Local rivalries heat up after action-packed PJHL weekend

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 power play, striking three times with the man advantage. Josh Hall opened the scoring midway through the first period, followed closely by Tucker Roberts to give the Bruins a two-goal edge after 20 minutes.

Ryan Shier extended the lead on another power play midway through the second, and Evan Gilbert capped the scoring late in the frame. From there, Robby DiMaria took care of the rest. The Bruins’ netminder turned aside all 25 shots he faced, calmly steering Uxbridge through a scoreless third period to secure the shutout.

Saturday night saw the Bruins hit the road for a tightly contested matchup in Little Britain. The Merchants entered the game riding momentum after a dramatic overtime win the night before, and they matched Uxbridge stride for stride in a defensive battle. After trading power-play goals early in the third period, Little Britain clawed back to force overtime before Filip Djordjevic ended it just 50 seconds into the extra frame, giving the Merchants a 3-2 victory.

Uxbridge regrouped later that night and closed out the weekend on a high note with a 4-1 win on the road over the Shopkeepers. After surrendering a late first-period goal, the Bruins responded with four unanswered markers. Jack Kemp tied the game early in the second, Tucker Roberts put Uxbridge ahead late in the period, and third-period goals from Josh Hall and Luke Kemp sealed the win.

Meanwhile, the Port Perry LumberJacks picked up an important road victory on Thursday, Jan. 22, skating to a 5-3 decision over the Schomberg Cougars. After a back-and-forth opening 40 minutes that saw the game tied heading into the third, Port Perry’s special teams made the difference. Power-play goals from Darren Baker and Parker Lemay helped the LumberJacks pull away, with Lemay finishing the night with a goal and an assist.

Sunday’s winter storm brought hockey across the province to a halt, postponing several games, including the scheduled matchup between the LumberJacks and Merchants in Port Perry, as well as Uxbridge’s planned trip to Caledon. The pause sets the stage for another rivalry-heavy weekend ahead. The Battle of North Durham resumes Friday night in Uxbridge, with the LumberJacks visiting the Bear Den for a 7:45 p.m. puck drop. Little Britain hosts Clarington on Saturday, while Port Perry wraps up the weekend with a Sunday matinee matchup against Schomberg.