Thursday Highlights: Troops, Petes open 25-26 season with home-ice wins

Brampton Steelheads vs. Peterborough Petes

Final: 3 (BRAM) – 6 (PBO)

The Peterborough Petes opened up the 2025-26 regular season on a high note, doubling up the Trout in their home-opener.

Offseason trade acquisition Matthew Soto scored and recorded three helpers in his first game in the maroon and white
Colin Fitzgerald kick-started his NHL draft-eligible campaign with a goal and an assist, being awarded OHL Play of the Night
In goal, Peterborough native Easton Rye turned aside 31 shots to earn his 1st victory of the season.
One of Brampton’s two first-round selections in the 2025 OHL Priority Selection Keaton Ardagh recorded his first-career OHL goal in the loss
Former Pete Zach Bowen started for the Steelheads, making 33 saves, falling to 0-1 on the young season.

Oshawa Generals vs. North Bay Battalion

Final: 2 (OSH) – 4 (NB)

The North Bay Battalion started their year strong, earning the victory in a rematch of the 2024 Eastern Conference Final.

Rookie 4th round pick Jax Pereira opened the scoring for North Bay and the 2025-26 season with his first career tally.
Free agent signing Brandt Harper earned the OHL’s second star of the night with a goal and an assist for the Battalion in the victory.
Goaltender Mike McIvor earned his 31st career win for the Troops, turning aside 26 shots.
Oshawa’s 1st round selection in 2025, Sam Roberts, got his first career goal out of the way early in his rookie season.
The Generals were without some top end talent at NHL training camps with Ben Danford, Owen Griffin, Simon Wang, Zack Sandhu and Beckett Sennecke out of the lineup.