The 66th Annual Liftlock U11 Hockey Tournament To Be the Finale

A continued Peterborough hockey tradition hits the end of the road as the 66th edition of the Annual Liftlock U11 Hockey Tournament will be the last, announced on Tuesday evening.

Last year’s U11A Petes competed in the “Chris Fee Cup”, defeating the U11A Toronto Wolverines. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

Formerly known as the Peterborough Liftlock Atom Hockey Tournament, the decision came down to two contributing factors: a lack of volunteers and the shifting landscape of minor hockey.

The tournament has relied heavily on local volunteers, but organizers say, “finding and retaining enough individuals to manage the extensive logistics, from scheduling to arena operations, has become increasingly difficult.”

Organizers also state that “changes within the broader minor hockey landscape may have also contributed to the challenges faced by the Peterborough Liftlock Atom Tournament.”

The tournament began during the 1958-59 season as a one-day, eight-team affair for Pee Wee players. Over the years, it adapted to age-grouping changes by the OMHA, eventually settling on the ‘Atom’ (now U11) designation in 1974.

In 1969, a group including Jack Guerin, Lloyd Hardy, Don Dorsett and Howie Eastman proposed an expansion to a two-day, 16-team event, laying the groundwork for its significant growth.

“(It’s) Not just a hockey tournament...It's a community affair,” said organizers. The Liftlock Tournament was one of the largest Atom-level tournaments in North America. Attracting more than 100 teams from across Ontario, Quebec and even the United States, the tournament proceeds went to lower hockey costs for local minor players and assisting numerous local and national charities, as well as capital projects like the Evinrude Centre and the Peterborough Regional Health Centre.

There are 87 alumni who participated in the tournament and went on to make the National Hockey League.

They include:

• Wayne Gretzky - The Great One and was one of hockey’s greatest goal scorers

• Eric Lindros - NHL MVP

• Bob Gainey - Multiple Stanley Cup winner and successful coach

• Corey Perry - Hometown Stanley Cup champion with the Anaheim Ducks

• Steve Larmer - An ‘iron man’ forward who played 884 consecutive games for the Chicago Blackhawks

• John Vanbiesbrouck - Stanley Cup goaltender and finalist

• Tie Domi - Renowned Toronto Maple Leafs enforcer

• Mickey Redmond - Montréal Canadiens forward and Detroit Red Wings colour commentator

• Cory Stillman - A two-time Stanley Cup champion

• Mike Fisher - An 18-season NHL veteran

Organizers made a final statement regarding the last edition of the tournament, “While the 2026 edition promises to be a celebratory send-off, it will undoubtedly mark the end of an era for a tournament that has been a cherished tradition and a vital part of Peterborough's identity for over six decades. Its legacy, however, will continue to resonate in the memories of those who played, volunteered, and cheered on the young hockey hopefuls at the Peterborough Liftlock Atom Hockey Tournament.”

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Peterborough Lakers Playoff Schedule Set Against the Brooklin Lacrosse Club

Major Series Lacrosse has released the playoff schedule for the Peterborough Lakers as they are matched against the Brooklin Lacrosse Club starting Thursday at the Peterborough Memorial Centre.

Photo courtesy of David Pickering and the Peterborough Lakers.

The Lakers finished the regular season in second place while Brooklin was in third. This will be the fourth consecutive time the clubs have met in the semi-finals, with the Lakers winning each series. 

The first-round schedule is as follows:

Game 1 - Thursday, July 31 @ 8 p.m. – Peterborough Memorial Centre

Game 2 – Saturday, August 2 @ 8 p.m. – Iroquois Park Sports Centre

Game 3 – Monday, August 4 @ 7 p.m. – Peterborough Memorial Centre

Game 4 – Wednesday, August 6 @ 8 p.m. – Iroquois Park Sports Centre

Game 5* - Thursday, August 7 @ 8 p.m.– Peterborough Memorial Centre

Game 6* – TBD

Game 7* - Thursday, August 14 @ 8 p.m. – Peterborough Memorial Centre

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Peterborough Challengers Baseball Hit the Road to St. Thomas for 2025 Friendship Games

The Peterborough Challenger Baseball teams went on the road to play their annual Friendship Games held at the Doug Tarry Complex in St. Thomas, Ont. on Saturday.

