Image
File Photo

December 3, 2025

Barry Wright/The Independent

Tyler McGregor earned two assists, including one on the game-winning goal midway through the second period, as Team Canada beat Czechia, 3-1 at the Para Cup in Dawson Creek, BC on Monday.

With the points, the Forest native and team captain becomes just the fourth player in Canadian Para hockey history to reach 300 career points. McGregor registered a hat trick in a tournament-opening 7-0 win over China Sunday. The Canadians take on Team USA on Wednesday.

The playoffs open on Friday.  The gold medal game will be played on Saturday. in the final tune-up before the Paralympics.

•••

Blake Verberne remains unbeaten in regulation time in the Chatham Maroons crease. The Watford native and Lambton Jr. Sting grad stopped 23 of 24 shots on home ice Sunday as Chatham beat the winless Sarnia Legionnaires, 3-1.

Verberne is now 3-0-2 on the season. He has a goals-against average of 1.75 and a .937 save percentage. Andrew Gaulton made a season-high 56 saves for Sarnia as Chatham outshot its opponents, 59-24. 

Sarnia’s Jaxon Priddle had two assists for the Maroons while ex-Lambton Jr. Sting Xandre Aitken also had an assist.

Sting draft choice Sarvir Jaworski spoiled Verberne’s shutout bid with a power play goal at 7:57 of the third period.

Sarnia is still looking for that elusive first victory of the season. They are 0-25.

•••

The East Lambton Eagles won six straight games to capture the under-18 A championship banner at the Belle River Memorial tournament on the weekend.

After going 3-0 in pool play, the Eagles blanked the West Coast Whitecaps, 4-0 and edged the Wasaga Stars, 4-3 to reach the championship contest. In the title game, East Lambton blanked the Windsor Jr. Spitfires, 5-0.

Petrolia and Dresden also made the playoffs but both lost in the quarterfinals.

•••

A trio of local players won the North American Silver Stick championship in the under-18 AAA division in Sarnia.

Forwards AJ Wilson of Forest and Watford’s Wyatt Ferguson along with defenceman Quinn Carruthers of Bright’s Grove and their Elgin-Middlesex Canucks beat the Credit River Capitals, 3-2 in the final Sunday. 

At the Whitby Silver Stick, Sarnia’s John Montanino had a goal and three assists for Detroit Little Caesars and Cameron Jolicoeur of Sarnia scored a goal in five games for the London Jr. Knights. The Jr. Knights were eliminated in the quarterfinals while Little Caesars lost in the semis.

Share This

Image
Front Page

OPP lay over 1,000 speeding charges Labour Day weekend

September 9, 2026

The Independent Over 1,000 speeding charges in southern Ontario during the Labour Day weekend. West Region OPP say officers targetted “The Big Four” bad driving behaviours; aggressive driving, failure to wear a seatbelt, distracted driving and impaired driving which are the leading contributing factors to death and injury on Ontario’s highways. From Sept. 4 to 7, 1,004 speeding charges were

Read More

Image
Front Page

Port Lambton 16Us win OBA title

September 9, 2026

The Port Lambton 16U Pirates were a perfect 5-0 at the Provincial Championship over Labour Day weekend. The Pirates defeated Simcoe team 11-6 to capture the gold. The 11-team tournament was originally scheduled to begin Thursday, but heavy rain left the diamonds in Petrolia, Courtright and Port Lambton too wet to play until Saturday. Port Lambton opened with a 13-5

Read More

Image
Front Page

Sarnia footballer remembered after drowning at The Cove

September 9, 2026

The Independent The Sarnia Football Club is paying tribute to one of its members who drown over the Labour Day weekend. Monday, Sarnia Fire Rescue’s Marine Unit was called to The Cove near Canatara Park around 3 pm for a possible drowning. People on ski-doos, boats and sail boats aided Sarnia Fire, Point Edward Fire, fire and police departments from

Read More

Image
Front Page

Sports Briefs: Van Gorp, Knights get preseason win out West

September 9, 2026

Barry Wright/The Independent Watford’s Evan Van Gorp drew a pair of assists in London’s 5-3 preseason win against the Royals in Victoria, BC last weekend during the preseason Clash of the Kingdoms. The WHL team prevailed 7-1 in the opener of the two-game series on the west coast. The Knights and Sting close out the exhibition season with home-and-home contests

Read More