Flyers host alumni, get rings before edging Cougars

With over 1,000 fans present — including a large number of Flyers’ alumni from various years and the members of the 2022-23 team who received their Sutherland Cup rings — the current Ontario Junior Hockey League Flyers put on a defensive show as they beat the Burlington Cougars 2-1 on Thursday, December 21.

All of the scoring action took place in the opening period. Over the course of the other 40 minutes, the Flyers and starting goalie Sebastian Gatto played a strong defensive game. 

Burlington opened the scoring midway through the period via a backhand shot that eluded Gatto, but that was the lone tally Gatto would allow as he made 35 saves to win the contest. 

The hometown Flyers got rolling at 13:31 when Nick Mahy hooked a pass to Alex Cunningham whose rebound bounded to the left side of the Cougars’ net where Cameron Arquette pumped it into the net. Three minutes later, Anthony Ciaramitaro and Landon Bernard worked the puck around the Cougars’ net before Cade Bell flipped it past Cougars goalie Kyle Metson.

In the second, Burlington threw everything at the Flyers, getting 17 shots on Gatto, who turned them all aside. Neither team scored the rest of the way although the Flyers had several good chances in the third including the final two minutes when Metson was lifted for an extra attacker. 

Head coach Dale Mitchell wasn’t overly pleased with the effort but wasn’t disappointed either.

“I thought we played okay versus Burlington,” he said. “I don’t think it was our best game. We passed up a lot of opportunities to shoot and we need to manage the puck better.” 

 Mitchell added, “It was awesome to see the crowd and everyone back for the ring ceremony. Overall in the big picture, we are in a good spot and a lot better than September.” 

The ring ceremony included last year’s Flyers players, coaches and staff receiving their Sutherland Cup rings prior to the opening faceoff. Local music star Billy Raffoul dropped the ceremonial first puck after visiting the Flyers dressing room to read out the opening lineup.

As for the alumni, about 100 former Flyers from all eras attended the game and spent plenty of time catching up with old friends in the northeast corner of the Highbury Arena.

 The Flyers will have no home games this week. On Friday, January 5, they travel to Collingwood, followed by a Saturday visit to Oakville.