DARRYL KNIGHT The Standard The Uxbridge Bruins are back on top of the Provincial Junior Hockey League’s Orr Division, capturing the Cougar Cup, with a decisive 3-0 victory over the Clarington Eagles, in Game 6 on Sunday, March 29th, in Bowmanville. The championship marks the eighth in franchise history for Uxbridge and their first since 2019, capping off an impressive playoff run which saw the Bruins win four of the final five games in the series. After splitting the opening

DARRYL KNIGHT The Standard The Provincial Junior Hockey League (PJHL) Orr Division championship series is off to a fast and physical start, with the Uxbridge Bruins and Clarington Eagles splitting the opening two games of the Cougar Cup final over the weekend. Uxbridge drew first blood on Friday, March 20th, at the Bear Den, skating to a commanding 6-1 victory on home ice. The Bruins wasted no time setting the tone, striking twice in a 12-second span early in the first perio

Melissa Briggs USC There’s been plenty of action happening at the Uxbridge Swim Club (USC) lately, and lots more on the horizon. 2025 Japan Cultural Exchange Tour Team with Swim Ontario Over the winter break, USC swimmer, Chloe Walker, travelled to Japan as part of the 2025 Japan Cultural Exchange Tour Team with Swim Ontario. This was a huge experience for Chloe, offering international racing and training opportunities in Sagamihara, Japan. The exchange also allowed her to e

DARRYL KNIGHT The Standard The Uxbridge Bruins have advanced to the Provincial Junior Hockey League (PJHL) Orr Division finals, eliminating their arch-rivals, the Port Perry MoJacks, in a hard-fought five-game Battle of North Durham series. After storming to a 2-0 series lead last weekend, Uxbridge faced a resilient LumberJacks squad in Game 3 on Tuesday, March 10th, in Uxbridge. Port Perry struck first in the third period with a power-play goal from Parker Lemay, assisted by

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 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 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: Residents of Beaverton may soon see improvements to local pickleball facilities, after a recent request brought the issue before Brock Township Council. At a council meeting, on Monday, January 26th, Andrew Wingrove, a longtime Beaverton resident and community supporter, submitted a letter raising concerns about the newly created pickleball court at Lodwick Park. Mr. Wingrove noted, the court does not

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 HALIBURTON/SCUGOG: One of Ontario’s most distinctive winter motorsports traditions is preparing to celebrate a major milestone. Ice racing in Minden will mark its 50th anniversary, during the 2026 season, celebrating five decades of competition, camaraderie, and cold-weather thrills. The roots of Minden ice racing stretch back to the mid-1970s, when races were first held on frozen swampland. By the late 1970s, the event found a permanent home at th

BRANDON CLARK The Standard News BROCK: Community and Non-Profit Organizations are invited to apply for funding from Brock Township's Charity Golf Tournament fund for senior- and/or youth-oriented projects. The annual golf tournament, hosted by Brock Township, is held at Cedarhurst Golf Club in Beaverton, to raise funds for local charitable organizations. Brock Township requires local non-profit or charitable organizations applying for a specific project to provide detailed

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 Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard SCUGOG: With winter settling in, along the shores of Lake Scugog, a favourite seasonal attraction is once again welcoming skaters of all ages. Lakefront Skate, in Port Perry, is officially open, offering free outdoor skating seven days a week, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., at Joe Fowler North Diamond, located next to Palmer Park. The rink, part of the Lakefront Skate and Market area, is designed to be a fun, inc

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