Photos: Peterborough Petes Alumnus Chris Pronger Holds Whiskey Bottle Signing At Local LCBO

It was a spirited homecoming for Peterborough Petes Alumnus and Stanley Cup champion Chris Pronger as he held a bottle signing of his whiskey brand ‘JRNY’ at the LCBO on Lansdowne Street and Goodfellow Road on Thursday afternoon.

All photos by David Tuan Bui.

Roughly 20 people were lined up outside the LCBO prior to his bottle signing and several more joined in throughout the two-hour timeframe to get autographs including on their respective hockey apparel and photographs.

The whiskey was created alongside his brother and former NHLer Sean Pronger who was also present during the bottle signing.

Chris played for two seasons with the Petes from 1991 to 1993. The Hart Memorial Trophy-winning defenceman scored 32 goals and 107 assists in two seasons with the Petes.

Chris is performing the ceremonial puck drop for the Peterborough Petes game as they host the rival Oshawa Generals on the same night.

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Hometown PTBO: Curler Toula Pappas On Qualifying For the 2024 Canadian Under-18 Championships In Ottawa

This week on Hometown PTBO, Pete Dalliday talks with curler Toula Pappas about winning the provincial championships with Team Vivier to qualify for the 2024 Canadian Under-18 Championships in Ottawa from Feb. 4 to 10.

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Peterborough Petes 15th Annual Pink In the Rink Game To Support Wheels of Hope Running This Saturday

In support of Wheels of Hope, the Peterborough Petes' 15th annual Pink in the Rink game is set for Saturday when the Petes host the Niagara IceDogs at the Peterborough Memorial Centre.

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Petes.

The team is wearing special theme jerseys designed by Kyle McDonald of Pioneer Inc. that highlight the names of nearly 200 people battling cancer and feature a special Canadian Cancer Society shoulder crest.

The funds support the Wheels of Hope transportation program provided by the Canadian Cancer Society (CCS). It connects people to cancer treatments with volunteer drivers and travel cost reimbursements.

All Petes players and coaches will act as ambassadors for the campaign. Family, friends and fans can donate on behalf of a particular player or coach by going online and choosing their name from the dropdown menu on the CCS fundraising website.

Fans can also support the campaign through an in-person silent auction in the North Lobby on game night, a special chuck-a-puck at the second intermission or by purchasing an Official 15th Annual Pink in the Rink t-shirt and/or Anniversary Pin.

Bobcaygeon Brewing Co. has produced a limited edition run of Petes Lager featuring a Pink Can. Each can sold sees 25 cents donated to the Pink in the Rink campaign.

After raising $954,136 over the past 14 years, the Petes announced that this year’s fundraising goal is $50,000. If achieved, the Petes and the Peterborough community will hit $1,000,000 raised in the fight against cancer in Pink in the Rink’s history. 

Official game jerseys are available at the Pink in the Rink live post-game auction. Fans are asked to move to the Gibson’s Finest Club Section immediately following the game to participate in the auction. A game ticket is required to take part in the game-worn jersey auction. 

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Renowned Professional Wrestler Cody Deaner To Guest Speak At Local Elementary Schools Through Sponsorship Tour

Through a sponsorship by Kiwanis Club of Peterborough, Chris Gray better known as professional wrestling/speaker Cody Deaner is doing a fourth tour of several Peterborough schools announced on Tuesday.

The Kiwanis Club of Peterborough is celebrating 103 years of service to the Peterborough community. It is part of a global membership of over 550,000 in 80 countries. Photo courtesy of Kiwanis Club of Peterborough.

The Total Nonstop Wrestling star will speak at Edmison Heights Public School on Feb. 12 and St. John’s Catholic Elementary School and Adam Scott Intermediate School on Feb. 13.

Gray also launched a top-rated podcast in 2023: Wrestling is Life is Wrestling.

“We’re very excited to bring Chris back to Peterborough for another tour”, said Jeff Westlake, Kiwanis past-president. “His previous tours in 2019, 2020 and 2023 were tremendously popular with both students and staff.”

“I’m delighted to be returning to Peterborough next month,” said Gray. “The partnership with the Kiwanis Club of Peterborough has been outstanding these last few years and I’m eager to inspire area kids with my stories and message of ‘Dare to Dream Big.’”

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Fleming Phoenix Roundup: Jan. 29

The Fleming Phoenix sports teams had mixed results but saw a good outing from their extramural hockey team.

The Fleming Phoenix logo was unveiled for the college on Sept. 8, replacing the Fleming Knight. Photo courtesy of Fleming College.

