Ultimate Drivers Weekend Preview – No days off
The Steelheads have an action packed weekend ahead featuring a back-to-back at the CAA Centre, before heading on the road.
Diwali game
This Friday the Brampton Steelheads are proud to host their first Diwali game presented by No Frills. The game aims to honour the vibrant heritage of Diwali with an evening filled with traditional music, cultural performances, and the symbolic beauty of the Festival of Lights. The Steelheads will wear a specially designed jersey and logo, created by Annie Koshy, founder and CEO of GTA South Asian Media Network. The jerseys are inspired by Diwali’s celebration of light, resilience, and community.
Reflecting Diwali’s spirit of giving, all jerseys will be auctioned off in support of Cancer Warrior Canada, a group of inspiring individuals who raise awareness and reduce the stigma of breast cancer through education and support.
The game will be a community celebration of culture that encourages all fans to attend. Tickets for the Diwali game are available here.
Making a statement
The Steelheads got back in the win column this past weekend when they dominated the Storm in Guelph. Brampton’s star-studded offence showed their full power as they scored a whopping ten goals, the second most goals scored in a game this season, in their victory over the Storm. The win was headlined by a hat-trick, and five-point performance from Adam Zidlicky, while six other Steelheads recorded multi-point games.
Defending the fort
In their first matchup of the weekend, the Trout will play host to the North Bay Battalion. It will be the Battalion’s first game in Brampton, which they called their home up until the 2013-14 season, since relocating to North Bay. The Steelheads and Battalion faced off six times last year, where the Trout had a record of 1-4-1 in the season series.
A key to victory will be containing North Bay’s high-powered top line, which combined for 12 goals and 16 assists in last year’s series. Anthony Romani, who notched 10 goals against Brampton, was drafted in the 6th round by the Vancouver Canucks this summer, adding even more fuel to his offensive drive. With Dalyn Wakely, the series’ top scorer, now traded to Barrie, the Steelheads have a golden opportunity to hone in on Romani and Owen Van Steensel. By keeping North Bay’s stars in check, Brampton is poised to reverse last year’s results and set the tone for a successful weekend.
The Steelheads’ new top line of Porter Martone, Luke Misa, and Carson Rehkopf all scored over a point per game last year against North Bay. Martone tallied twelve points (5G, 7A) in six games, with Misa recording seven points (4G, 3A), while the offseason addition Rehkopf notched three points (2G, 1A) in his lone game against the Battalion. The trio of forwards enter the weekend on a high, as they recorded a combined 18 points in just two games last weekend.
The Trout will look for the top-notch trio to continue scoring at their dominant level as they aim to bounce back in this year’s season series.
It will be a high- scoring matchup this Friday that you will not want to miss! Make sure to secure your tickets here.
Keep things buzzin
On the second day of the triple header, Brampton will host the Sarnia Sting. Last season the Steelheads and Sting faced off twice, where they split the series 1-1. Both clubs’ wins came on the road. The Trout look to break that streak, and win at home this Saturday.
The Sting entered the first year of their rebuild last season, after falling to the London Knights in the Western Conference finals of the 2023 playoffs. Sarnia has been enjoying the benefits of the rebuild so far this season, as second-overall pick Alessandro Di Iorio, and third-round pick Beckham Edwards both sit in the top five of rookie scoring league-wide. With help from returning veterans Lukas Fischer, Easton Wainwright, Zach Filak, and Mitch Young the Sting have quickly returned to playoff contention.
A matchup against the Sting will mean a lot for captain Porter Martone, who was originally drafted by the club 5th overall in the 2022 OHL draft. Martone spent less than a year in Sarnia before being sent to the Steelheads in a pair of deals alongside Angus MacDonell that sent Ethan Del Mastro and Luca Del Bel Belluz to the Sting. The Trout’s new captain will look to lead the Steelheads to some revenge against his former team.
You can secure your tickets here.
Battle in the Bay
The Steelheads close out the weekend by traveling north for a rematch against the Battalion. Both teams enter the weekend in similar positions, having won just over half of their games so far, so an opportunity to win two games against a Central Division rival could prove to be huge in the long run.
One of the top performers for North Bay in last year’s season series was star goaltender, and Winnipeg Jets prospect, Dom DiVincentiis. DiVincentiis was in net for four of the five Battalion wins, where he sported a 0.927 save percentage. Luckily for Brampton, this was the last time they would see DiVincentiis, as he moved on to the Manitoba Moose of the AHL. The Trout will aim to challenge new starter Mike McIvor as they look to come out victorious this season.
It will be the first time all season that the Steelheads play for a third consecutive day, so Brampton will likely look to use their goaltending depth to their advantage. Jack Ivankovic has been stellar to start the season, sitting second in save percentage and goals against average, while being tied for the league lead in shutouts. Jacob Gibbons stepped up during Ivankovic’s suspension, recording a 0.910 save percentage in the four games without Ivankovic.
It will be a matchup you will not want to miss so make sure to tune in to watch.chl.ca or listen on Sauga960.
