A Canadian celebration in Warwick Township
File Photo
Corunna’s John McLaughlin has been a key piece for the Windsor Spitfires in their eight game playoff winning streak. He has recorded seven points, which is the most by a 16-year-old player in the OHL playoffs this year.
Lambton Jr. Sting grads go head-to-head in OHL conference final
April 23, 2026
Barry Wright/The Independent
Lambton Jr. Sting alumni Cameron Reid and the Kitchener Rangers will go up against ex-Jr. Sting players Jack Nesbitt and John McLaughlin of the Windsor Spitfires in the OHL Western Conference final beginning Friday night in Kitchener.
Reid drew an assist in Rangers’ 5-1 win over the Soo Greyhounds Friday to give Kitchener a 4-1 series win
against the Hounds. The loss ends the season for former Sting rearguard Lukas Fischer.
Sarnia’s Nesbitt, who has family connections to Petrolia and Alvinston, recorded an empty net goal and Corunna’s McLaughlin had two assists to lead the Spitfires to a 5-3 win last Thursday to complete a four-game sweep of the Flint Firebirds in the other conference semi-final.
McLaughlin is tied for second in OHL playoff rookie scoring with seven points in eight games.
Windsor has won eight-straight playoff contests and is unbeaten in regulation time in its last 15 games dating back six weeks to the end of the regular season.
Meantime, Grand Bend’s Hayden Barch and the North Bay Battalion saw their season come to an end, bowing 5-3 to Brantford April 15. The Bulldogs won the conference semi-final in four straight games.
Brantford began Eastern Conference championship series with a 4-3 win over the Barrie Colts on Wednesday night. Game two is in Brantford on Friday night.
The Colts roster includes Eamon Edgar whose parents are both from Petrolia.
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A Canadian celebration in Warwick Township
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Canada Day came early in Warwick Township as the community celebrated Saturday at Centennial Park. The Kanis sisters were having fun in the bouncy council while Deputy Mayor John Couwenberg was one of the council members cooking up hotdogs for the crowd. Sylvia Nicholson, 5, was dressed up for the occasion as she had her lunch with her grandmother. Wren
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Petrolia shifts some Canada Day events indoors
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Man drowns off Grand Bend’s south beach
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Province to launch licencing app for hunting and fishing
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The Independent It will soon be easier to purchase hunting and fishing licenses. The Ontario government is launching FishHuntON an online and mobile app in 2027. It will provide about 1.5 million anglers and hunters with new ways to keep track of licences and tags including;
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