The Phoenix men’s extramural hockey team hosted an ice hockey tournament at the Lindsay Recreation Complex on Friday.

The Phoenix won their first game 1-0 against the Seneca Sting with Adam Edgerton getting the lone goal and. Brett Otterbein with the shutout. 

Fleming went on a winning streak, defeating the Georgian Grizzlies (Barrie) 3-2. P Tyler Haliburton, Ashten Murdock and Bryce Baron each had tallies for the Phoenix.

In the semi-finals, the Phoenix were defeated by their local rival and eventual tournament winners in Trent University, 4-1. The lone Phoenix goal was scored by Brady Sage.

Trent University went on to win the tournament, defeating the Durham Lords 5-1. 

The Seneca Sting were named the Fair Play team of the tournament. 

The Phoenix men’s basketball team had another road loss, taking a defeat by the Georgian Grizzlies, 98-90 on Friday.  

The Phoenix led after the first quarter but the Grizzlies gained control and led in each of the three remaining quarters. 

High scorers for the Phoenix were Shawn Blackwood with 19 points, Paul-Ryan Molay with 18 and Jason Diaz and Lystra White each had 16 points.

Fleming continues playing on the road as they head to Toronto to take on the Seneca Sting on Friday. Game time is 7 p.m. 

The men’s and women’s Phoenix volleyball teams travelled to Ottawa this past weekend to face the Algonquin Wolves on Saturday and the La Cite Coyotes on Sunday.

The women’s Phoenix volleyball team lost 3-0 to Algonquin with set scores of 25-18, 25-22, and 25-22. They took another loss, 3-1 to La Cite. The Phoenix women won the first set 25-19 and then lost the next three sets 25-22, 25-15, 26-24. 

The men’s Phoenix team were swept 3-0 to Algonquin. Scores for that match were 25-18, 25-16, 23-23. They reversed their fortunes, routing La Cite with set scores of 25-16, 25-9, 25-18. This brings the men’s Phoenix volleyball team to 5-12 in the regular season. 

Both the men and women’s team will play their final game of the regular season at home against the Durham Lords at the Peterborough Sport and Wellness Centre on Wednesday. The women play at 6 p.m. and the men at 8 p.m. 

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Peterborough Petes Peppered With 56 Shots In 4-2 Loss to Ottawa 67's; Losing Streak Extended to Nine Games

The ice seemed tilted for the Petes, who were blasted with 56 shots to their 19 in a 4-2 defeat to the Ottawa 67’s, extending their losing streak to nine games at the Peterborough Memorial Centre on Thursday night.

Photo courtesy of Kenneth Andersen and the Peterborough Petes.

The game was former Pete Samuel Meyer’s return to Peterborough since being traded to Ottawa on Jan. 7.

The visiting team wasted no time getting on the board. Less than three minutes into the game, Matthew Mayich blasted a one-timer slapshot from the point that beat Petes goaltender Liam Sztuska for a 1-0 lead.

The Petes were getting outshot 16-8 in the first period but tied the game late as Chase Lefebvre split the Ottawa defence and had a breakaway. He stickhandled the puck a few times before sniping it through on the forehand, beating Collin MacKenzie for a 1-1 tie to end the first frame.

Ottawa struck early in the period again. Just under three and a half minutes in, Caden Kelly took a shot from the point that deflected off teammate Bradley Horner and past Sztuska for a 2-1 lead. Ottawa got more shots this period than the last with 20 while limiting Peterborough to only four as the Petes trailed by one into the final stanza.

The Petes struck first this time, just under seven and a half minutes in as they made the most of their few chances in the game. Peterborough was on the powerplay and had a board battle from behind Ottawa’s net. The puck squirted out in front and Aiden Young pounced on it for a one-timer goal, his first as a Peterborough Pete and the game was tied at two.

Ottawa got a powerplay late in the period and capitalized as a shot from the point was blocked by a Pete. Henry Mews corraled the puck, passed it off to Thomas Sirman who buried the one-timer for a 3-2 lead.

The visiting 67’s tacked on an empty-net goal to round out their 20-shot period to Peterborough’s seven and leave the Electric City with a 4-2 win.

Peterborough heads to London on Friday to take on their former goalie, Michael Simpson. He has 23 wins, more than any other goaltender in the league. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Budweiser Gardens. Fans can catch the game at the Official Road Game Watch Party at Shoeless Joe’s Peterborough.

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Son of Peterborough Minor Petes Alumnus Commits to Minnesota State University Mavericks

Eli Pulver, son of Peterborough native and Minor Petes alumnus Paul Pulver, has committed to Minnesota State University, Mankato for the 2024-25 season, announced on Wednesday.

