Lakers Surge In Third Period With Taite Cattoni Capping Off Overtime For Lakers 10-9 Win Over Brooklin L.C.

The Lakers finish off their regular season in dramatic fashion as Taite Cattoni scored the walk-off game-winning goal in overtime for a 10-9 victory over the Brooklin L.C. at the Peterborough Memorial Centre on Thursday night.

Photo courtesy of Anna Taylor and the Peterborough Lakers.

Eli McLaughlin opened the scoring with a power play goal just over five minutes into the game. Unfortunately, it was Peterborough’s only goal of the period. Brooklin’s Riley Hutchcraft was solid in net, stopping 21 of 22 shots in the first. The visitors were able to get back-to-back goals from Riley Waters and Mike Byrne to go up 2-1 after the first.

Things got worse for the Lakers as their lack of discipline got the best of them. They allowed three straight power play goals from Brooklin in the period, allowing a total of five in the frame. The Lakers were trying to keep it a game as McLaughlin scored his second of the game, Josh Currier and Matt Gilray also found the scoresheet for Peterborough as the home team found themselves in a 7-4 deficit going into the third period.

Jack Boyden helped Brooklin pull away to start the final frame to open the period’s first gale for an 8-4 lead. Peterborough began to wake up their offense and attempted to mount the comeback. Both Cattoni brothers, Taite and Holden found the back of the net each, McLaughlin capped off a hat trick, Currier got his second of the game and Austin Hasen got on the score sheet for a five-goal period from the Lakers. Brooklin managed to must another goal as Byrne got an unassisted score during Peterborough’s rush that eventually led to a 9-9 tie after regulation.

It didn’t take long for fans to walk out of the Memorial Centre happy as Taite Cattoni received a pass against the grain and rifled it past Hutchcraft to get the walk-off goal in overtime for a 10-9 win.

“They outworked us in the first two periods and then as a veteran team, we kind of came alive and said ‘stop messing around’ and found a way to finish and win the game,” said Taite.“I ran through the middle trying to clear space for Turner (Evans) and a guy opened his back and I tried to get a good pick on him and hit him well. I caught the ball and as soon as I caught it I threw a fake and saw him go down and put it top right corner.”

Drew Hutchinson gets the win in net for Peterborough, stopping 44/53 shots.

The Lakers will host the Brooklin L.C. in the first round of the playoffs in a best-of-seven series.

The following is the playoff schedule:

• Game one: Aug. 3 at 8 p.m. @ Peterborough

• Game two: Aug. 4 at 8 p.m. @ Brooklin

• Game three: Aug. 6 at 7 p.m. @ Peterborough

• Game four: Aug. 8 at 8 p.m. @ Brooklin

• Game five: Aug. 10 at 8 p.m. @ Peterborough *if necessary 

Games six and seven, to be played if necessary, are to be confirmed. 

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Local Man Continues Gaming Spirit In Peterborough Communities For Over 42 Years

Ever since 58-year-old Dave MacIssac started to play games when he was 16, he’s been a mainstay for a variety of Peterborough gaming communities since 1981.

MacIssac as a Dungeon Master in the back of his business, Hughman Games, for a Dungeons & Dragons campaign. He has also hosted several games at Phantasm, a sci-fi and fantasy role-playing convention that occurs annually in Peterborough. Photo by David Tuan bui.

MacIssac has been involved in the community, playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons, Magic: The Gathering, World of Warcraft and more.

He started playing the popular fantasy role-playing tabletop game Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) when he was 16. It started as a club in the Peterborough Public Library and moved its way over to PCVS (at the current Peterborough Alternative & Continuing Education building). MacIsaac has made lifelong friends through playing D&D and several other games. He says they become an outlet to meet and socialize with new people while being able to explore your imagination and creativity.

“It's a world of imagination and imagination is limitless,” explained MacIssac. “There's always somebody who wants to play that hasn't tried it and they have a buddy that comes in and then you have a whole new set of people. You can run the same old scenarios over again but it's new faces that don't know what's coming.”

MacIssac’s club members eventually shifted from D&D to the trading card game Magic: The Gathering (MTG), released in 1993. MacIssac began playing in 1994 with his friends and club members.

One of his first jobs in the gaming industry was at the now-closed Jeff’s Cards & Comics as a manager in 2000, first located at 655 Parkhill. Rd. W. The store sold both MTG and D&D products. It hosted weekly MTG tournaments and held D&D nights at its establishment.

In 2004, MacIssac also worked at his brother’s internet café called E-Lan Games in the Black Diamond Plaza in Peterborough. It allowed customers to pay for time to use their computers to surf the internet and play computer games solo or together through a local area network. The café closed in 2009.