The Games have a host city where Challenger teams from Peterborough, Hamilton and London come together to compete against one another in baseball.

The event also had a home run derby, accuracy throwing and a base race contest. Representing the Peterborough seniors were Blake Mount (home run derby), David I. (accuracy throwing) and Blair Bastien (base race). Mount and Bastien came second in their respective events while David finished first in accuracy throwing.

@ptbo_canada The Peterborough Challenger Baseball teams hit St. Thomas to play in the Friendship games with the London and Hamilton teams! #ptbocanada #ptbo #peterborough #journalism #journalist #news #fyp #challengerbaseball ♬ Baseball - Glow City

Challenger Baseball supports anyone with cognitive or developmental challenges or chronic health issues that prevent them from playing organized sports.

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Two Hat Tricks Propel Peterborough Lakers to Dominant Win Over the Cobourg Kodiaks

The Peterborough Lakers are finely tuned for the playoffs with two hat tricks, posting their most dominant win of the season, routing the Cobourg Kodiaks 15-4 at the Jack Burger Sports Complex in Port Hope on Sunday night.

Photo courtesy of Anna Taylor and the Peterborough Lakers.

The Lakers had a perfect period, disallowing any goals from Cobourg while netting six of their own. Brad McCulley, Dylan Hutchinson, Ben Trumble, Carter Page, Matt Gilray and Taite Cattoni all found the back of the net for Peterborough to make it 6-0 after the first period.

Cobourg finally got on the board 15 seconds in but McCulley answered 45 seconds later. After letting in another Kodiak goal, McCulley got a hat trick to keep pace with the home team. Page added two more goals to complete his hat trick while Cobourg got one more goal to end the period to make it 10-3.

The Lakers continued to roll, limiting the Kodiaks to one goal while potting five of their own. Frank Coyle found the score sheet, scoring first for the Lakers, followed by a Justin Sykes score. After letting in a Kodiak goal, Joe Resetarits got his first, Sykes got his second and McCulley got his fourth to rout Cobourg 15-4.

McCulley led the team with four goals in a hot arena where the air conditioning was not in service.

“Our staff does a fantastic job making sure we’re cool on the bench, getting fans blowing all over the place, water when we need it,” he explained. “Both teams have to deal with it so we kinda just have to make the most of it but that was a little uncomfortable by the end.”

The win gives Peterborough a 13-5-0 regular-season record to finish second place behind the Six Nations Chiefs.

“Sometimes it gets to these games where the playoff schedule is already set and we have a game on a Sunday night and not everyone can make it, so it’s easy to mail it in or you just stay on track doing what’s made you successful, but like this, getting the sticks going and making sure our confidence is up and chemistry is still there, going far into playoffs this won’t hurt us,” said McCulley.

The Lakers host the third-place Brooklin Lacrosse Club in the Major Lacrosse Series semifinals beginning Thursday at the Peterborough Memorial Centre.

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Peterborough Petes Sign Second-Round Import Draft Pick to Standard Player Agreement

The Peterborough Petes have signed second-round import pick Yanis Lutz to an OHL Standard Player Agreement (SPA).

Photo courtesy of Philipp Hegglin EV Zug.

“We’re very excited to announce that we’ve signed Yanis Lutz to an SPA,” said Michael Oke, general manager and vice president of operations.. “Yanis is a player that Rob Wilson, Patrick O’Connor, myself and other members of our staff have had a chance to see both in-person and on video. We feel that he has the abilities to succeed in the OHL and is a player that we’re excited to be able to add to our group heading into next season.”

Lutz, a 2008-born forward from Lachen, SUI, featured in 34 games for EV Zug U20 last season, scoring 14 goals and adding eight assists for 22 points. He also played in 12 games for EV Zug U17, scoring eight goals and adding five assists for 13 points. Lutz has represented his home country of Switzerland at the U17 level, accumulating 12 points in 16 games during the 2024-25 season. He is currently attending the Switzerland U18 camp in preparation for the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup.