Photo courtesy of the Salmon Arm Silverbacks.

The Vancouver-born goaltender joins the Mavericks after spending the past three years in the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL), most recently with the Salmon Arm Silverbacks.

Eli played 81 games with a 49-24-4 record with a 2.43 GAA and a 0.922 SV%. The 20-year-old is in his first season with the Silverbacks where he has put up a 15-7-1 record with a 2.29 GAA and a 0.924 SV%.

“I’m really looking forward to joining their [the Minnesota State University, Mankato] program,” said Eli. “I know it will be a great spot for me to develop as both a player and as a person so I’m grateful for the opportunity. Thanks to everyone involved with the Silverbacks organization for helping me get to this point.”

Paul played defence for the Peterborough Roadrunners from 1985 to 1987 in the Metro Jr. B Hockey League.

In 33 games, he posted seven goals and five assists with the club.

Paul played collegiate hockey for McGill University for four years while obtaining a bachelor’s degree in Economics.

He works as a partner with Pulver Crawford Munroe LLP in Vancouver.

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Hometown PTBO: Petes GM Michael Oke On Coming to Peterborough and Some of His Fondest Memories With the Team

This week on Hometown PTBO, Pete Dalliday talks with Michael Oke, Peterborough Petes general manager and vice president of operations about how he came to town at a young age, hockey family stories and his some of his fondest memories with the team.

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Peterborough Lakers Get Six Players In Major Series Lacrosse Draft

The Peterborough Century 21 Lakers got six players this weekend in the annual Major Series Lacrosse draft that took place at the Toronto Rock Athletic Centre in Oakville on Sunday.

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Lakers.

The Lakers had picks in each of the five rounds with an additional pick in the second round. 

The Lakers drafted: 

• First round – Koleton Marquis, F, Orangeville Northmen 

• Second round – Andrew Vradenburg, D, Burlington Blaze 

• Second round – Brenden Boyle, D, Burlington Blaze 

• Third round – Tommy Collins, F, Peterborough Lakers 

• Fourth round – Nolan Kenney, D, Peterborough Lakers 

• Fifth round – Andrew Kidd, G, Toronto Beaches 

Before the draft, the Lakers protected four graduates of the Jr. A Lakers program: 

• Captain/Defenceman Adam Thistlethwaite 

• Forward Zach Thompson 

• Defence/Transition Ben Trumble 

• Goaltender Deacan Knott, who is currently the backup goaltender for the Philadelphia Wings 

“I’m super excited to be getting this opportunity to become a Laker,” said Marquis. “Growing up, I’ve always known Peterborough to be the mecca of lacrosse and I can’t wait to be able to compete on the same floor where there has been so much history. Personally, I believe I can bring a skilled, fast-paced style of play to the Lakers, along with a ton of passion and positive energy to the locker room.” 

Marquis is currently in his second year at Johns Hopkins. 

Vradenburg was the hometown captain of the 2023 Minto Cup-winning Burlington Blaze, was drafted by Halifax last September and is currently on their practice roster. The Lakers now sport five members of that Minto Cup team, along with Brenden Boyle and three protected players in Thompson, Trumble and Knott, who were traded from Peterborough to Burlington halfway through last season. 

Collins finished fifth in team scoring for the Jr. Lakers last season and Kenney was brought in to play tough defence. 

Kidd, the Toronto Beaches standout, was drafted by the Albany FireWolves in September and is currently on their practice roster.

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Fleming Phoenix Roundup: Jan. 23

The Fleming Phoenix basketball and volleyball teams did not have the best of luck as they could not muster a win over the weekend.

Fleming’s MOntana Rank taking a dive at the ball. Photo courtesy of David Pickering and Fleming College.

The Phoenix men’s basketball team lost its home game on Friday, falling 89 to 64 to the visiting George Brown Huskies.

Shawn Blackwood had 21 points, Jason Diaz netted 13 points and Tristan Paguirigan scored 11 points as the team’s top scoeres.

The Phoenix will try to get back on track when they travel to Belleville on Wednesday at 6 p.m. to take on the Loyalist Lancers.

The Phoenix men's and women’s volleyball teams welcomed the Huskies to the Peterborough Sport and Wellness Centre on Saturday but could not leave home field with a victory.

The women’s team lost 3-0, losing the sets 25-15, 25-9, and 25-9. 

The men’s team won the first set 25-22, and then lost the next three sets 25-17, 25-20 and 25-23 for a final score of 3-1. 

The Phoenix volleyball teams head to the nation’s capital this weekend to play the Algonquin Wolves in Ottawa on Saturday and the La Cite Coyotes on Sunday. 

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