Jeff’s Cards and Comics relocated to 422 George St N. in 2007 (at the current trading card store Grey Guardian Games) that opened an internet café on the upper floor. Two years later, MacIssac got into the online role-playing game World of Warcraft (WoW) and helped foster a community of gamers in the area with the shop as an outlet.

Since Jeff’s Cards got sold in 2016, MacIssac looked for a new outlet to reach out and maintain the gaming community. He opened his own internet café called ‘Hughman Games’ located at Brookdale Plaza on Chemong Road in 2019. He named it in honour of his brother Hugh, who passed away from a brain tumour in 2012. The business offers internet and gaming services and a venue to play D&D.

“I think it's critical in this day and age — especially with devices and everybody can hide in their rooms — you need to be with people in person,” explained MacIssac. “It allows for social activity, something that young kids today are probably missing partly because Covid shut them all in and it's a good idea for them to get out.”

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Ennismore Man Wins $50,000 In Daily Keno July 14 Draw

Ennismore’s Stephen Vance knows how to pick winning numbers as he won $50,000 from his DAILY KENO 8 Pick in the July 14MIDDAY draw, announced on Thursday.

Vance won with a Line 8 Pick at a $2 Bet. Photo courtesy of OLG.

The 63-year-old father and grandfather said he’s been playing the lottery for roughly 40 years. He plays DAILY KENO, LOTTO 6/49, and ONTARIO 49.

“I’ve been playing DAILY KENO for 25 years,” said Vance.

The retiree checked his ticket on the OLG App when discovered his big win.

“My son helped me start the prize claim process,” explained Vance.

He stayed calm when he shared the news with his wife.

“She was overjoyed and couldn’t believe it,” said Vance. “Everyone I’ve told has been so happy.”

He has not made any plans on how to spend his winnings yet according to Ontario Lottery Gaming.

“It’s a nice feeling, I’m not going to lie,” said Vance. “I look forward to the benefits this win will provide in my retirement.”

The winning ticket was purchased at Mister Convenience on Marina Boulevard in Peterborough.

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Curve Lake First Nation Athletes Bring Back Five Medals From North American Indigenous Games In Halifax

Curve Lake First Nation representing Team Ontario is bringing back five medals including one gold, two silver and two bronze from Halifax in the 2023 North American Indigenous Games in softball and soccer.

(From Left to Right) Top Row: McKenzie Taylor, Softball; Danika Jacobs, Soccer; Abagail Jacobs, soccer; Grady Taylor, Softball and Quinn Jacobs, Softball. Bottom Row (softball): Jeffery Jacobs, Quinn Jacobs, Carter Jacobs, Tristin Williams, Ryker Jacobs, Louis Jacobs, Josh Knott and Grady Taylor. Photo courtesy of Curve Lake First Nation.

McKenzie Taylor was the lone gold medalist for U16 Female Softball. Team Ontario split the finals with Team Manitoba for gold due to weather cancellations for the playoffs.

The following are Team Ontario’s results for U16 Female Softball:

• Game 1, July 17: 9-0 win vs. Alberta

• Game 2, July 17: 9-4 win vs. Nova Scotia

• Game 3, July 18: 7-3 loss vs. Manitoba

• Game 4, July 19: 8-1 win vs. British Columbia

• Game 5, July 20: 12-3 win vs. Saskatchewan

• Game 6: July 20: 15-2 win vs. Wisconsin

• Gold Medal Game: vs. Manitoba (cancelled)

Danika and Abagail Jacobs were able to take home silver for Team Ontario in U19 Female Soccer. Ontario went undefeated with a 3-0-1 record in their preliminary pools (Pool B) but fell short in the finals to Team Alberta, 5-1.

The following are Team Ontario’s results for U19 Female Soccer:

• Game 1, July 17: 9-0 win vs. Nova Scotia

• Game 2, July 18: 6-2 win vs. Wisconsin

• Game 3, July 19: 0-0 draw vs. Saskatchewan

• Game 4, July 20: 2-0 win vs. Saskatchewan

• Finals, July 22: 5-1 loss vs. Alberta

Grady Taylor and Quinn Jacobs were the lone boys who brought back medals for Curve Lake, earning bronze in U16 Male Softball representing Team Ontario. They had a 2-2 record in the preliminaries that qualified them for the bronze medal match that they won 12-5 vs. British Columbia.

The following are Team Ontario’s results for U16 Male Softball:

• Game 1, July 17: 13-3 loss vs. Saskatchewan

• Game 2, July 18: 11-4 win vs. Nova Scotia

• Game 3, July 18: 5-4 win vs. British Columbia

• Game 4, July 19: 14-7 loss vs. Manitoba

• Silver Medal Game, July 12: 12-5 win vs. British Columbia

The U19 Male softball team had finished in fifth place and had nine Curve Lake First Nation members (one coach and eight players).

