Peterborough Blogs
Porter Martone's First-Career NHL Goal Is An Overtime Winner
/It only took Peterborough’s Porter Martone’s fourth game to score his first career NHL goal and he did it in dramatic fashion, giving the Philadelphia Flyers a 2-1 overtime win over the Boston Bruins on Sunday.
Photo courtesy of the NHL.
The Flyers had a five-on-three advantage in overtime as Martone was playing the bumper spot. Philadelphia did some tic-tac-toe passing with Martone taking the shot but was stopped by Bruins goaltender Joonas Korpisalo. The Peterborough rookie pounced on his own rebound and buried the puck for his first-career NHL goal in walk-off fashion.
At 19 years old, Martone became the second-youngest player in NHL history to have his first goal be an overtime game-winner. His goal marks the first in franchise history that a Flyer had his NHL first goal in overtime and the 38th player to do so overall.
“I just hopped the boards and Dee-vo (Dvorak) fed me a great pass and the puck went in the net. It was an amazing feeling,” explained Martone.
The goal earned Martone the first-star of the game honours as he also had the primary assist on Philadelphia’s first goal, scored by Christian Dvorak.
The Peterborough forward was a member of the Petes U15 AAA team, scoring six goals and 15 assists in 36 games.
He spent most of his OHL career with the Mississauga/Brampton Steelheads and had a brief stint with the Sarnia Sting.
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.
@ptbo_canada #duet with @NHL #NHL It only took Peterborough’s Porter Martone’s fourth game to score his first career NHL goal and he did it in dramatic fashion, giving the Philadelphia Flyers a 2-1 overtime win over the Boston Bruins. #ptbocanada #journalism #sports ♬ original sound - NHL
Peterborough Sport and Wellness Centre Closed Until April 11 for Facility Maintenance
/The Peterborough Sport and Wellness Centre pool and change room showers are closed from now until April 11 due to maintenance on the facility’s boiler system.
file photo.
The Sport and Wellness Centre (775 Brealey Dr.) will maintain its standard operating hours during this period, with the fitness centre and gymnasiums remaining open for their regular use.
For more information on the Sport and Wellness Centre, visit the website.
Peterborough Petes Season Ends With 5-4 Double Overtime Loss to North Bay Battalion In Game Six
/The Petes' season ended in double overtime as they took a 5-4 loss to the North Bay Battalion, resulting in a 4-2 series loss at the Boart Longyear Memorial Gardens on Saturday night.
The Petes ended the regular season with a 40-24-1-3 record for third place in the East Division. Photo courtesy of Tom Martineau and the North Bay Battalion.
The Petes opened the scoring as Yanis Lutz forced a turnover at the North Bay blue line. He drew two defenders in then got the puck to Francis Parish. The latter quickly fed a rushing Leon Kolarik who one-timed it home for a 1-0 Peterborough lead. It stood as the only goal of the period.
The second was all North Bay as discipline problems came to haunt the Petes. The home team tied then took the lead off a pair of power-play goals in the first 10:05 of the period. Just under three minutes later, North Bay had another tally thanks to Ethan Procyszyn and it was a 3-1 game after the second period.
The Petes had to rally in order to avoid elimination and Yanis Lutz got Peterborough started, scoring from the high slot just 5:22 into the period to make it 3-2. Less than a minute later, Peterborough forced another offensive zone turnover and Adam Levac scored on the doorstep to tie the game at three. With just under five minutes left in regulation, Peterborough applied heavy pressure in the offensive zone and caused another turnover. That led to Braydon McCallum getting the puck and immediately dishing it to Kieron Walton for the one-timer goal and 4-3 lead.
North Bay in desperation, pulled their goalie while on the man advantage for six-on-four play. A point shot was saved by Petes goaltender Easton Rye, but the rebound allowed Vaughan to score his second goal of the game with six seconds remaining in regulation.
It took until late in the second overtime period to find a winner. Adam Novotný struggled to corral the puck in his own zone and was checked, leading to a turnover. North Bay took a quick one-timed shot and Vaughan beat Rye for the series walk-off goal to eliminate the Peterborough Petes in six games, 5-4.
Walton and Lutz led the Petes with a goal and an assist each. Kolarik and Levac scored, while Parish, Garrett Frazer and McCallum each had an assist. Easton Rye made 39 saves in the loss.
