the Ottawa Senators Alumni team at the Peterborough Memorial Centre.

The pair join previously announced alumni Darcy Tucker and Chris Neil, giving fans four former NHL players who were key parts of the Toronto-Ottawa rivalry of the early 2000s.

Antropov was selected 10th overall by the Maple Leafs in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft and spent 10 seasons in the Leafs organization. The 6-foot-6 forward was a familiar presence on Toronto’s top lines during the rivalry’s peak.

Phillips was selected first overall by Ottawa in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft and spent his entire NHL career with the Senators. The defenceman became a longtime fixture on Ottawa’s blue line and was part of the rivalry’s biggest years.

The Battle of Ontario became a regular playoff matchup in the early 2000s, with Toronto and Ottawa meeting in the postseason four times in five seasons between 2000 and 2005.

The rivalry was revived in the 2024-25 season when the Leafs and Senators met in the first round of the playoffs.

Rivalry Night will also have a local purpose beyond the alumni matchup. The event is a fundraiser supporting concussion education and awareness in youth sport through the Greater Peterborough Health Services Foundation’s Concussion Fund.

The game takes place November 6th at the Peterborough Memorial Centre. Meet and greet packages are available with the alumni teams, and complete rosters will be announced in the coming weeks.

Tickets are available through the Peterborough Memorial Centre website.


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

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