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Hometown PTBO: Author Matthew Flagler Releasing His New Book; Held to the Fire, Recounting The Stories of the Famous Quaker Factory Explosion

This week on Hometown PTBO, Pete Dalliday talks with author Matthew Flagler about his new book about the famous Quaker Factory explosion; Held to the Fire, the book's timeline and his family connection to the building.

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Community Futures Peterborough Launches Program 'ScaleUP' to Aid Growth For Local Businesses

Community Futures Peterborough (CFP) and Scotiabank have partnered to pilot ‘ScaleUP’, a program designed to help local businesses grow announced on Thursday.

Photo courtesy of Community Futures Peterborough.

"Business owners in the community have told us they are facing roadblocks when making key decisions about when and how to scale their operations,” says Devon Girard, CFP executive director. “Encouraging sustainable employment within our region is central to our mission at Community Futures Peterborough. The ScaleUP 2023 program has been specially designed to address this, offering a custom roadmap that guides entrepreneurs through the complex landscape of sustainable growth.”

The ScaleUP program started in 2022 and aided six local women-led businesses according to a press release. CFP reports that the seats available for area businesses have doubled since partnering with Scotiabank.

“Scotiabank has long been committed to supporting entrepreneurs and we are excited to be part of this initiative in partnership with Community Futures Peterborough,” said Chris Skinner, Scotiabank’s district VP of Ontario Central East. “The support this program offers to participants is aligned to the advice we deliver to our customers through personalized conversations and planning that can position them to grow their business.”

This year’s cohort of entrepreneurs is led by industry consultant Diane Richard and a team of regional experts according to a press release. They will learn in a mix of classroom sessions and one-on-one strategic consultations tailored to their unique growth opportunities.

The cohort will delve into crucial areas such as financial management, supply chain optimization, people management, crisis control, organizational structuring, and creating effective policies as stated by CFP. The program will finish with a tailor-made growth plan for sustainable expansion.

"Seeing the growth and evolution of local businesses is genuinely rewarding. The ScaleUP program aims to drive expansion and equip entrepreneurs with long-term strategies for success,” said Richard. “It's about building thriving businesses, contributing to our local economy and creating employment opportunities.”

Nancy Wiskel, Dan Joyce Clothing owner, expanded to a second location from the 2022 ScaleUP pilot.

“The program has positively influenced the health of my business,” she said. “I'm now more proactive with my staff and contractors and have developed a critical view of my supply chain, leading to open and constructive discussions with suppliers.”

“The ScaleUP program far exceeded my expectations in multiple ways,” said Roxanne McDonald-Brown, owner of Renew Medical Aesthetics and a 2022 ScaleUP graduate. “Diane, our mentor, was a powerhouse of support and knowledge. But it was more than just a learning experience. The bonds I formed with fellow entrepreneurs, who offered mutual support throughout the process, have become one of my favourite aspects of the program. Even post-program, we continue to meet at local restaurants, discussing triumphs and challenges. This sense of community and belonging we've cultivated is unparalleled.”

Applications for the 2023 ScaleUP program are open to businesses located within Peterborough City or County.

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Peterborough Petes' Owen Beck and Carson Cameron Participate In Hockey Canada Program of Excellence Summer Meetings

Peterborough Petes’ Owen Beck and Carson Cameron are two of 111 players that took part in the Program of Excellence Summer Meetings in preparation for the 2023 World U-17 Hockey Challenge and the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship, announced by Hockey Canada on Wednesday night.

Carson Cameron (left) and Owen Beck (right). Both joined the Petes this year but in different ways. Beck was traded to the Petes from the Mississauga Steelheads on Jan. 7 while Cameron was drafted as the team’s first-round pick in this year’s OHL Priority Selection. Photos by David Tuan Bui and Samantha Bianco.

Beck was selected for the WJC and was a second-round pick of the Montreal Canadiens, signing an entry-level contract with them in October. He was one of three players from Canada’s gold medal-winning team in the 2023 World Junior Championship to participate in the meetings. The Port Hope forward is fresh from an OHL Championship with the Peterborough Petes after joining the team on Jan. 7 prior to the trade deadline. He was a late addition to last year’s Canadian World Junior Team, racking up an assist in three games.

Cameron is a 16-year-old defenceman from Bobcaygeon who is entering his first OHL season with the Petes. Peterborough selected him in the first round, 13th overall of the 2023 OHL Priority Selection in April. He signed a Standard Player Agreement on May 4. Cameron anchored the blueline for Team Ontario at last year’s Canada Winter Games. He helped lead the team to a gold medal, picking up five points in six games.

The program consisted of virtual meetings that covered topics such as education on the Program of Excellence, Sport Safety presentations, short-term international competition preparation and meetings with the Hockey Canada management group according to a press release.

