DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard NORTH DURHAM/KAWARTHA LAKES: The community is grieving, following the tragic passing of Woodville youth Rowen Greening, whose life touched countless people both on and off the ice. Rowen, a Grade 6 student and a member of the North Durham Warriors Under-12 AA hockey team, passed away, following an ATV accident, on Thursday, March 5th. In the days since, an outpouring of love and support has spread throughout

DARRYL KNIGHT The Standard The Provincial Junior Hockey League (PJHL) playoffs shifted into the divisional semifinal round over the weekend, and one of the most anticipated matchups is the Battle of North Durham between the Uxbridge Bruins and the Port Perry Lumberjacks. Through the first two games of the best-of-seven Orr Division semifinal, the Bruins have seized early control of the series. Nearly 800 boisterous fans packed the Bear Den in Uxbridge on Friday night (March 6

DARRYL KNIGHT The Standard The hardware is heading back to Sunderland. Uxbridge Bruins forward, Ryan Shier has been named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the Provincial Junior Hockey League’s Orr Division, for the 2025-26 season, capping off a dominant campaign for the first-place Bruins. The 20-year-old Sunderland native led Uxbridge in scoring, with 22 goals and 31 assists, for 53 points in 40 games, playing a key role in the club’s run to the top of the division standing

DARRYL KNIGHT The Standard A North Durham rivalry will take centre stage this weekend, as the Provincial Junior Hockey League (PJHL)’s Orr Division semifinals open, with a familiar and heated matchup. The first-place Uxbridge Bruins will square off against the fourth-place Port Perry LumberJacks, in what promises to be another intense chapter in the Battle of North Durham. Uxbridge enters the series as the clear favourite, having dominated the regular season rivalry. The Bru

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard SCUGOG: Long-anticipated repairs at the Blackstock Recreation Complex are moving a step closer to reality, with council approving a design assignment which could lay the groundwork for major roof and structural upgrades at the community facility. At a recent meeting, council received a report from Grant Taylor, Director of Public Works & Recreation, recommending the Township retain Sense Engineering (GTA) I

DARRYL KNIGHT The Standard Opening weekend of the Provincial Junior Hockey League playoffs delivered exactly what local fans have come to expect, dominant performances at the top and high drama in one of the league’s fiercest rivalries. The first-place Uxbridge Bruins wasted no time showing why they were among the elite teams in the entire PJHL this season. Uxbridge set a new club record with 35 wins and finished with 71 points, second overall in the league, trailing only th

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard SCUGOG: Generations of skaters, players, and families are uniting behind a shared goal, as the community puts forward the Blackstock Recreation Complex, as its nominee for the 2026 edition of the Kraft Hockeyville contest. Blackstock Arena is one of Canada’s true hockey originals. First opening in 1933 as an outdoor skating pad, it holds the distinction of being the second-oldest ice surface in the country.

DARRYL KNIGHT The Standard It was a weekend to remember for the Uxbridge Bruins, who continued their late-season surge, with a pair of impressive wins, to extend their streak to six straight wins, as the Provincial Junior Hockey League (PJHL) regular season winds down. The Bruins capped things off, on Sunday afternoon, with a 4–2 road win over their North Durham rivals, the Port Perry LumberJacks, in the final Battle of North Durham of the 2025-26 campaign. Uxbridge came out

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard BROCK: Work on the Sunderland Arena expansion and renovation project is continuing to move forward, despite slight delays caused by utility connections. Officials report substantial progress has already been made, with demolition nearly complete and construction now underway on both the exterior and interior of the facility. Mayor Mike Jubb called the project “a historic project in the Township of Brock,” no

DARRYL KNIGHT The Standard SCUGOG: For fans flipping through the Port Perry LumberJacks gameday program this season, one section has quickly become a favourite. The “Where Are They Now?” feature has struck a chord by doing more than revisiting old stats or familiar names, it has highlighted the deep, lasting bond between the team, its alumni and the wider Scugog community. Each week, the feature profiles a former player and explores where life has taken them since their junio