“We are thrilled to announce the signing of Yanis Lutz to our organization for the 2025-26 season here in Peterborough,” said Patrick O’Connor, Petes assistant coach and director of player personnel. “Yanis is an offensive, skilled young player who is a strong skater with a very good hockey IQ. His track record has shown that he can produce offensively at every level that he has played in Switzerland, including his National Team. I would like to personally acknowledge Pat Pilloni and Nxtshot Sports for their work and assistance in making this exciting import deal possible. We very much look forward to Yanis arriving here in Peterborough and welcoming him to our city and the team.” 

Lutz is the second import player to sign with Peterborough for the upcoming season, after the Petes signed Czech forward and 2024 first-round import pick Adam Novotný on July 9.

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Ennismore Community Centre Receives Over $930,000 In Funding For Resurfacing From Ontario Government

The Ontario government is investing $931,750 to replace the floor at the Ennismore Community Centre, announced on Friday morning.

CSRIF is a key part of the government’s plan to protect Ontario workers, businesses and families by unleashing the economy and getting more shovels in the ground, with a historic $200 billion investment to build highways, hospitals, transit, schools and other critical infrastructure across the province. Photo courtesy of Peterborough County.

The investment is part of the province’s $200 million Community Sport and Recreation Infrastructure Fund (CSRIF). The initiative helps communities revitalize local facilities, grow the economy and promote active, healthy living across Ontario according to Dave Smith, Peterborough-Kawartha MPP

“This investment in the Ennismore Community Centre is absolutely fantastic news for families in Selwyn Township,” he said. “It's more than just replacing a 54-year-old ice surface; it's about securing the future of a vital community hub. This funding ensures that local sports teams, recreational skaters, and community groups will continue to have a modern, safe, and accessible facility for decades to come. Our government is proud to make these kinds of direct investments that strengthen our communities and support active, healthy living right here at home.”

The project will include replacing the 54-year-old, 180-foot by 80-foot concrete slab floor, refrigeration piping and ice rink chiller. The arena has hosted sporting groups, youth leagues, recreational skaters and community organizations since its construction.

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Peterborough Lakers Finish Regular Season Home Finale With Win Over Brampton

The Lakers gave the home team what they wanted on Fan Appreciation and Little Lakers Night, as they finished their last home regular-season game with a 9-6 win over the Brampton Excelsiors at the Peterborough Memorial Centre on Thursday night.

Photo courtesy of David Pickering and the Peterborough Lakers.

The Lakers wasted no time getting on the scoreboard as Holden Cattoni scored 88 seconds into the game to draw first blood. Brampton answered on the power play to tie the game at one. Peterborough scored two straight from Mike Robinson and Carter Page to make it a 3-1 game but Brampton got one more to end the period.

The Excelsiors took their first lead of the game, scoring the stanza’s first two goals. Page scored his second but was quickly met with another Excelsior goal. Peterborough regained the lead thanks to Cattoni’s second score and Thomas Hoggarth found the scoresheet to make it a 6-5 game after two.

“I caught the ball, a defenseman jumped at me. It kind of tied my hands up, the only option I had was around the back and I just tried to get it on net and I got lucky and it went through his legs, not much to it,” explained Hoggarth.

He scored a second straight goal to open the third and give a little breathing room for the Lakers. Braedon Saris extended the lead on a shorthanded goal to give Peterborough a three-goal cushion. Brampton scored ont he power play nearly halfway through the stanza but Hoggarth completed his hat trick to seal the win and send the Laker fans home happy.

“The building was loud and rocking. They were an electric factory,” said Nick Rose, Lakers goaltender. “It’s always fun to see our fans up close; some don’t recognize us without the gear on at times, but it’s awesome to be able to get them some autographs and get fired up for playoffs.”

The Lakers finish out the regular season in Port Hope against the Cobourg Kodiaks at the Jack Burger Arena on Sunday at 6 p.m.

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Trent Athletics and Under Armour Engage In New Multi-Year Partnership

Trent University Athletics & Recreation has entered into a multi-year partnership with sports brand Under Armour, with the latter becoming the official exclusive supplier of apparel for the Trent Excalibur varsity teams.

Isabelle Pellerine, Fourth-Year Kinesiology Trent Student and Excalibur Volleyball player demonstrates a barbell row to showcase the newly-upgraded Fitness Centre at the Trent Athletics Centre. Photo by David Tuan bui.