@ptbo_canada The @Peterborough Petes season ended in double overtime as they took a 5-4 loss to the North Bay Battalion, resulting in a 4-2 series loss. #ptbocanada #journalism #fyp #news #sports ♬ Winning - ROKKA
Monarch Festival and Race Returns to Peterborough with Renewed Hope for Butterfly Populations
/The fourth annual Monarch Ultra Festival and Race is returning to Millennium Park September 19 with a message of collective action and making a difference for butterflies.
PHOTO COURTESY OF MONARCH ULTRA.
Recent reports from conservation scientists show that the eastern monarch population has increased by approximately 64 per cent over the past year, marking one of the most significant rebounds in nearly a decade. While experts caution that long-term threats remain, the increase signals that conservation efforts such as habitat restoration, tree planting and grassroots awareness, are working.
The event promises to bring together runners, families, artists and environmental advocates for a day of celebration and purpose. Participants can choose between a 10 kilometre race and a 1 kilometre kids fun run, with monarch-inspired costumes encouraged. The event will also feature educational workshops, interactive exhibits, native plant and milkweed giveaways, monarch tagging activities and more.
“This moment is both hopeful and urgent. We’re seeing signs that our collective efforts are making an impact but it also shows how important it is to keep going,” says Monarch Ultra organizer Carlotta James. “Running for me has always been about connection. Connection to the land, to each other, and to the species we share this planet with. Monarch butterflies are a symbol of that connection, and this event is our way of protecting it.”
The Monarch Ultra began as an ambitious international relay run to follow the monarch migration from Peterborough, Ontario to the Sierra Madre Mountains in central Mexico, a total distance of 4,300 kilometres covered by ultra runners over seven weeks in the fall of 2019. The group has since inspired a broader movement that connects athleticism with ecological responsibility.
Over the past seven years, Monarch Ultra has grown into a community-led initiative that extends beyond race day. Through international relay runs, documentary screenings, art installations, monarch festivals and grassroots fundraisers, the organization has raised nearly $40,000 for conservation efforts across North America.
The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sept. 19. To register for the race and/or to support monarch conservation efforts, visit the website.
Alf Curtis Returns As Sponsor For 21st Year to Peterborough Lakers Prior to Season's Start
/Twenty-one is the magic number as Alf Curtis Home Improvements has returned for its 21st year as sponsor of the Peterborough Century 21 Lakers ahead of the 2026 season.
In 2004, the Lakers ended a 20-year drought by capturing the Mann Cup. Photo by David Tuan Bui.
“When you think about the modern era of Lakers lacrosse, Alf Curtis has been there from the very beginning,” said Pete Dalliday, Lakers director of community engagement. “Their support helped lay the foundation for everything this organization has become.”
Members from the Lakers recieved their sponsorship cheque at Alf Curtis last week which included Dalliday, Lakers mascot Teddy and Holden Lowes. Lowes suffered a season-ending injury in training camp last year.
“It was great to be back in the store and see that connection is still so strong,” said Dalliday. “That’s what makes partnerships like this so special — it’s real, it’s lasting, and it means something.”
Founder Alf Curtis passed away last fall, not long after the Lakers’ season came to a close. His wife, June Curtis, remains part of that legacy, with the Curtis family maintaining their strong connection to the team.
Alf Curtis’s support has helped fuel one of the most successful eras in franchise history, including multiple Mann Cup championships, according to Dalliday.
“Alf wasn’t just a sponsor, he truly cared about this team and this community,” he said.
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East City Road Closures In Place For Way of the Cross Event
/Multiple road closures in East City are in effect for Friday’s Way of the Cross event.
Photo courtesy of the Diocese of Peterborough.
The following roads are closed:
Hunter Street West between Reid Street and Rubidge Street will be closed from 9:45 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Rogers Street between Hunter Street East and Robinson Street from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
A rolling road closure will be in place for the procession from Rubidge Street to Hunter Street, and along Hunter Street to Rogers Street.
The event will start at the Cathedral of St. Peter-in-Chains at 10 a.m. and end at Immaculate Conception Church at about 1 p.m.
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Petes Cannot Solve North Bay Goaltending In 3-1 Loss; Peterborough Down 3-2 In Series
/The Petes had 45 shots on net but only one found its way through as Peterborough dropped Game Five to the North Bay Battalion, 3-1, to fall 3-2 in the series at the Peterborough Memorial Centre on Thursday night.
