Lakers Invite Fans to Watch Practice on Saturday

The Peterborough Century 21 Lakers dropped their 2024 home opener 9-7 to the Brooklin Lacrosse Club on Thursday night at the Memorial Centre. The Lakers’ record falls to 1-2 with the loss and puts them in fourth place, which is a strange place for the 18-time Mann Cup champions to be in. Brooklin sits in first place with a 5-1 record. “Pretty pedestrian effort for 40 minutes and then we tried to chase the game in the third and it was too little, too late. It was a tough loss,” said forward Holden Cattoni, who scored a pair of goals for the home side. “Most importantly for us is about figuring out what our identity is going to be this year… we have to be more urgent about what we’re doing and not just expecting to put on a Lakers jersey and be able to put up 10. We have to be more detail oriented,” explained offensive coach Tracey Kelusky. The Lakers had trouble sustaining pressure in the early going, and Brooklin jumped out to a 3-0 but the 9:31 mark of the first period. Thomas Hoggarth got the Lakers on the board at the 11:48 mark, catching the pass from Holden Cattoni and whipping around to fire a shot past Zach Higgins. BLC added one more before the period was out for a 4-1 lead. “They came here with a game plan,” said Kelusky. “I wouldn’t say they outworked us… I thought we worked hard all night. Give credit to their goalie. We put a lot of balls on him early, quality shots. We hit five crossbars in the first period.” Owen Hiltz made a sharp-angle pass to Joe Resetarits cutting to the net to open the second period right after the Lakers killed off a penalty. The Lakers went on a power play of their own but had the tables turned on them when Dylan Robinson sprang free in transition and scored shorthanded. Cattoni picked the top right top corner at 9:08, but Connor Kearnan replied 57 seconds later, the goal counting despite what should have been a crease call. With under two minutes to go, Hoggarth fired a slow underhand on net and it went in, but once again, Brooklin responded right away. The faceoff was awarded to Brooklin on a technicality, and Kearnan scooped up the ball on the fast restart beat two defenders before beating Doug Buchan. Jake Withers was ejected from the game at that point, picking up 2, 10, and a game for mouthing off. Brooklin led 7-4 after the second. “Keaster (defensive coach Bobby Keast) addressed it in the locker room,” Kelusky said. “That’s not Lakers style, that’s not our way to go about chirping the refs. It’s not pouting, but it’s looking for excuses. It’s a clean up. We have to figure out what the identity in this locker room is.” Turner Evans picked up a bouncing ball and scored an outside shot 2:54 into the third period. Tanner Cook replied in transition to restore Brooklin’s three-goal lead. Cam Milligan closed the gap again with another long shot. Holden Cattoni then pulled the Lakers within a goal at 8-7 with three minutes left. The Lakers desperately attempted to tie it, and were incensed when rookie Koleton Marquis was drilled down from behind after Cattoni picked off a pass near the Brooklin bench. With Marquis down and the Lakers expecting a penalty to be called – it wasn’t – Brooklin ran down to score into the empty net. There were still 3.8 seconds left when Thomas Hoggarth, Taite Cattoni and Holden Cattoni received misconducts – the game ended with Turner Evans taking a five minute roughing penalty for trying to square off with Mike Byrne while the teams debated whether they would leave the floor or not. “I think there were a couple plays where there should have been a penalty and I think they had too many men when we picked off the pass there at the bench. That’s just another excuse though. We can’t put ourselves in that scenario,” Cattoni stated. Doug Buchan stopped 31/40 shots faced. Zach Higgins made 49 saves on 56 shots for Brooklin, which was led by three-point efforts from Luke Keenan and Tanner Cook. Attendance was 2968 for the first Lakers’ game since last August’s MSL Finals defeat. “It’s always special playing here, it’s unlike anywhere else,” Cattoni said. “Unfortunate that it was the home opener and this was the show that we gave them tonight. We have to be better next week when we’re back here.” Missing were both Mike and Austin Hasen (attending a family event), Rob Hellyer, Blake McDonald and Jordan Stouros. Scratched were Carter Page, Andrew Vradenburg, Holden Lowes and Adam Thistlethwaite. The Lakers are next in action this Sunday, June 16 when they visit the Cobourg Kodiaks at the Cobourg Community Centre at 6 p.m. Their next home game is Thursday, June 20 when they host the Oakville Rock at the Memorial Centre. Tickets are on sale at the box office. SCORING FOR THE LAKERS: Holden Cattoni (2-0) Thomas Hoggarth (2-0) Turner Evans (1-3) Joe Resetarits (1-2) Cam Milligan (1-1) Owen Hiltz (0-2) Koleton Marquis (0-1) Taite Cattoni (0-1)