The discussions allow participants to continue to evolve as high-performance athletes and utilize the strengths and experience of the Program of Excellence’s leadership.

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Peterborough Officer Suffers Minor Injuries After Being Involved In Collision; Man Charged With Failure To Stop

An officer was sent to Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC) after suffering minor injuries from a collision in the Charlotte Street and Rubridge Street area on Thursday at midnight, reported by the Peterborough Police Service.

The officer was in their cruiser and was struck after entering the intersection. The police vehicle spun and was contacted into a nearby pole. The collision was captured on the in-car camera.

A Peterborough man was charged under the Highway Traffic Act with:

•  Red light – fail to stop.

The officer was later released from PRHC after being treated for his injuries. The cruiser sustained heavy damage and has been removed from service.

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Peterborough Lakers Clinch Second Place With Dominant 14-7 Road Win Over Brooklin L.C.

The Peterborough Lakers have locked up second place and home-field advantage in the first round of the playoffs after handily defeating Brooklin L.C., 14-7, at the Iroquois Park Sports Centre on Wednesday.

Peterborough’s win improves their record to 11-4, clinching the second-place spot and home-field advantage for the first round of the playoffs. Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Lakers.

Peterborough wasted no time as Thomas Hoggarth and Josh Currier scored within the first minute to go up 2-0. Brooklin countered with two goals of their for the 2-2 tie with scores from Liam Osbourne and Jordi Jones-Smith. Holden Cattoni continued his to keep his reign as the league’s scoring leader, getting one on the powerplay for regain the lead. The Lakers never looked back at that point. Turner Evans found the scoresheet 26 seconds later to double up the lead as Cattoni scored his second of the game to round out the period, his league-leading 27th goal of the season. The Lakers had a 5-2 lead going into the second.

Peterborough kept their foot on the gas with two straight goals from Austin Hasen and Currier’s second goal for a 7-2 lead. The two teams mostly traded goals for the rest of the period but two powerplay goals from the Lakers gave them a comfortable lead going into the third, 11-5. Cattoni scored his third for the hat trick at the end of the period for his 28th score of the season.

The Lakers slowed the pace of the game in the third period and kept it a low-scoring affair. Brooklin scored the first and last goal of the period but the Lakers rung off three-straight scores in between to win the period, 3-2 and ultimately the game, 14-7.

Landon Kells picks up the win in net for Peterborough as the Lakers clinch second place in the standings behind Six Nations.

Peterborough finishes off the regular season at home in the second leg of the back-to-back home-and-home series against Brooklin at the Peterborough Memorial Centre on Thursday. The game is Little Lakers Night in partnership with Five Counties Children’s Centre which features face painting, a silent auction and Little Lakers t-shirt sales.

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Millbrook's Centennial Place Gets 50s Throwback To Celebrate 20th Anniversary

Classic cars, polka dot dresses and Elvis Presley were alive and well in a 50s-themed party to celebrate the 20th anniversary of AON Inc’s long-term care home Centennial Place in Millbrook with an open house on Wednesday afternoon.

Lexi Hill, clinical resource nurse and Vicki Coppins, director of dietary services, celebrating the 50s with some bubbly for the residence's 20th anniversary. All photos by David Tuan Bui.

Residents and staff got in the 50s spirit by dressing in era-appropriate clothing to celebrate the milestone. Classic car displays, 50s diner-style food (sliders, sparkling wine and floats) and an Elvis Presley impersonator were all part of the 50s throwback planned out by the staff.

“A lot of population here grew up in the 50s so we thought it would be really nice to bring that back for them,” said Courtney Jilesen, Centennial Place administrator. “It lets them experience some old times again.”

Centennial Place has been recognized municipally and internationally for its retirement residence care.

Matthew Graham, Millbrook Mayor was in attendance and personally congratulated Centennial Place and their staff on their milestone.

“On behalf of the residents in the Township of Cavan-Monaghan, it is my pleasure to congratulate all the residents and staff of Centennial Place in celebrating their 20th anniversary in our Township,” he said. “Centennial Place is such an important part of our community and the village of Millbrook and I especially want to thank all of your staff over these past 20 years for all of their hard work and care for the residents of our community.”

@ptbo_canada Happy 20th anniversary to Centennial Place for award-winning retirement residence service! #centennialplace #anniversary #journalist #journalism #millbrook #ptbo #ptbocanada #peterborough #fyp #retirement #seinors #senior #retire #residence #20years ♬ Viva Las Vegas - Elvis Presley

The home was awarded a Three-Year Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities Accreditation Award in November as well as a Registered Nurses Association of Ontario Best Practices Spotlight Organization Award last month.

“We have great staff and a great supportive community,” said Jilesen. “Without them, I don't know if we would have been able to get through the last three years.”

Centennial Place is located at 2 Centennial Ln. in Millbrook.

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