The Petes ended the regular season with a 40-24-1-3 record for third place in the East Division. Photo courtesy of Kenneth Andersen and the Peterborough Petes.
The visitors drew first blood as Lirim Amidovski took a shot from the wing just outside the faceoff circle and was able to wire it past Petes goaltender Easton Rye for a 1-0 lead. Peterborough mustered 12 shots on North Bay goaltender Jack Lisson but was held scoreless throughout the first period.
The second frame only had one goal and it was courtesy of North Bay. Parker Vaughan stole the puck in the Petes zone and he sniped it past Rye for a 2-0 lead. Peterborough put another 20 shots on net but could nto beat Lisson as they remained shut out.
It took the 56th minute of regulation, but Peterborough finally got on the board as Braydon McCallum had a point-blank one-timer that beat Lission and gave the Petes life down only by one goal. Peterborough had 13 shots on net in the final frame but could only score once and surrendered an empty-net goal for the 3-1 loss and 3-2 series in North Bay’s favour.
@ptbo_canada The @Peterborough Petes had 45 shots on net but only one found its way through as Peterborough dropped game five to the North Bay Battalion, 3-1, to fall 3-2 in the series. #ptbocanada #journalism #fyp #news #sports ♬ Winning - ROKKA
The Petes will try to keep the series alive as they head back to North Bay and the Boart Longyear Memorial Gardens for Game Six of the first round of the OHL playoff series this Saturday.
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Federal Public Safety Funding Cut Forces Closure of Sex Trafficking Response Program at Kawartha Sexual Assault Centre
/Kawartha Sexual Assault Centre (KSAC) has shared a statement regarding the cut of federal funding for the Sex Trafficking Response Program, causing the organization to shut down these services after five years of supporting survivors in the local community.
photo courtesy of Kawartha Sexual Assault Centre.
“At a time when governments across Canada are publicly acknowledging the seriousness of sex trafficking and sexual exploitation, the loss of funding for frontline services is deeply concerning,” shared KSAC in a statement. “Without sustained investment through programs such as those funded by Public Safety Canada, communities are left with fewer tools to respond to exploitation and fewer supports for survivors trying to rebuild their lives.”
In 2025, the program provided specialized support to over 75 individuals experiencing sex trafficking and sexual exploitation across the region, including those currently entrenched, those who have recently exited and those navigating longer-term recovery. Through trauma-informed advocacy, safety planning, system navigation and collaboration with community partners, the KSAC team has supported survivors through complex and often life-threatening circumstances.
“For the past five years, this program has provided essential support to individuals in our community working to escape situations of sex trafficking, heal from trauma and begin rebuilding their lives,” said Jordanne McLaren, Manager of Client Services and the Human Trafficking Response Team at KSAC. “The reality is that the need for these services has not disappeared. When funding for anti-trafficking programs is withdrawn, exploitation does not stop; it simply leaves survivors with fewer supports and fewer pathways to safety.”
“Ending funding for sex trafficking services does not mean sex trafficking ends, it means survivors are left with fewer places to turn,” the statement continues. “Programs like this are often the only lifeline for individuals trying to escape sex trafficking. When funding disappears, the exploitation does not disappear with it, only the support for survivors does. This decision will have real and immediate consequences for vulnerable people in our community. Survivors of sex trafficking require specialized, trauma-informed support and programs like this exist because the need is real and ongoing.”
KSAC’s statement urges Public Safety Canada to reconsider the decision and to “recognize the critical role specialized sex trafficking services play in protecting survivors and strengthening community safety.” KSAC is calling on all federal leaders to demonstrate their commitment to addressing sexual violence and human trafficking by ensuring continued funding for frontline, survivor-focused services.
KSAC hopes this decision prompts questions about how communities are expected to respond to sex trafficking when specialized survivor services are forced to close due to funding decisions.
“KSAC remains incredibly proud of the work accomplished by our team over the past five years and of the courage shown by the survivors we have had the privilege to support,” says the statement. “While KSAC will continue to provide our core sexual violence services, the closure of this program represents a significant loss for our region. We will continue to advocate for sustained investments in sexual violence and sex trafficking services so that communities like ours are not left without the supports that vulnerable individuals rely on.”
Order of the Eastern Star Peterborough Chapter Donates $25,000 to YES Shelter
/The Order of the Eastern Star Peterborough Chapter has made a $25,000 donation to the YES Shelter for Youth and Families.
Photo by Felicia Massey.