The Peterborough Century 21 Lakers picked up their first win of the season on Thursday night, beating the Brampton Excelsiors 12-6 at Brampton’s Memorial Arena. Tied 3-3 after the first, the Lakers used a 6-0 second period to outpace the Excelsiors to move to 1-1 on the season after an opening game loss to Oakville on Monday. Joe Resetarits led the offense with four goals and one assist. Rob Hellyer made his debut on the right side with Resetarits and contributed a goal and five assists. “It’s fun being on the right side against those guys for once and being on that bench,” Hellyer said. “I’ve played against a lot of the Lakers for a long time so being on the same side is a lot of fun. There’s always some growing pains, the first period was a little bit like that, but at the end of the day it’s lacrosse, so it was fairly seamless.” After Brampton opened the scoring, Taite Cattoni evened it 1-1 with a shot over goaltender Will Johnston’s left shoulder. Dylan Hutchison capitalized on a transition run to make it 2-1. Brampton took a brief 3-2 lead but Joe Resetarits popped in his first of the game with 2:38 left in the period to send the teams to the dressing room for a much needed water and air break (it was HOT in the arena) tied 3-3. Holden Cattoni’s first of the season opened up the second period. Resetarits scored shorthanded, followed by goals from Austin Hasen, another from Holden Cattoni, Taylor Jensen with his first in transition, and Resetarits again with a low buzzer beater made it 9-3 after the second. Brampton got a couple more early in the third, but the defence locked down and the offence kept pace. Owen Hiltz had the play of the game with a steal, picking the ball off an Excelsior looking to break out, and sending a quick pass over to Resetarits, who blasted in his fourth. That made it 10-5 with 11 minutes left in the game. Mitch Ogilvie finally got his first of the season on a clear cut breakaway after being denied on two other attempts earlier in the game. Rob Hellyer capped the game with his first as a Laker. Doug Buchan made a number of key saves for the Lakers and kept the Excelsiors scoreless for a span of 30:42 throughout the middle of the game. Andrew Vradenburg and Holden Lowes were scratched for the Lakers. Missing were Turner Evans, Jake Withers, Robert Hope and Thomas Hoggarth. Matt Gilray and Mitch Ogilvie combined to go 13/20 on faceoffs in the game in Withers’ absence, including a 7/7 first period. The Lakers are next in action on Thursday, June 13, for their heavily-anticipated 2024 home opener. The Brooklin Lacrosse Club is in town and the Lakers are looking to move to 2-1. Game time is at the usual 8 p.m. Season tickets for the Lakers’ six-game home schedule are still available at the box office. Single-game tickets are now on sale for all six games as well. SCORING FOR THE LAKERS: Joe Resetarits (4-1) Holden Cattoni (2-2) Rob Hellyer (1-5) Taite Cattoni (1-2) Dylan Hutchison (1-1) Austin Hasen (1-0) Taylor Jensen (1-0) Mitch Ogilvie (1-0) Cam Milligan (0-2) Jordan Stouros (0-2) Owen Hiltz (0-2) Koleton Marquis (0-1) Joey Cupido (0-1)

The Peterborough Century 21 Lakers are proud to announce the additions of two new defenders through free agency, Joey Cupido and Taylor Jensen. Cupido is well-known to Lakers fans as a former member of the Cobourg Kodiaks and Six Nations Chiefs. Cupido spent last MSL season injured and on the bench as an assistant coach with the Chiefs during their Mann Cup run. The 33-year-old been hoping play again this season but was released by the Chiefs. “Being an older guy and a veteran will help,” Cupido said. “Every year I learn a little bit more of the game and having an opportunity to step behind the bench I got to see things from a different vantage point. That’s certainly going to help my game and hopefully I can pass on some of those things to the younger guys as well.” Cupido is a runner – he’s always a threat to score in transition and fans will delight in watching him speed up the floor with the ball. “They’re going to get 100% from me every night; I’m someone who works [hard] every single shift and hopefully provides a little spark in transition. I’m honoured to join such a team that’s steeped with history and tradition and I’m happy to able to contribute.” Jensen made his professional debut this winter for Mike Hasen’s Rochester Knighthawks, and is now tackling his rookie MSL season. The 25-year-old hails from New Westminster, BC, and played junior A lacrosse for the Salmonbellies. He is the younger brother of NLL MVP Josh Byrne. He was in the lineup on Monday in Oakville. The Lakers are on the road this Thursday in Brampton, with both Cupido and Jensen, as well as Rob Hellyer, recently acquired in a trade, expected to be in the lineup. Single-game tickets for all six home games go on sale Thursday morning at 9:30 a.m. through the Peterborough Memorial Centre box office. The Lakers’ home opener is set for Thursday, June 13 at 8 p.m. vs Oakville.  Photo of Joey Cupido by John Harrison/NLL

