The Peterborough Petes are OHL champions. That probably doesn't sit well with many North Bay Battalion fans but one local player was pretty fired up as he hoisted the J. Ross Robertson Cup on Sunday night.
The Petes knocked off the London Knights 2-1 in game six to win the series 4-2 and punch their ticket to the Memorial Cup in Kamloops which begins later this week.
Former North Bay Trappers forward Chase Lefebvre appeared to have tipped the second Petes' goal which ended up being the game-winner late in the third period but it was credited to Tucker Robertson.
Lefebvre, who was chasing the NOJHL scoring title in 2021-22 with the French River Rapids (GP 46 G 29 A 37 PTS 66) got into 48 regular season games in 2022-23 with the Petes netting 2 goals and 5 assists for 7 points. The 2004 birth year forward added 2 assists in 15 playoff games with the Petes.
Lefebvre was a 15th-round pick of the Petes in 2020. Scott Huycke, North Bay AAA Trappers president and Lefebvre's former coach in U16 AAA, was thrilled to see Lefebvre celebrate an OHL title.
"As long as you set a goal and put in the work to achieve it," Huycke said.
"I am sure he will enjoy the experience of playing in the Memorial Cup."
In fact, it will be the second year that a former Trapper plays in the Memorial Cup. Last season Nico LaForge - a former teammate of Lefebvre's - was on the Saint John Sea Dog who won the Memorial Cup in 2022.
Lefebvre, who was born in Kapuskasing, will also see more North Bay content at the Memorial Cup this week as Matt Marquardt, Seattle's assistant coach, will be there with the Thunderbirds representing the Western Hockey League in the championship tournament.
