Former Peterborough Petes' Nick Robertson Scores Two Including Game-Winner For Toronto Maple Leafs in Season Debut

From missing the opening lineup to overtime hero, former Peterborough Pete Nick Robertson netted two goals including a walk-off score to give the Toronto Maple Leafs a 3-2 win over the Dallas Stars on Thursday night.

Robertson spent three seasons with the Peterborough Petes from 2017-20. Photo courtesy of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Robertson made his season debut in the Leafs’ fifth game after failing to make the opening night roster.

He made his first goal not two minutes into the third period, seconds after Toronto’s powerplay expired. Robertson received a pass from Michael Bunting from the far-side corner, was uncontested when making his shot and sniped it past Stars goaltender Scott Wedgewood to give Toronto a 2-1 lead.

During overtime, Robertson created a turnover as the lone man during an odd-man rush for Dallas. Toronto had an odd-man rush of their own as Robertson slapped a one-timer goal off a give-and-go pass from star Leafs forward Auston Matthews to win the game 3-2.

After the game, Robertson credited his mother for having a memorable season debut.

“She’s my rock, she’s the reason why I’m here,” he said. “To have a night like this, it’s something you dream of. I definitely put the work in, she’s put the work in more than I have to get to this point.”

Nick made his season debut against his brother and Stars forward Jason Robertson.

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Peterborough Petes Score Five Unanswered To Trounce The Kingston Frontenacs, 5-1

The Peterborough Petes come alive in the second and third periods, scoring five unanswered goals to defeat the Kingston Frontenacs, 5-1 at the Peterborough Memorial Centre on Thursday night.

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Petes and Jessica van Stallduinen.

The Petes peppered Kingston goalie Ivan Zhigalov with 15 shots in the first period but were shutout. The Frontenacs’s Linus Hemström gave Kingston the 1-0 lead into the second.

Three minutes into J.R Avon would tuck one past Zhigalov to tie the game at 1-1. Tucker Robertson extended the Petes lead after Kingston committed a delay-of-game penalty, ripping a shot off the post and in for a 2-1 lead into the third.

Peterborough exploded in the third period offensively as Jax Dubois scored his first of the year, Justin DeZoete rifled one through for his third of the year and Robertson capped it off with a penalty shot goal to seal the victory.

Petes goalie Michael Simpson stopped 27 of 28 in net to earn the win.

Kingston gets a shot at revenge as they’ll host Peterborough Friday night as part of a home-and-home series between the two teams.

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Hometown PTBO: Crestwood Edge On Giving Student-Athletes Extra School Credits and Fitness While Improving Overall Health

This week on Hometown PTBO, Pete Dalliday talks to the staff and students of the Crestwood Edge Program about how it provides a higher level of fitness training for high school student-athletes and being able to obtain extra school credits.

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Peterborough's Porter Martone Selected to 2022 World U-17 Hockey Challenge

Peterborough’s Porter Martone of the Ontario Hockey League’s Sarnia Sting has been selected to represent Team Canada Red at the 2022 World U-17 Hockey Challenge, Nov. 3-12 in Langley and Delta, B.C. announced on Tuesday.

Martone has registered one assist in seven games with the Sarnia Sting this season. Photo courtesy of the Sarnia Sting.

The tournament, which returns for the first time since 2019, will feature three Canadian teams matching up against Czechia, Finland, Sweden and the United States.

All seven teams will play six preliminary-round games from Nov. 3-11, with the top four in the standings advancing to the medal round. The Langley Events Centre will host 16 games including three all-Canadian matchups and both medal-round games on Nov. 12.

The seven remaining games will be played at Sungod Arena in Delta, beginning with Team Canada White facing Sweden on Nov. 3.

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Peterborough Petes's Jack Van Volsen Selected For 2022 U17 World Hockey Challenge

Peterborough Petes’s Jack Van Volsen has been selected to play for Canada White in the 2022 U17 World Hockey Challenge announced on Tuesday.

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Petes.

The tournament is from Nov. 3 - 12 in Delta and Langley, B.C. The event last ran in 2019.

The Brooklin, Ont. native was selected by the Petes sixth overall in the 2022 OHL Priority selection from the Toronto Jr. Canadiens U16 AAA.

The centreman is 6’1”, 172 pounds and has two goals and one assist in seven games this season.

“It’s a huge honour to be selected for this tournament and represent my country, said Van Volsen. “I think it's something that you always dream about as a kid to be able to put on the Canada jersey. I’m just very excited to bring what I've learned so far in Peterborough to the international stage.”

“We’re excited to see that Jack has been recognized as one of the top players born in 2006 in Canada,” said Michael Oke, Petes General Manager. “This will be a great opportunity for him to compete against top competition from around the world in his age group. We know that the experience that he brings back is going to benefit the Petes greatly. It’s a huge honour any time you are selected to represent your country and we couldn’t be more proud of him.”

The Petes play the Kingston Frontenacs at home at the Peterborough Memorial Centre this Thursday which is Disney Night.

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The Peterborough Jesse’s Tap and Grill U13 AAA Petes Win the Icefest Tournament

The 2022-2023 Peterborough U13 AAA Petes take home the gold in the Boston Pizza Icefest championships against the Ottawa Valley Titans in the final game at the Healthy Planet Arena.