The Peterborough Century 21 Lakers and Peterborough Lakers Alumni are proud to announce a special celebration to honour the 1984 and 2004 Mann Cup winning teams. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the 2004 team’s national senior lacrosse championship win, and the 40th anniversary of the 1984 team's Mann Cup victory. To commemorate these milestones, the Lakers and Lakers Alumni are teaming up to host two special events. The festivities kick off with the Alumni Golf Tournament presented by Top Prospects Lacrosse on June 21st at Keystone Links. Each participant will receive a commemorative Peterborough Lakers Alumni hat featuring the 1984 and 2004 teams courtesy of Imprinted Apparel. On Tuesday, June 25th, the Lakers will host both teams for a special ceremony, where they will be honoured for their achievements. The Lakers take on Owen Sound that evening at 8 p.m. "We are thrilled to recognize the achievements of these two legendary teams," said Dean Porter, president of the Lakers Alumni. "Their contributions to the sport of lacrosse and the Peterborough community are immeasurable, and we are honoured to celebrate their success." Any members from the 1984 or 2004 teams that plan to attend either event asked to contact Len Powers, chair of the Lakers’ board, at len.powers@outlook.com , to confirm their attendance. “We hope to see you all out at the alumni golf tournament on June 21 st , and we’re looking forward to seeing you June 25 th to celebrate two great championship teams,” Powers stated.

The Peterborough Century 21 Lakers played strong lacrosse for 40 minutes in their season opener on Monday night, but ultimately fell 13-10 to the Oakville Rock at the Toronto Rock Athletic Centre. Leading 8-4 after the second period, Jake Withers scored off the third period’s opening faceoff to increase the Lakers’ lead to 9-4. But then the Rock roared back, outscoring the Lakers 9-1 down the stretch. They started with five in a span of just over five minutes to tie the game. Thomas Hoggarth’s hat trick goal put Peterborough back up 10-9, but the Rock scored four goals in the final 1:46 (including two empty netters) for the win. Ryan Lanchbury led Oakville with 2 goals and 4 assists. There were positives in the initial outing: Jake Withers won 22 of 24 draws and scored twice, once off his own face-off win; rookie Koleton Marquis scored in his debut and added two assists; and the Lakers outshot the Rock 57-43. The Rock opened the scoring but the Lakers quickly went up 3-1 in the first. Hoggarth scored a pair before Taite Cattoni stung the top right corner. After Oakville tied it up 3-3, Withers caught the pass from Eric Shewell and ran alone up the field to easily beat Troy Holowchuk one on one. Marquis’ goal came on a second chance after a Taite Cattoni rebound; Marquis grabbed the ball and threw two fakes as he tiptoed the crease before scoring. Owen Hiltz followed that up with a rebound on a sharp-angle shot 26 seconds later. Joe Resetarits capitalized 28 seconds after that for the 7-4 lead. That was all the scoring in the second period until Dylan Hutchison hit a buzzer beater with a blast from the line with one second left. Doug Buchan made 30 saves on 41 shots in his return to the Lakers' net after playing Sr. B last season. The Lakers also added Rochester Knighthawks’ defender Taylor Jensen to the lineup on Monday; Jensen is the brother of NLL MVP Josh Byrne. The 6’2 New Westminster native is a recent graduate of RIT, where he was a two-time national champion. Andrew Vradenburg and Cam Milligan were scratched for the Lakers. Missing were Colton Armstrong, Rob Hellyer and Robert Hope. The Lakers are right back on the road Thursday when they visit the Brampton Excelsiors at Brampton’s Memorial Arena at 8 p.m. The game will not be televised or streamed. Season tickets for the Lakers’ six-game home schedule are still available at the box office. Single-game tickets go on sale June 6, and the home opener is on June 13. SCORING FOR THE LAKERS: Thomas Hoggarth (3-2) Jake Withers (2-1) Joe Resetarits (1-2) Koleton Marquis (1-2) Taite Cattoni (1-2) Owen Hiltz (1-1) Dylan Hutchison (1-0) Turner Evans (0-1) Austin Hasen (0-1) Eric Shewell (0-1) Matt Gilray (0-1) 