DARRYL KNIGHT The Standard Rivalries, special teams, and strong goaltending were all on display over the weekend as the three local Provincial Junior Hockey League (PJHL) clubs packed plenty of drama into a schedule that was ultimately cut short by winter weather. The action began Friday night in Uxbridge, where the Bruins delivered a statement performance at the Bear Den, shutting out the Clarington Eagles 4–0. Uxbridge controlled the pace early and leaned heavily on its pow

DARRYL KNIGHT The Standard Local junior hockey talent took centre ice, Sunday, January 11th, as players from Uxbridge, Port Perry, and Little Britain showcased their skills at the Provincial Junior Hockey League’s (PJHL) annual All-Star Game. This season, the PJHL hosted four all-star games: East, West, North, and South Conferences, each offering home-ice advantage in the provincial quarterfinals. In Trent Hills, the Orr Division faced off against the Tod Division, with the T

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard SCUGOG: A celebration of local athletic achievement and community pride will take centre stage this spring, as the Scugog Sports Hall of Fame (SHOF) prepares to welcome its newest class of inductees. The Hall of Fame’s 18th annual induction ceremony will be held, on Thursday, April 23rd, at the Scugog Community Recreation Centre, bringing together athletes, coaches, families and fans, to honour those who ha

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Initiative Reporter for The Standard SCUGOG: A community-led vision, for the future of the Blackstock Arena, was brought before Township of Scugog council recently, as a delegation called on the municipality to partner with residents, to revitalize the aging facility and secure its long-term future. Kirk Swain, Mike Blakey and Rob Harvey addressed council, at their meeting on Monday, December 9th, on behalf of the newly formed Blackstock Arena Planning and

DARRYL KNIGHT The Standard Long before Basil McRae carved out a 16-year career in the National Hockey League, his hockey journey was taking shape in the rinks of small-town Ontario, where the game was as much about community as competition. Born and raised in Beaverton, where he made his mark early, helping his hometown teams capture several provincial championships. Those successes opened the door to junior hockey, and in 1975 he arrived in Port Perry, to suit up for the Fl

DARRYL KNIGHT The Standard The Uxbridge Bruins enjoyed a dominant weekend, in the Provincial Junior Hockey League, picking up two big wins over North Durham rivals. For the second straight Sunday, the Bruins travelled to Scugog Arena and skated to victory, against the Port Perry LumberJacks, in the Battle of North Durham. Returning from a three-game suspension, goalie Robby DiMaria stopped 29 shots, to secure the win. Uxbridge struck early, when Danny Thomakos scored, just 2:

DARRYL KNIGHT The Standard It was an eventful weekend for North Durham’s PJHL teams, highlighted by a thrilling Battle of North Durham between the Uxbridge Bruins and Port Perry LumberJacks. On Sunday at Scugog Arena, the Bruins came away with a 6-2 victory over their archrivals. Port Perry struck first just 26 seconds in when Kyle Den Ouden scored, assisted by Liam Rampersad. Uxbridge quickly responded, with Jack Kemp tying the game in the first period. Tanner Ryan gave the

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard SCUGOG: A packed house, at Scugog Arena, helped make this year’s Hockey Night in Port Perry a rousing success, as fans, families, and hockey stars came together, on Saturday, November 29th, for an evening of entertainment and community spirit, in support of Oak Ridges Hospice. Now, in its second year, the charity showcase, once again, delivered a high-energy blend of on-ice action and family-friendly fun. Do

DARRYL KNIGHT The Standard It was an action-packed weekend of Provincial Junior Hockey League play across North Durham and Kawartha Lakes, featuring high-scoring wins, intense rivalries, and overtime drama. The Uxbridge Bruins bounced back from a rare loss on Friday against Georgina with a dominant 10-2 road victory over the Clarington Eagles on Thursday night in Bowmanville. Darin Bain led the way with a hat trick, while Jack Kemp, Luke Kemp, Colin Tingay, Cameron Meek, Tuck

DARRYL KNIGHT The Standard It was a mixed weekend, for local teams in the Provincial Junior Hockey League (PJHL), with the Little Britain Merchants delivering the area’s only win, while the Uxbridge Bruins and Port Perry LumberJacks came up short in their match-ups. A lively crowd of nearly 500 fans packed the Bear Den, on Friday night, November 21st, as the Uxbridge Bruins battled the Georgina Ice. The visitors escaped with a narrow 2-1 victory. After a scoreless first perio