Petes Appropriate Party for 60th Season

September 25, 2015 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
North Bay Battalion News Release

NORTH BAY, Ont. - A home crowd of 3,764 flocked to Memorial Gardens to see the North Bay Battalion raise the curtain Friday night on its third Ontario Hockey League season, but it was the Peterborough Petes who did most of the celebrating.

Greg Betzold scored two goals to pace the Petes to a 4-1 victory, again denying the Troops a first win in a home opener since relocating from Brampton in 2013.

The Petes won 2-1 on Oct. 11, 2013, when OHL hockey made its return to the Gateway City 11 years after the Centennials left to become the Saginaw Spirit, and the Barrie Colts took a 5-4 overtime decision on Sept. 26, 2014.

Peterborough is marking its 60th season, the first having been 1956-57, when the Kitchener Canucks moved to become the TPT Petes, named for the sponsoring Toronto-Peterborough Transport Company. The Petes, who originated as part of the development system of the National Hockey League's Montreal Canadiens, are the longest continously operating organization in the OHL and its predecessors.

After tailgating outside the arena, North Bay fans saw video board highlights of the Troops' 2014-15 season, in which the club advanced to the Eastern Conference Championship Series, losing in six games to the Oshawa Generals, eventual Memorial Cup winners.

Staff and players on this season's squad were introduced individually, followed by acknowledgment of the roles of head coach Stan Butler and forward Zach Poirier, as well as that of Peterborough goaltender Dylan Wells, in winning gold at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament, an under-18 competition, in the Czech Republic in August.

Longtime North Bay fan Bob McIntyre, accompanied by mascot Sarge, conducted the ceremonial faceoff between captain Mike Amadio of the Battalion and Eric Cornel, one of four alternates for Peterborough.

After that, the Petes skated to their second win in two nights to open their milestone season, having defeated the visiting Ottawa 67's 5-4 at home on the schedule's first night.

Ontario Hockey League Stories from September 25, 2015

• Petes Appropriate Party for 60th Season - North Bay Battalion
• Steelheads Shut out 67s in Home Opener - Brampton Steelheads
• Sting Edged by Otters at Home - Sarnia Sting
• Peterborough Prevails in Battalion's Opener - North Bay Battalion
• Generals Spoil Storm Opener with 3-0 Win - Guelph Storm
• Hounds Drop Season Opener in Overtime to Windsor - Soo Greyhounds
• Rangers Fall 5-4 in OT in Season Opener - Kitchener Rangers
• Wolves Drop Season Opener - Sudbury Wolves
• 67's Seeking First Win at Home - Ottawa 67's
• Cianfrone Makes Big Splash in Win - Owen Sound Attack
• Otters Hold on to Beat Sarnia - Erie Otters
• IceDogs Maul Wolves 8-1 in 2015/16 Opener - Niagara IceDogs
• Erie Acquires Pick from Owen Sound - Erie Otters
• Knights Lace up in Gold this Weekend - London Knights
• Attack Acquire Cianfrone and Dekoning - Owen Sound Attack
• Steelheads Acquire Jack Flinn from Owen Sound - Brampton Steelheads
• Flinn Traded to Steelheads; Attack Acquire Pair - Owen Sound Attack
• Hectic Summer for GM DeGray - Owen Sound Attack
• Spits Fall in OT on Opening Night - Windsor Spitfires
• Flint Shuts out Saginaw 3-0 in Historic OHL Season Opener - Flint Firebirds

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