The Peterborough Century 21 Lakers made a trade on Friday afternoon, acquiring forward Rob Hellyer from the Oakville Rock. Heading to Oakville are defensemen Thomas Whitty and Matt Wright. Hellyer was a star with the Toronto Rock of the NLL for years and is now the captain of the Las Vegas Desert Dogs, where he scored 77 points in 18 games this season. “He’s going to compete at a very high level,” said Lakers’ head coach and general manager Mike Hasen. “He’ll handle the ball for us a little more. he does a lot of great things with and without the ball but he’ll be a presence for us that will stabilize the ball on the right side. He’ll be in the right spots for our offense to flow and click together.” Hellyer last played in the MSL in 2019. The pandemic cancelled the 2020 and 2021 seasons, and the Rock sat out the 2022 and 2023 seasons. In between stints with the Rock, he also spent the 2018 season out west with the Victoria Shamrocks. Hasen wasn’t necessarily looking to trade two young defenders, but “the opportunity presented itself for Rob and it was two guys (Whitty and Wright) that Oakville’s general manager Steve Dietrich really likes. They had to be part of the deal at the end of the day for us to get better.” Hasen also announced that after spending last season playing Sr. B in Quebec, Joe Resetarits will return to the Lakers and is “100 per cent committed to being here and helping us to compete for a Mann Cup again.” Season tickets for the six-game home schedule are still available at the box office. Single-game tickets go on sale June 6, and the Lakers’ home opener is on June 13.  Photo by James Bennett/NLL

The Peterborough Lakers are thrilled to announce that single-game tickets for the upcoming home season will be available starting Thursday, June 6th at 9:30 a.m. Fans can purchase tickets online, over the phone, or in-person at the box office. The home season kicks off on Thursday, June 13th, and we are excited to welcome our dedicated fans back to cheer on the Lakers. Be sure to secure your tickets early to experience the thrill of live lacrosse at our home arena. Visit www.peterboroughlakers.ca to purchase tickets online. Tickets may also be purchased by phone at 705-743-3561, or in person at the Grant Thornton box office, which is open for phone transactions Monday-Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and in-person sales from Wednesday-Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Pricing Per Game Regular Bowl: Adult: $21.25 Senior: $16.75 Student: $14.75 Child: $7.75 Club Section: Adult: $25.75 Senior: $21.25 Student: $19.25 Child: $12.25 Group pricing and skybox options are also available for those looking to enjoy the game with a larger party or in a more exclusive setting. For more information on these options, please contact Jordan Winch at jwinch.ptbolakers@outlook.com or Jay Quartermain at jayquartermain.ptbolakers@outlook.com . Season tickets for the entire six-game home schedule remain on sale for new subscribers, and can be purchased through the box office. Don't miss out on the excitement of the Peterborough Lakers' home games this season. Get your tickets starting June 6th and join us in supporting our team to victory!

The Century 21 Lakers and the Peterborough Petes are excited to announce a new collaboration that will see Lakers merchandise available for purchase at the Petes' Store located in the Peterborough Memorial Centre (PMC). This arrangement took effect this past weekend and aims to provide fans with convenient access to both Lakers and Petes merchandise. For the duration of the lacrosse season, Lakers merchandise will be prominently featured at the front of the Petes Store. Imprinted Apparel, the supplier of traditional Lakers' gear, will ensure a wide range of items is available. Fans can look forward to both classic favorites and new designs as they are created. Petes merchandise will also continue to be available, offering a one-stop shop for all supporters of Peterborough’s major sports teams. This strategic partnership not only enhances the shopping experience for fans but also optimizes the space within the PMC lobby. The Petes Store will maintain its regular hours during game nights and other events, providing ample opportunity for fans to purchase their favourite team gear. "As the two major tenants at the PMC, it’s nice to enter into a collaborated agreement where both parties benefit," said Len Powers, Chair of the Lakers Board. "This partnership is a win-win for our teams and our fans." Mark Million, Petes' Director of Merchandise, echoed these sentiments, stating, "For me personally, adding the Lakers into the Petes Store makes good sense. The Lakers are one of the premier lacrosse teams in the country, and the Petes are one of the most storied franchises in the CHL. Professionally, Clinton Smith has done such a terrific job with the merchandise for the Lakers. We're happy to continue to work with Clinton, as well as introduce new brands and styles, for our Lakers faithful." This collaboration highlights the strong community spirit and shared commitment to providing the best for the fans of Peterborough’s storied sports teams. Both organizations are eager to see the positive impact this partnership will have on the local community and their dedicated supporters.