Photo courtesy of Erin Brioux (team manager)

After the team placed six of 10 in the preliminary rounds of the Thursday-Sunday tournament, they went on to beat both the Central Ontario Wolves 2-0 in the quarter-final game, and the Clarington Toroes 4-2.

In the semi-final game of the three-division, 36-team tournament, the boys scored three goals in the final 50 seconds of the game and secured there

During Sunday afternoon’s championship game, they beat the Ottawa Valley Titans 2-1 and took home the title. After putting the Petes on the board with a first period goal by Colton Adams, the Titans brought the score to 1-1 with 50 seconds left and their goalie pulled.

The tied score called for three-on-three overtime, and after three minutes a player from each team was removed. A goal was then scored by Evan Fitzgerald in the fifth minute, bringing the final score to 2-1.

After the U12 team’s loss in the semi-finals of the same tournament last year, the U13’s were determined to reclaim the title.

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Peterborough Petes Comeback Force Overtime But Fall Short To Sudbury Wolves, 4-3

The Peterborough Petes overcome a 3-0 deficit to force overtime but lose out to the Sudbury Wolves 4-3 at the Sudbury Community Arena on Sunday afternoon.

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Petes.

The Wolves got a quick start as Kieron Walton gave Sudbury a 1-0 lead after a power play goal. Four minutes later, Landon McCallum (brother of Petes player Braydon) extended the lead to 2-0. Sudbury capitalized on the power play again as Alex Pharand scored to give the Wolves a 3-0 lead into the second period.

The Petes got an opportunity as Sudbury’s Kocha Delic got a five-minute major penalty for slew footing. Petes’s Sahil Panwar tipped a Sam Mayer shot and put Peterborough on the board with a power play goal. A minute and a half later, J.R. Avon would score his third goal in two games to make it 2-1 into the third.

Peterborough’s Sam Mayer tied the game in the third with a rebound shot to make it 3-3. Jack Van Volsen would pick up his first OHL assist on the play. The game remained tied at regulation so the Petes would head to overtime for the second time in two games.

Three minutes into overtime, right after Tucker Robertson hit the post, Nathan Villeneuve would sneak one past Michael Simpson to give the Wolves the win.

The Petes are back at home on Thursday against the Kingston Frontenacs on Disney night.

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Peterborough's Kerry Huffman Named Pittsburgh Penguins Director of Professional Scouting

Peterborough’s Kerry Huffman has been promoted to the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins director of professional scouting announced on Tuesday.

Huffman was teammates with Penguins general manager Ron Hextall in Philadelphia from 1987-92 and 199 and with Quebec in 1992-93. Photo courtesy of the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

Huffman duty is to oversee Pittsburgh's four-person pro scouting staff and coordinate the team's pro scouting efforts in the NHL and AHL.

The 54-year-old joined the team last season as a professional scout. He served as an assistant coach for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms (Philadelphia Flyers AHL affiliate) from 2016-21 prior to the Penguins. The Phantoms had a 170-86-22-12 record in those five seasons that include an Atlantic Division title in 2017-18.

Huffman has played 401 NHL games over a decade as a defenseman from 1987-96. He’s recorded 145 points (37 goals and 108 assists) with Philadelphia, Quebec and Ottawa.

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Peterborough Petes Fall Again to the North Bay Battalion, 3-1

The Peterborough Petes could not avenge their one-and-only loss to the North Bay Battalion as they fell 3-1 on the road at the North Bay Memorial Gardens on Thursday night.

File Photo.

This game is Peterborough’s second loss of the season, both coming from North Bay at home and on the road.

Almost halfway through the first period, Peterborough was on the penalty kill but became fortunate as Justin DeZoete buried a shorthanded goal — his second of the season — off a breakaway rebound shot from J. R. Avon. Petes goalie Michael Simpson was under siege in the first period but was able to stop all 15 shots in the first, shutting out his opponents in four straight periods

Despite several early chances from the Petes in the second period, North Bay’s Kyle Jackson evened the score to make it. Five minutes later, Kyle McDonald gave North Bay their first lead of the game going into the third period.

Simpson was under fire again as North Bay peppered him in a period where the Batallion had 13 shots including two breakaways and a penalty shot but stopped everything that came at him. Brampton added the insurance marker with an empty-net goal in the final minute of the game to seal the victory.

The Petes continue their road trip on Friday against the Soo Greyhounds.

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Former Peterborough Petes Assistant Coach Hired As Arizona Coyotes Development Coach

Former Peterborough Petes assistant coach Kurtis Foster has been hired as an Arizona Coyotes development coach.

Foster has been the defensive partner for Tampa Bay Lightning’s Victor Hedmen in the 2009-10 season. Photo courtesy of the OHL.

Foster is working under Lee Stempniak, director of player development on a day-to-day basis according to the Coyotes’ press release.

“Arizona has many high-level prospects that will be rewarding to work with,” said Foster.

The 40-year-old was an assistant coach with the Peterborough Petes from 2016-17 but had stints with the Kingston Frontenacs from 2017-20. He was their head coach from 2018-20, coaching high-end prospects such as Jason Robertson and Shane Wright.

“I feel through my playing and now my coaching career, I should be able to relate and communicate to these players on many levels and ultimately help them develop into NHL players,” reflected Foster.

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