Excalibur athletes will wear the apparel starting with the upcoming 2025-26 season, as Under Armour will start outfitting Excalibur teams with custom uniforms. 

As part of the partnership, Trent Athletics & Recreation will launch an Excalibur supporter online store to offere everyone to purchase Excalibur-branded Under Armour clothing and gear. The store will be launched later this month on the Excalibur website.

“Partnering with an innovative global leader like Under Armour reflects our commitment to excellence, a premium student-athlete experience and providing our Excalibur teams with high-performance apparel to help them succeed,” said Nathan McFadden, rent Athletics & Recreation director. “We’re excited to see our teams and supporters wearing Under Armour branded Excalibur gear and representing our program with pride.” 

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Peterborough NHL Draftee Commits to Michigan State

Less than a month after being drafted to the Philadelphia Flyers in the NHL 2025 Entry Level Draft, Peterborough’s Porter Martone is leaving the Ontario Hockey League and committing to Michigan State University, announced on Monday.

Notable Michigan State Alumni to play in the NHL include Ryan Miller, Rod Brind'Amour, Torey Krug and Mason Appleton. Photo by Jordan Cooper.

Martone was drafted by the Flyers sixth overall last month.

In November, the NCAA Division I Council voted to amend its rules, permitting players who have skated in the CHL to participate in college hockey. Martone will join the Michigan State Spartans, who had a 26-7-4 record this past season. The team plays out of Munn Ice Arena in East Lansing, Mi.

He spent most of his OHL career with the Mississauga/Brampton Steelheads and had a brief stint with the Sarnia Sting, playing 29 games during the 2022-23 season.

He finished this season with 37 goals and 61 assists in 57 games while captaining the Steelheads. He also captained Team Canada to a gold medal at the IIHF U18 World Championship last year in Finland.

The Peterborough forward was a member of the Petes U15 AAA team, scoring six goals and 15 assists in 36 games.

Porter is the son of his father and former NHL player Mike Martone. The latter was known for scoring the game-winning overtime goal in the 1996 OHL Championship against the Guelph Storm.

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Undermanned Peterborough Lakers Give Valiant Effort In Overtime Loss to Owen Sound

Despite being down several starters, the Peterborough Lakers just fell short of a comeback bid, falling 10-9 in overtime to the Owen Sound North Stars at the Eddie Bush Memorial Arena on Saturday night.

Photo courtesy of Anna Taylor and the Peterborough Lakers.

The Lakers were down several starters since they were attending defenceman Jordan Stouros’ wedding.

The opening frame looked like Peterborough had not skipped a beat, scoring the first two goals thanks to Braedon Saris and Justin Sykes. They allowed a three-goal run to find themselves down 3-2 but rang off another pair of scores with Saris’s second and Nick Fournier’s first for a 4- 3 lead after one period.

The middle stanza was all Owen Sound. They had five of the six goals with Micheal Blaymires getting the lone score for the Lakers for a 7-5 game in favour of the home team.

Both teams alternated scores for the opening five goals. Lucas Fraser, Alex Pace and Jeremiah Wade all scored their first goal of the season for Peterborough. Adam Thistlethwaite had some last-minute heroics for the Lakers, scoring with just four seconds left to tie the game at nine to force overtime.

“We had a play set up for Justin Sykes to come down the side on a double steal,” explained Thistlethwaite. “We’d run it once or twice before in the game so they kinda knew what was coming. So when I came up from the bottom to seal up on Sykes’ guy, I just flashed into the middle into Saris and he threw it to me. Page was double sealing through on the backside just kind of bear-hugging guys, creating chaos and I shot overtop and hit it top left.”

The extra frame did not take long as Owen Sound scored just 29 seconds in to get the 10-9 victory.

“There were a lot of roles that were getting filled tonight,” said Thistlethwaite. “A lot of different guys in the lineup so a lot of guys were stepping up in different places all over the floor. We had a lot of good young players who were running the floor and playing well.”

“Not happy at all with the result, but happy with the effort,” said Bobby Keast, Lakers assistant coach. “The group that we called up to support did an outstanding job.”

The Lakers finish their last home game this Thursday against the Brampton Excelsiors for Little Lakers Night support of Five Counties Children’s Centre and Fan Appreciation Night.

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